Sport Legends Honoured by Canada Games
QUEBEC CITY, March 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canada Games Council (CGC) and the Host Society of the Québec 2027 Canada Games were thrilled to welcome six inductees into the Canada Games Hall of Honour.
A crowd of Olympic and Paralympic athletes, national and provincial sport organizations, and local business leaders celebrated the impact of the following individuals in the Athletes, Builders, and Distinguished Alumni categories on Thursday evening.
Athletes
Competed at the Canada Games as Athletes, and are celebrated for their athletic achievements both at and since the Canada Games.
Patrick Anderson
“[The Canada Games were] the first time I really saw myself as an athlete – a capital A athlete – not a kid who was good at basketball, but someone who was being called upon to represent Ontario. It was just such a launching pad for me and for my peers. I think also the way that it was integrated with able bodied athletes, both within our sport and within the larger event, that was something special and unique.”
Patrick Anderson competed in wheelchair basketball for Team Ontario at the 1995 Canada Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alberta. From there, he became a 6x Paralympian and 3x Paralympic Champion as a perennial all-star and pillar of Team Canada.
Gaétan Boucher
“My experience at the Canada Games was in 1971, but I have to say, the Games in 1967 helped me, because that’s when the Games were here in Quebec City, and they built an oval for the Games. And when you talk about legacy, that oval is where I started my long track speed skating career. The Canada Games allow us to dream. They show us that something bigger can happen to us. They show us that a young, awkward, 12 year old boy can find his place – and that nothing is impossible.”
Gaétan Boucher competed in speed skating for Team Quebec at the 1971 Canada Winter Games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. From there, he became a 4x Olympian and a 2x Olympic Champion - including earning the title of the first Canadian man to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympic Games.
Catharine Pendrel
“At the games, they told us something like forty percent of Olympians had gone to the Canada Games. At the time, the Olympics seemed so far out of comprehension, but it was pretty cool to have done something that was part of an Olympic journey. Exposure to programs and opportunities to compete are such key pillars of development. And so I really want to thank the people behind the Canada Games for being one of those key pillars for me, and creating an event that thousands of athletes can aspire to.”
Catharine Pendrel competed in cycling for Team New Brunswick at the 2001 Canada Summer Games in London, Ontario. From there, she became a 4x Olympian, a 2x World Champion, as well as a Pan Am and Commonwealth Games Champion.
Hayley Wickenheiser
“The Hall of Honour is an incredibly special thing, and I’m very proud to be part of the class of this year. I have so much respect and love for the Canada Games and what it means for Canadians, young Canadian athletes coming up, and the future of Canadian sport. On behalf of myself and my entire family, thank you for what was the start of a really great journey for me, in all of sport.”
Hayley Wickenheiser competed in hockey for Team Alberta at the 1991 Canada Winter Games on PEI. From there, she became a 6x Olympian (five times in hockey and once in softball), a 4x Olympic Champion, and the face of women’s hockey.
Builders
Coaches, managers, officials, administrators, volunteers, mission staff, sponsors or members of the media who are celebrated for their outstanding effort and the impact they have made within sport.
Colette Bourgonje
“While you’re getting the coaching courses, you’re looking for athletes. I found them in Home Depot, in Walmart, in Canadian Tire – that was a really good one; I found Brittany Hudak, who was just competing in Milano – and on the streets in Porcupine Plain, and in the school systems in Prince Albert. Then, if they are really enjoying skiing, hopefully they can race in the Saskatchewan Winter Games, and then take on the Canada Games, which are a very exciting part in the athlete’s development process. So, thank you to everyone for attending this gala and supporting Canada Games athletes.”
Colette Bourgonje innovated new adaptive sport equipment and training methodologies at a time when knowledgeable coaching and public awareness of parasport was not well established in Canada. After a career as a 10x Paralympian (seven in para nordic skiing and three in wheelchair racing), she joined Team Saskatchewan at the 2015, 2017, and 2019 Canada Games as a coach and manager.
Distinguished Alumni
At the Canada Games, represented their Province or Territory as an athlete, coach, manager, or technical support, and are celebrated for their achievements beyond sport.
Carol Anne Chénard
“Events like the Canada Games are not only essential for athletes; they’re equally important for officials. These environments offer referees the opportunity to develop their abilities under pressure, to learn from their colleagues, and to gain lived experience that’s impossible to recreate anywhere else. Offering these significant opportunities to officials is necessary if we want to support the next generation of sport leaders. The Canada Games gave me my start, but it also played a large role in shaping who I would become on the field as well as off the field of play.”
Carol Anne Chénard has served as the Director and Acting Director General at the Office of Controlled Substances within Health Canada. Before becoming an expert in her field and a dedicated public servant, she competed in speed skating for Team Ontario at the 1991 and 1995 Canada Winter Games. Speed skating gave way to refereeing soccer, where she became Canada's most experienced and longest tenured female referee.
ADDITIONAL QUOTES
Government of Canada
“On behalf of all Canadians, I congratulate each of the honoured alumni and thank them for their years of dedication to sport. Their achievements in sport, both in competition and in their communities, demonstrate the power of sport to shape leaders, bring people together, and strengthen our country. For nearly 60 years, the Canada Games have helped build a stronger, more connected Canada. The contributions of these sport leaders demonstrate this lasting impact and are a source of pride that unites us all.”
– The Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport), Olympic Champion, and Canada Games alum
Government of Quebec
“Congratulations to the sport leaders honoured at this year’s Canada Games Hall of Honour celebration. Their extraordinary careers, as athletes and builders, have left us with memories and legacies worthy of recognition. Each in their own way, they have left their mark in our sport history. Bravo, and thank you for these cherished moments.”
– Isabelle Charest, Quebec's Minister responsible for Sport, Recreation, and the Outdoors, and Minister responsible for the Estrie Region
Government of Quebec City
“The Canada Games Hall of Honour inductees are a source of inspiration for us all. Via their passion for their sports, their commitment to their communities, and their perseverance, they have contributed remarkably to the history and growth of the Games across the country. With Quebec City having hosted the very first Canada Games in 1967, and as we are proud to have the honour to welcome the Games back in 2027, we are particularly proud to celebrate these exceptional journeys today.”
– Raphaël Lebailly, Executive Committee Associate Councillor, responsible for the 2027 Canada Games
Canada Games Council
“For so many athletes, the Canada Games are where it all began. Competing at the Canada Games was such a big goal to strive for, and that experience opened the door to dream even bigger. Congratulations to all of our Hall of Honour inductees. You have achieved your dreams, and inspired countless more.”
– Catriona Le May Doan, O.C., OLY, Chair, Canada Games Council
Québec 2027 Canada Games
“Behind every Hall of Honour inductee is a story of passion, perseverance, and commitment that goes far beyond sport. These journeys remind us that the Canada Games are more than a competition – they are a launchpad for lives of impact, leadership, and inspiration across Canadian communities. As we look ahead to the 2027 Games in Québec City, this legacy inspires us to deliver an event worthy of those who have shaped the history of the Games.”
– Denis Servais, President, Québec 2027 Canada Games Host Society
About the Canada Games Hall of Honour
The Hall of Honour recognizes exceptional Canada Games alumni who have sparked greatness by distinguishing themselves during the Games and beyond, while contributing to the growth of the Canada Games Movement, as either Athletes, Builders, or Distinguished Alumni. Established in 2007, the Canada Games Hall of Honour counts some of the finest athletes and builders in Canadian sport among its ranks. Honoured members include Cassie Campbell (2009), Catriona Le May Doan (2011), Pierre Harvey (2013), Nicolas Gill (2015), Carla MacLeod (2017), Cindy Klassen (2019), Bruny Surin (2019), Steve Nash (2022), Brian McKeever (2022), Heather Moyse (2023), Diana Matheson (2025), and Sharon and Shirley Firth (2025).
About the Canada Games Council
The Canada Games Council, a private, non-profit organization, is the governing body for the Canada Games. Held once every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up and coming Canadian athletes. The Games have been hosted in every province at least once since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s Centennial in 1967. The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system, in addition to their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity. The organization of the Canada Games is made possible through the tireless dedication of local Host Societies and the contribution and support of the federal, provincial/territorial and host municipal governments.
The office is located in Ottawa, Ontario, on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabek People.
About the Québec 2027 Canada Games
The 2027 Canada Winter Games will take place in Quebec City, from February 27 – March 14, marking the Games’ return, 60 years later, to the birthplace of the Canada Games Movement. The organization of the 2027 Canada Games is made possible through the support of the Governments of Canada, Quebec, and Quebec City.
To learn more about the 2027 Canada Games and to follow their progress: www.jeuxducanada2027.ca.
Media Contacts
Peter Reimer
Advisor, Marketing & Communications
Canada Games Council
preimer@canadagames.ca
Wendy Whittom
Director, Communications and Events
Québec 2027 Canada Games
wwhittom@jeuxducanada2027.ca
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4fc80bad-ba71-45a6-8500-d4fbcf3e19b9
Canada Games Hall of Honour Recipients 2026
Honoring the 2026 Canada Games Hall of Honour recipients for their outstanding contributions to Canadian sport.
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