Ontario 2022 Winter Games in Renfrew County postponed

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has put the 2022 Ontario Winter Games on pause.

The Games were slated to be held in Renfrew County in February of this year. However, County Warden Debbie Robinson said they could not hold the games without putting the safety of athletes, families and volunteers at risk. As a result, the provincial Winter Games will be postponed until 2023.

Reeve Peter Emon, Chair of the Games Organizing Committee, says he is confident the delay will not dampen volunteers’ commitment to putting on the event next year. Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski says while the decision was disappointing, it was the right thing to do. He says volunteers’ efforts to host the games will not be in vain.