Every four years, Canadians eagerly welcome a new generation of high-performance winter athletes at the start of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games with patriotic fervor. But beneath the excitement, a chilling reality is settling in: the very foundation of winter sport – cold temperatures, steady ice, and dependable snowfall – is melting away. This is not a distant problem. Climate change is already impacting winter sports across Canada and beyond, manifesting through declining snow reliability, escalating operational costs (driven by greater snowmaking demands), and decreasing participation rates, calling into question the long-term viability of hallmark events such as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Winters are changing across Canada
Across the country, winter conditions have already seen significant change, according to a number of environmental indices. Research from RinkWatch, a community science project led by Dr. Robert McLeman at Wilfrid Laurier University, shows that the number of viable outdoor skating days in Canadian cities has dropped since the 1970s. For example, southeastern regions of the country, including Toronto and Montreal, will likely lose more than one-third of their current outdoor skating days, as they experience prolonged freeze-thaw cycles that make natural ice unreliable (Robertson et al., 2015). As a result, many Canadian cities have shifted to artificial outdoor rinks to ensure suitable skating conditions, as winters are simply not cold enough for long enough to sustain natural ice.
Case in point: in 2023, the famous Rideau Canal Skateway, one of the biggest naturally frozen skating surfaces in the world, did not open at all, highlighting the threat to accessible winter recreation opportunities. As natural ice options fade, communities must rely more on indoor rinks, which are expensive to build and run. Maintaining these facilities requires high-efficiency cooling systems, specialist staff, and frequent equipment upgrades; while soaring energy costs add to the burden.
For youth hockey, already one of Canada’s most expensive sports, limited ice availability drives fees even higher. Canada runs the danger of reducing the participation base necessary for the development of elite athletes in the absence of safe and affordable access, particularly for the youngest athletes who are just cutting their edges for the first time – now doing so at a high cost.
The impact on mountain and snow sports
Mountain sports are also on a slippery slope, as warmer winters have reduced snowpack depth and season length, irrespective of greater snowmaking requirements. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (known as the FIS) cancelled 26 World Cup races in the 2023-24 season due to weather-related reasons that included warm weather, rain, and lack of snow. As organizers turn more to artificial snow and athletes compete on harder, less predictable surfaces, concerns grow around safety and injury risks.
As climate trends reduce the number of reliable winter venues, the long-term viability of host locations for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games has become uncertain, as each discipline (e.g., alpine skiing, ski jumping, freestyle skiing) depends on minimum snow requirements. A study led by Dr. Daniel Scott at the University of Waterloo found that only 52 past Olympic Winter Games host locations are likely to remain climate-reliable by the 2050s, declining to 46 by the 2080s. The Paralympic Winter Games face an even bleaker future, with the number of reliable host locations dropping to just 22 by the 2050s and 16 by the 2080s, as they are usually held later in the season when temperatures are warmer.
Even with heavy investment in snowmaking, warming winters may push conditions beyond what technology can replicate, leaving once-reliable ice and snow increasingly out of reach (Cognard et al., 2024). A number of small and mid-sized ski hills in Canada, such as the Drayton Valley Brazeau Snow Club in Alberta, have already closed or are experiencing ongoing financial difficulties, and others report shorter seasons (Beckett, 2024).
Sliding sports: Ice is not just for skating
In sliding sports, maintaining smooth ice conditions is a challenge in warming conditions, even with the support of artificial technologies. A pattern of micro-concussions has emerged among sliding sport athletes due to the G-force exerted on the body in sharp turns, alongside reverberations from the sled. This trend is made worse when ice conditions are suboptimal, such as in warmer weather conditions (McCradden & Cusimano, 2018). Athlete injury risks rise and training opportunities decline when ice quality is poor due to insufficient cold weather or irregular maintenance.
Luge, skeleton, and bobsleigh are some of the winter sports that require the most infrastructure. Tens of millions are spent on the construction of tracks, which also need ongoing maintenance. Many Italian communities and architect firms declined the opportunities to build a sliding center for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics because of the enormous expense and long-term impracticability, highlighting the widespread worry about creating “white elephant” venues with little historical significance.
Rising costs and broader impacts
Rising costs create a new set of challenges. Energy-intensive facilities, specialized equipment, and increasing insurance expenses are driving up participation expenses for hockey, figure skating, alpine skiing, and sliding sports. High participation costs combined with a lack of accessible outdoor options are a “recipe for decline” for many Canadians, especially young people and low-income families.
Decreased physical activity rates in the winter season may also have knock-on effects on public health. Outdoor exercise helps lessen the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which touches about 2-3 per cent of Canadians every winter, while 15 per cent report milder symptoms (Across Boundaries, 2024). Canadians’ access to mood-enhancing outdoor settings is jeopardized when natural winter recreation options like skating, skiing, snowshoeing, and sledding vanish.
The stakes are not just personal; they are also economic. Protect Our Winters Canada (POW Canada) indicates that winter tourism in Canada supports 90,000 jobs and generates approximately $9.1 billion every year. Mountain towns and small rural communities that rely on winter visitors are particularly vulnerable, as the potential fallout touches employment, recreation, real estate, and local economies. In other words, winter sports are not facing a single crisis, they are navigating intersecting challenges across environment, economy, culture, and health all at once.
Finding a way forward
The challenges facing winter sports in Canada are undeniable. Responding requires intentional action across multiple levels, from local communities, facility operators, and sport organizations to national policymakers and international sporting bodies. The pathway forward must weave together environmental stewardship, financial sustainability, and safe and equitable access to winter recreation for all. The stakes are high, but the opportunity for winter sports communities to lead the fight against climate change has never been more clear.
1. Adaptation through innovation
Artificial ice rinks, snowmaking equipment, and flexible competition calendars can help maintain participation levels in the short term. However, these interventions often come with high costs and environmental trade-offs. Technological innovations are opening new doors, providing creative ways to reduce harmful impacts on surrounding ecosystems, including mineral-based snowmaking systems and alternative processes such as snow farming.
2. Climate-conscious event planning
When it comes to hosting major competitions, location matters more than ever. Climate suitability assessments, like those developed by Dr. Daniel Scott and colleagues, can guide decisions about where to hold future Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and lower-level competitions, directing events toward regions where winter conditions remain dependable. Event organizers should also think strategically about timing, infrastructure flexibility, and contingency planning for when snow and ice conditions do not cooperate.
3. Integrating climate action in sport
Finally, winter sports should become part of the solution. That means aligning with broader climate action goals, such as those outlined in the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in facility operations, travel, and equipment manufacturing is not just good ethics—it is an important part in slowing further environmental decline. Sport organizations at every level, especially on the international stage, can (and should) adopt climate-positive policies, whether through small efforts (e.g., offset programs) or large investments (e.g., energy-efficient infrastructure design). This works to set an example for other sectors of society while also safeguarding the very foundation that winter sports depend on.
Resources:
Across Boundaries. (2024, May 16). Seasonal affective disorder in Canada, with a special lens on racial dynamics. https://acrossboundaries.ca/seasonal-affective-disorder-in-canada-with-a-special-lens-on-racial-dynamics/
Beckett, R. (2024, December 6). Drayton Valley ski hill permanently closes after nearly 60-year run. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/10907298/drayton-valley-ski-hill-closes/
CBC News. (February 24, 2023). Rideau Canal Skateway won’t open this winter. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/rideau-canal-skateway-2023-season-closed-1.6738557
Cognard, J., Berard-Chenu, L., Schaeffer, Y., & François, H. (2025). The snow must go on: can snowmaking keep ski resorts profitable in a changing climate? Current Issues in Tourism, 28(24), 3986–4003. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2024.2409862
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McCradden, M. D., & Cusimano, M. D. (2018). Concussions in Sledding Sports and the Unrecognized “Sled Head”: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in neurology, 9, 772. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00772
Robertson, C., McLeman, R., & Lawrence, H. (2015). Winters too warm to skate? Citizen-science reported variability in availability of outdoor skating in Canada. The Canadian Geographer, 59(4), 383–390. https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12225
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