While it’s no secret that wheelchair curling participation was considerably impacted by the pandemic, this season showed clear signs of revitalization, with more athletes interested in both participating in the sport and advancing their game.
“We are so grateful that we’ve had so much interest and support from the wheelchair curling community and our incredible performance partners,” said Kyle Paquette, Director of the National Wheelchair Program.
As more athletes expressed interest in high performance opportunities, the program expanded its support network through the new Pursuit Program. Open to coaches, athletes, and supporters, the program welcomed 21 athletes and 10 coaches across 10 online sessions this season.
With the success of the Pursuit Program and continued feedback and interest in expanding Canada’s high-performance pathway, the community can expect to see changes to the athlete development pathway launched in the coming months.
The program continues to thrive on the collaboration of community members, athletes, and all those who support the sport in Canada.
“The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s ongoing generous support, collaboration, and partnership; Own the Podium’s contributions, specifically through high-performance advising; and Sport Canada’s financial generosity throughout our season have been integral to the growth and success we saw this year,” said Paquette.
The National Program marked another strong year of growth on and off the ice thanks to the continued support of the community and its key partners. That investment paid off with notable achievements across multiple competitions.
The 2025 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship showcased the depth of talent across the country, featuring 12 competitive teams and several new curlers taking the ice in March.
The championship also featured strong performances from National Program athletes. Notably, Douglas Dean of Team Northern Ontario, fresh off his World Championship debut, led his team to their first national title and earned an MVP award.
Dean and his fellow National Program athletes also found success across seven events this season, bringing home three gold medals, one silver, and two bronze.
Here are some key success milestones the program achieved in the 2024-25 season:
– Canada now stands alone atop the all-time World Championship medal list with 10 medals.
– Canada leads this quadrennial in World Championship podium finishes, tied with China at four medals.
– Canada has won medals at three World Championships in a row for the first time in program history.
– Canada has won medals at four major events in a row, also a program first.
One bronze medal came from the four-person mixed team at the 2025 World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Scotland, a performance that also secured the team a spot at the 2026 Milano Cortina Paralympic Games.
While one of the program’s primary goals was to qualify both the mixed and the mixed doubles teams for the Games, the mixed doubles team’s journey ended just a couple games too short at the World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.
The team of Ina Forrest, Mark Ideson, and Head Coach Dana Ferguson lost only one game all week. Unfortunately, that loss came in the quarterfinal against the eventual gold medallist, Team Japan, finishing Canada in sixth place. It also meant that Canada’s campaign to qualify for mixed doubles event at the Paralympic Games fell just short.
Compared to the Olympic mixed doubles event, where 10 teams qualify and there is a last chance qualifier in the fall, there are only eight teams in the wheelchair mixed doubles event at the Paralympics and no last chance qualifier.
Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, the Games are front and centre in the program’s focus, with less than a year until the team touches down in Italy.
The official lineup for Canada’s mixed wheelchair curling team will be announced at a later date.