Nova Scotia set to host major Olympic qualifying events

All roads to the 2026 Winter Olympics will go through the province of Nova Scotia, it was announced today by Curling Canada.

All three major qualifying events that will lead to the determination of Canada’s four-player and mixed doubles team for the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, will be played in Nova Scotia:

• The Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials will be played Dec. 30, 2024-Jan. 4, 2025, at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool, N.S.
• The Canadian Pre-Trials, deciding the final qualifiers for the Canadian Curling Trials, will be played Oct. 21-26, 2025, at the Andrew H. McCain Arena in Wolfville, N.S.
• The Canadian Curling Trials to decide Canada’s men’s and women’s four-player Olympic teams will be played Nov. 22-30, 2025, at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.

“These three events are among the most important of any Olympic quadrennial in Canada, and Canadian curling athletes focus intensely on them,” said Danny Lamoureux, interim Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada. “Nova Scotia is home to a curling community and a provincial government that made it extremely apparent that these events were important to them and I know the province will do an outstanding job to make these events memorable for everyone.”

Both Halifax and Liverpool have a history of hosting Curling Canada Olympic qualifying events. Halifax hosted the Trials in 2005 when Team Russ Howard (with Brad Gushue throwing last rocks) and Team Shannon Kleibrink prevailed. Both would end up on the podium at the 2006 Olympics in Italy, with Team Howard taking gold and Team Kleibrink winning bronze.

Liverpool, meanwhile, played host to the 2021 Pre-Trials to decide the final entries into the 2021 Canadian Curling Trials in Saskatoon.

It will be the first time Curling Canada has staged an event in Wolfville.

“We are thrilled to welcome the top curlers from across the country to experience Nova Scotia’s well-known hospitality, rich culture, and love of sport,” said Premier Tim Houston. “Hosting three Olympic curling qualifiers in a single year is proof of our status as a leading destination for major sporting events and showcases our dedicated curling fans.”

In addition to hosting the Trials in 2005, the Scotiabank Centre, seating more than 11,000 fans and home to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Halifax Mooseheads, played host to the Brier in 2010, 2003 and 1995, as well as the 1992 Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the 2015 World Men’s Curling Championship.

“Halifax loves curling, and hosting curling competitions,” said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage. “Our city will be a warm, welcoming host for the Canadian Curling Trials  and we look forward to cheering on teams from across the country.”

“Team Halifax is excited to host the Canadian Curling Trials once again,” said Ross Jefferson, President and CEO of Discover Halifax. “We can’t wait to showcase our region, and world-class hospitality, to the rest of Canada as they watch teams compete for a spot in the 2026 Olympic Games.”

Queens Place Emera Centre, home to the Queens County Minor Hockey Association, seats around 1,000 people, and, in addition to the 2021 Pre-trials, also played host to the 2014 Canadian Under-21 Curling Championships, and five years later welcomed the 2019 World Junior Curling Championships.

“Congratulations to the Liverpool Championship Host Society (LCHS), which has been selected by Curling Canada to host the Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials at Queens Place Emera Centre,” said Darlene Norman, Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality. “Thanks to the volunteers of the LCHS, an enthusiastic fan base and a warm, welcoming community, Queens County has developed a reputation as a destination for top-level curling events. We look forward once again to the opportunity to experience high calibre curling and extend a warm hospitable welcome to everyone involved.”

The Andrew H. McCain Arena in Wolfville is home ice of the Acadia University Axemen, two-time U SPORTS men’s hockey national champions.

“The Town of Wolfville is thrilled to host the 2025 Men’s and Women’s Canadian Pre-Trials, welcoming athletes with the east coast hospitality we are known for in the Valley,” said Wendy Donovan, Mayor of the Town of Wolfville. “With an estimated economic impact of approximately $2 million, the Pre-Trials will leave a lasting legacy in our community and help to continue to build our major event hosting capacity. I have no doubt that we, along with Acadia University, our passionate curling community, engaged business community, and tourism and accommodations providers will deliver a best yet Pre-Trials event!” 

“Acadia University is proud to host the 2025 Men’s and Women’s Canadian Pre-Trials,” added Scott Duguay, Vice-President Student Experience at Acadia University. “We’re looking forward to welcoming some of Canada’s top curling athletes to our campus as they strive for a spot in the Winter Olympics. This event not only offers our Acadia community the opportunity to actively participate as fans, volunteers, or staff but also allows the entire Valley region to witness the dedication and hard work of these athletes firsthand. We are delighted to partner with the Town of Wolfville, Curling Nova Scotia, and the Valley curling community to bring the Canadian Pre-Trials to life in Wolfville.”

The formats and qualifying processes for the four-player and mixed doubles trials were announced earlier this year by Curling Canada.”

“The Nova Scotia Curling Association was thrilled to get this vote of confidence from Curling Canada to host these important and prestigious events, and I know all three host communities are eager to get to work and make the events memorable from every perspective,” said Rob Belliveau, president of the Nova Scotia Curling Association. “We see this as not only a way to show off our province to the world, but also to raise the profile of curling and get more people involved in the sport, so we will eagerly embrace this opportunity.”

Ticket and volunteer information will be released in 2024. Fans are encouraged to sign up on the Curling Canada Collective to receive updates.