For the second time in four years, the City of Greater Sudbury will be playing host to a top-end national curling championship.

Earlier this month, a handful of the key partners who brought to life the 2023 Canadian Mixed Doubles Championships gathered at the Northern Credit Union Community Centre (NCUCC) for a cheque presentation in advance of the 2026 U20 Canadian Curling Championships and U21 Mixed Doubles in March.

A total of 36 rinks from across the country will gather in Sudbury from March 28th to April 5th for the U20 event, with eight of the best U21 mixed doubles teams in Canada also in town from March 24th to the 27th.

"When we welcome athletes, families and fans from across the country, they stay in our hotels, dine in our restaurants and shop in our stores," noted GSDC (Greater Sudbury Development Corporation) vice-chair Anna Frattini.

She could have easily added the fact that these visitors often also take in local attractions. But the truth is, the economic benefit goes well beyond that initial layer of the economy.

"Those dollars circulate locally, supporting jobs and businesses and help grow our economy by reinvesting money in our community."

That speaks volumes to the rationale in the cheque presentation of $133,000 (essentially covering the ice costs) allocated from the GSDC Tourism Development Fund (TDF) to the chairman Kelly Irvine and the organizing committee of both upcoming events.

"Sudbury is truly excited to welcome the next generation of competitive curlers to our community," said Irvine, noting that the bulk of the curlers who will represent Canada at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy, including Sudbury product Tracy Fleury, competed at what is effectively the national junior curling championships.

"Sudbury has always boasted a proud curling community, with multiple clubs offering this very accessible sport to people of all ages and abilities," added Irvine. "We are hosting these championships with an eye toward the future."

In fact, mayor Paul Lefebvre was quick to note that the ever strengthening relationship that Sudbury enjoys with Curling Canada is sure to bode well for any bid timed to coincide with the new events centre in 2028-2029.

"We need to ensure that we have the volunteer base, the training of members of the organizing committee to show that we are capable ot hosting these national events, in order to get to the next level," said Lefebvre.

"This is part of the reason why Curling Canada has partnered with us in recent years, as they see the volunteer base that we have here. It's very exciting."