Corner Brook will host 2026 N.L. Summer Games

The 50th edition of the Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games — set for 2026 — is heading to Corner Brook.

The weeklong event will see more than 1,600 athletes between ages 11 and 18 visit the west coast city.

It's a full circle moment of sorts. The first provincial summer games were held between Stephenville and Corner Brook in 1976.

"It's such a great opportunity for us to come out and do the 50th games here and celebrate sport right here in Corner Brook," Recreation Minister Steve Crocker told reporters on Wednesday.

"It will really prop up our young athletes from around the province."

Corner Brook last hosted the event in 2008.

Darren Colbourne, who sits on the board of directors with Sport Newfoundland and Labrador, says he's thrilled to see the event return to the city.

"We're back here again, and with an opportunity to showcase summer events," he said. "I've played here, I've coached here.… Just to see sport in general thriving in Corner Brook and the west coast is huge for me."

Corner Brook Mayor Jim Parsons says the event will serve as an economic driver for the region, and it will take the work of many volunteers to put off.

He says it's also a goal for young athletes.

"This event, really, is an opportunity to showcase our city to the province," he said. "It's a fantastic opportunity. Fantastic showcase.

The announcement comes as Corner Brook is making recreation a priority. The city put forward almost $6 million for recreation in its 2025 budget.

A portion of that money is connected to the city's new $27 million recreation centre. The facility was supposed to open in September, but issues with the pool have caused delays.

At the announcement on Wednesday, Parsons said the facility will be key to the event — and that residents can expect to get inside soon.

"We've been doing a lot of work behind the scenes to make sure we have the staff and the procedures, I guess, to get this thing working," he said.

"But we will hopefully in the next few days get the keys, which means we can open to the public in the next couple months."

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