Ontario Games
Canadian game company
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Games Ontario is the brand and organizing framework associated with the Ontario Games, a government-supported provincial multi-sport program in Ontario, Canada. The program began in 1970 as a showcase for amateur sport and has developed into a broad participation and athlete-development platform serving several distinct groups: young athletes, para-athletes, and adults aged 55 and older. It is delivered under the authority of the Government of Ontario, with the province's sport ministry providing the public-sector framework and specialist sport organizations supporting individual editions and participant groups. The program is organized through several recurring event families. The Ontario Summer Games and Ontario Winter Games provide large multi-sport competitions for developing athletes, generally in youth age categories. The Ontario ParaSport Games create a provincial competition and development opportunity for athletes with disabilities. The Ontario 55+ Summer Games and Ontario 55+ Winter Games support active older adults through competitive and recreational events, with participants commonly progressing through district and regional qualification structures. Together, these formats make the Ontario Games broader than a single tournament: they function as a provincial sport pathway linking local participation, organized competition, talent development, and, in some disciplines, preparation for national or international competition. The youth summer program includes sports such as basketball, canoe and kayak, field hockey, lacrosse, rugby, softball, table tennis, and indoor and beach volleyball, while the winter program covers a wider set of cold-weather and indoor disciplines. ParaSport editions are administered with the involvement of ParaSport Ontario, and the 55+ editions are organized in partnership with the Ontario Senior Games Association. The winter youth Games have also been delivered with the Sport Alliance of Ontario. These partnerships allow Games Ontario to use the expertise, eligibility systems, officials, venues, and competition structures of established provincial sport bodies. Host communities are central to the model. Municipalities provide venues and local coordination, while the provincial framework supports consistent standards and a recognizable Ontario-wide identity. The scale varies by edition, but recent youth Games have involved thousands of athletes and accompanying coaches, officials, and organizers. The 2022 Ontario Summer Games in Mississauga attracted more than 3,500 athletes, and the 2024 edition in London likewise involved more than 3,500 athletes, including approximately 2,500 youth participants aged 12 to 18. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted several editions. The 2020 Ontario Summer Games planned for London were cancelled after a proposed postponement to 2021, and the rescheduled 2021 edition was also abandoned. The 2022 Ontario Winter Games in Renfrew County were postponed from their planned February and March dates. The 2021 Ontario ParaSport Games were moved to 2022, when they were held in Mississauga. The 2020 Ontario 55+ Summer Games planned for Peterborough were also delayed and ultimately did not proceed in 2021. These changes demonstrate the program's dependence on public-health conditions, host-city readiness, and the availability of large-scale sporting venues. Games Ontario is not primarily a consumer product brand or commercial sports league. Its positioning is that of a public-service sport institution: inclusive, developmental, province-wide, and community-based. Its principal value lies in creating structured opportunities for competition and participation rather than selling products. The program remains active through recurring summer, winter, parasport, and 55+ events, with future editions planned according to provincial scheduling and host-community arrangements.
History
The Ontario Games began in 1970 as a provincial multi-sport showcase for amateur athletes. From the outset, the event gave Ontario communities a way to host organized competition while giving athletes an opportunity to compete beyond local and district circuits. Over time, the program's purpose expanded from exhibition and participation toward athlete development, competitive preparation, and broader public engagement with sport. The modern Ontario Games framework serves several populations rather than a single age group. The Ontario Summer Games and Ontario Winter Games focus primarily on developing youth athletes. Their role is to provide high-quality provincial competition and help promising athletes prepare for national and international sport environments. The program also includes the Ontario ParaSport Games, which provide a dedicated provincial event for para-athletes, and the Ontario 55+ Summer and Winter Games, which support continued participation and competition among older adults. The 55+ program has its own history within the wider Games structure. The Ontario 55+ Summer Games began in 1986 in Kitchener under the name Actifest. The event was renamed the Ontario 55+ Summer Games in 2010. It is organized in partnership with the Ontario Senior Games Association and is held on a biennial basis, offering competitive and recreational events for participants aged 55 and over. The program connects with district-level competitions and, in some cases, provides a route toward Canada 55+ Games participation. A winter counterpart was introduced in 2000 under the name Winterfest. It complemented the summer event and gave older adults a provincial setting for winter sports and related activities. The event adopted the name Ontario 55+ Winter Games beginning with the 2011 edition. Like the summer program, it is held biennially, with the two 55+ formats generally alternating between years. The winter edition has included multiple sport areas designed to accommodate different interests and skill levels. Delivery is shared among government, municipalities, and sport organizations. Games Ontario provides the provincial organizing identity and public framework, while specialist bodies administer particular components. ParaSport Ontario has administered the Ontario ParaSport Games, the Ontario Senior Games Association has supported the 55+ editions, and the Sport Alliance of Ontario has delivered the Ontario Winter Games. Host municipalities supply facilities and local operational support, making each edition a partnership between provincial institutions, sport organizations, and the host community. The program's contemporary history has been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Ontario Summer Games planned for London were first considered for postponement to 2021 but were ultimately cancelled, and the 2021 replacement edition was also scrapped. The 2022 Ontario Winter Games planned for Renfrew County were postponed from their scheduled February and March dates. The 2021 ParaSport Games were moved to 2022 and took place in Mississauga. The Peterborough 55+ Summer Games, originally planned for 2020, were postponed and did not proceed in 2021. Competition resumed with the 2022 Ontario Summer Games in Mississauga and the 2022 Ontario ParaSport Games in the same city. The summer edition involved more than 3,500 athletes, while the ParaSport Games ran from May 13 to 15. London later hosted the 2024 Ontario Summer Games, again drawing more than 3,500 athletes. A 2026 Ontario Summer Games edition was identified for July 30 to August 2, with an anticipated field of approximately 4,200 athletes aged 12 to 18. Across its history, the Ontario Games have remained a public sport-development program rather than a commercial league. Their significance comes from the combination of provincial scale, multi-sport breadth, host-community participation, inclusive programming, and pathways for athletes at different life stages.
- 2026
Planned Ontario Summer Games edition
[1]A 2026 edition was scheduled for July 30 to August 2, with an anticipated 4,200 athletes aged 12 to 18.
- 2024
London hosts Ontario Summer Games
[1]London hosted the summer edition with more than 3,500 athletes.
- 2022
Games return in Mississauga
[1]Mississauga hosted both the Ontario Summer Games and the postponed Ontario ParaSport Games.
- 2020
Ontario Summer Games cancelled
[1]The London edition was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic after a proposed postponement.
- 2011
Winterfest renamed
[1]The older-adult winter event began using the Ontario 55+ Winter Games name.
- 2010
Actifest renamed
[1]The older-adult summer event adopted the Ontario 55+ Summer Games name.
- 2000
Winterfest introduced
[1]A winter event for older adults was launched under the name Winterfest.
- 1986
First Ontario 55+ Summer Games
[1]The first older-adult summer edition was held in Kitchener under the name Actifest.
- 1970
Ontario Games program begins
[1]The Ontario Games began as a provincial multi-sport event intended to showcase amateur sport.
Products and positioning
A publicly supported Ontario-wide sport platform combining youth athlete development, parasport competition, and active-aging participation through recurring multi-sport Games.
Youth multi-sport event · 1970
Ontario Summer Games
The Ontario Summer Games are a provincial youth-focused multi-sport event featuring more than 15 sport disciplines. Sports identified for the program include basketball, canoe and kayak, field hockey, box and field lacrosse, rugby, softball, table tennis, and indoor and beach volleyball. The event is designed to provide developing athletes with high-level provincial competition and preparation for later national or international opportunities.
Youth multi-sport event
Ontario Winter Games
The Ontario Winter Games provide a provincial competition platform for developing athletes across a broad winter-sport program. The program has included approximately 19 or more sport areas depending on the edition and is delivered with support from the Sport Alliance of Ontario. Events are staged in host communities and combine athlete competition with provincial sport development.
Para-sport multi-sport event
Ontario ParaSport Games
The Ontario ParaSport Games are a provincial multi-sport competition for para-athletes. ParaSport Ontario administers the program, which has included a wide range of adaptive and para-sport disciplines. The Games are intended to increase competitive opportunities, support athlete development, and connect participants with broader provincial and national sport pathways.
Older-adult summer sport event · 1986
Ontario 55+ Summer Games
The Ontario 55+ Summer Games provide competitive and recreational summer sport opportunities for Ontarians aged 55 and older. First held in 1986 as Actifest, the event is organized with the Ontario Senior Games Association and is generally held every two years. Participants commonly progress through district competitions before reaching provincial competition, and selected activities can connect with Canada 55+ Games pathways.
Older-adult winter sport event · 2000
Ontario 55+ Winter Games
The Ontario 55+ Winter Games are a provincial winter sport and recreation event for older adults. Launched in 2000 as Winterfest and renamed from the 2011 edition onward, the program offers multiple competitive areas and is intended to support active aging across different abilities and interests. It generally alternates biennially with the summer 55+ Games.
Brand decisions
2022
Postpone the Renfrew County Ontario Winter GamesOtherBackground
The 2022 Ontario Winter Games were scheduled across February and March while COVID-19 continued to affect public events.
Action taken
The Renfrew County edition was postponed.
Aftermath
The planned event did not proceed on its original dates.
2021
Postpone Ontario ParaSport Games to 2022OtherBackground
The pandemic prevented the planned 2021 Ontario ParaSport Games from proceeding as scheduled.
Action taken
The event was postponed and reassigned to a 2022 date in Mississauga.
Aftermath
The Ontario ParaSport Games were held from May 13 to 15, 2022.
2020
Cancel the 2020 Ontario Summer GamesOtherBackground
The London-hosted event faced the COVID-19 pandemic and the operational risks associated with staging a large provincial competition.
Action taken
The edition was cancelled rather than held in 2020 or moved successfully to 2021.
Aftermath
The proposed 2021 replacement was also cancelled, and the next reported summer edition took place in Mississauga in 2022.
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