Sports

September 22, 1818 ce - September 22, 1818 ce

Summer Sports 

St John's Regatta

The first regatta in St. John's, Newfoundland, was reported in the local journal, though it is impossible to say exactly what year the race began. Despite stretches when the regatta was not held, it is considered the oldest continuing sports event in North America.

June 04, 1838 ce - June 04, 1838 ce

Summer Sports 

First Baseball Game in Canada

A game of baseball was played in Beachville, Ontario (near Woodstock). It predated by 7 years the establishment of Cartwright's New York Knickerbockers and the "New York game" with 9 men on the field.

May 24, 1862 ce - May 24, 1862 ce

Summer Sports 

Soccer Introduced to BC

The first documented match of "football" (soccer) was introduced to mainland BC by the Royal Engineers stationed at New Westminster.

January 03, 1863 ce - January 03, 1863 ce

Winter Sports 

First Covered Skating Rink

The first covered skating rink on the East Coast opened in Halifax.

March 03, 1875 ce - March 03, 1875 ce

Winter Sports 

First Organized Hockey Game

The first organized hockey game took place at Victoria Rink, Montréal, based on a set of rules proposed by a group of McGill University students.

November 15, 1880 ce - November 15, 1880 ce

Summer Sports 

Hanlan World Champ

Edward Hanlan defeated E.A. Trichett of Australia for the world's championship of singles rowing on the Thames River course made famous by the Oxford-Cambridge boat race. Hanlan was Canada's first world sports champion.

June 27, 1890 ce - June 27, 1890 ce

Summer Sports 

George Dixon Wins Championship

Nova Scotian George Dixon won the world bantamweight boxing crown.

December 21, 1891 ce - December 21, 1891 ce

Summer Sports 

First Rules of Basketball Written

James Naismith of Almonte, Ontario, wrote the original 13 rules for the game of basketball.

March 22, 1894 ce - March 22, 1894 ce

Winter Sports 

First Stanley Cup Awarded

The Stanley Cup, donated by Governor General Lord Stanley, was first awarded to the Montreal AAA hockey team. Montreal defeated the Ottawa Generals 3-1.

April 06, 1896 ce - April 06, 1896 ce

Olympics 

Modern Olympics Begin

The first modern Olympic Games began in Athens, Greece. Canada did not send a team.

March 25, 1901 ce - March 25, 1901 ce

Summer Sports 

Louis Cyr Wins

A boxing match was held between the strongest man in the world, Louis Cyr and “The Giant,” Édouarde Beaupré. The match ended in a victory for Cyr after only a few minutes.

July 04, 1904 ce - July 04, 1904 ce

Olympics 

Winnipeg Shamrocks Win First Olympic Gold in Men’s Lacrosse

The Winnipeg Shamrocks were one of two Canadian lacrosse teams that competed at the 1904 Olympic Summer Games. The Shamrocks won two games of field lacrosse to earn the first Olympic gold medal in men’s lacrosse. The 1904 Games also marked the first time Canada was truly represented at the Olympics.

September 01, 1904 ce - September 01, 1904 ce

Olympics 

Desmarteau Wins Gold

Québec strongman Étienne Desmarteau was the first from his province to win Olympic gold when he won the 56-lb throw at the 1904 St Louis Olympics.

November 17, 1904 ce - November 17, 1904 ce

Olympics 

Galt Football Club Wins Olympic Soccer Gold

The Galt Football Club won Canada’s first Olympic gold medal in soccer, defeating St. Rose Parish of St. Louis by a score of 4–0. The Galt Football Club’s victory is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but is considered unofficial by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) because no national teams were involved in the competition.

February 23, 1906 ce - February 23, 1906 ce

Summer Sports 

Tommy Burns Heavyweight Champ

Tommy Burns became the only Canadian to hold the world heavyweight boxing championship when he beat Marvin Hart at Los Angeles. He lost it to famed boxer Jack Johnson in 1908.

April 19, 1907 ce - April 19, 1907 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Tom Longboat Wins Marathon

Tom Longboat won the Boston Marathon in record time.

December 04, 1909 ce - December 04, 1909 ce

Summer Sports 

First Grey Cup Game

The University of Toronto defeated Parkdale Canoe Club 26-6 to win the first Grey Cup game.

December 04, 1909 ce - December 04, 1909 ce

Winter Sports 

Canadiens de Montréal Hockey Team Formed

J. A. O'Brien formed the National Hockey Association (NHA) hockey team Canadiens de Montréal. They played their first game on Jan 5, 1910 against the Cobalt Silver Kings, winning 7-6 in overtime.

January 02, 1912 ce - January 02, 1912 ce

Winter Sports 

First Pacific Coast Hockey Association Game

The first game of the Patrick brothers' Pacific Coast Hockey Association was played in Victoria. The league enjoyed immense success, signing eastern stars such as Fred "Cyclone" Taylor.

January 03, 1912 ce - January 03, 1912 ce

Winter Sports 

First Pro Hockey Game West of Ontario

The Victoria Cougars hosted the first professional hockey game played west of Ontario and Michigan.

March 26, 1915 ce - March 26, 1915 ce

Winter Sports 

Millionaires Win Stanley Cup

The Vancouver Millionaires, playing in front of 7000 fans in Vancouver's Denman Arena, defeated the Ottawa Senators 12-3 to win a best of five series and the Stanley Cup. Vancouver's “Cyclone” Taylor scored 7 goals in the 3 games.

November 26, 1917 ce - November 26, 1917 ce

Winter Sports 

National Hockey League Formed

The National Hockey League was formed. The original teams were the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Arenas.

January 10, 1920 ce - January 10, 1920 ce

Records and Firsts 

Most Goals in NHL Game

Montréal and Toronto combined to set an NHL record for most goals in a game (21) in a 14-7 win for the Canadiens.

April 01, 1920 ce - April 01, 1920 ce

Winter Sports 

Ottawa Senators Win Stanley Cup

The Ottawa Senators won the Stanley Cup, beating the Seattle Metropolitans 3 games to 2. Because of warm weather, the final game was played in Toronto to take advantage of an artificial ice surface there.

April 26, 1920 ce - April 26, 1920 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Winnipeg Falcons Olympic Hockey Champions

The Winnipeg Falcons hockey team won the very first Olympic Hockey tournament.

August 18, 1920 ce - August 18, 1920 ce

Olympics 

Earl “Tommy” Thomson Sets World Record in 110 m Hurdles

Earl “Tommy” Thomson won a gold medal in the 110 m hurdles at the 1920 Olympic Summer Games in Antwerp with a world record time of 14.2 seconds. He was the first non-American to win Olympic gold in the event.

December 03, 1921 ce - December 03, 1921 ce

Summer Sports 

First East-West Grey Cup

The first East-West Grey Cup game took place in Toronto as the Argonauts defeated the Edmonton Eskimos. Lionel Conacher of Toronto scored 15 points before leaving the game to play hockey.

March 22, 1923 ce - March 22, 1923 ce

Winter Sports 

Hewitt Announces First Game

Foster Hewitt announced his first hockey game, over the Toronto Star's radio station, CFCA.

February 08, 1924 ce - February 08, 1924 ce

Olympics 

Toronto Granite Hockey Club Wins Olympic Gold

The Toronto Granite Club won an Olympic gold medal in ice hockey at Chamonix. The Canadian team met the US in the final match, edging out the American team by a score of 6-1. The ferocity of play was evidenced by injuries sustained by players like Canadian Harry Watson, who was knocked out cold in the first 20 seconds but went on to score 2 goals later in the game. This was the second gold medal in ice hockey for Canada. The first gold medal in Olympic ice hockey was awarded to the Winnipeg Falcons in 1920.

March 30, 1925 ce - March 30, 1925 ce

Winter Sports 

Victoria Wins Stanley Cup

The Western Canada Hockey League champion Victoria Cougars were the last non-NHL team to win the Stanley Cup, beating the Montreal Canadiens by 3 games to one.

February 14, 1927 ce - February 14, 1927 ce

Winter Sports 

Toronto St. Patricks Renamed Maple Leafs

The Toronto St. Patricks hockey team was renamed the Maple Leafs, shortly after the club’s sale to a group headed by Conn Smythe. The original Leafs jerseys featured a green maple leaf, but the signature blue leaf appeared the next year and has been standard ever since.

February 19, 1928 ce - February 19, 1928 ce

Olympics 

University of Toronto Grads Win Olympic Gold

The Toronto Grads won Canada''s third Olympic gold medal in hockey at St. Moritz. Realizing that the Canadian team was far superior to any other in the Games, officials made the unusual decision to advance Canada straight to the final round. Canada ultimately won in a game against Switzerland with a score of 13-0.

July 30, 1928 ce - July 30, 1928 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Williams Wins Olympic Gold

At the Olympic Games in Amsterdam, Percy Williams of Vancouver won the gold medal in the 100 m sprint. He added gold in the 200 m August 1.

July 31, 1928 ce - July 31, 1928 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Fanny Rosenfeld Wins Olympic Silver

Fanny "Bobbie" Rosenfeld — who would be voted Canada's female athlete of the half-century by the Canadian Press in 1950 — won the silver medal in the 100 m sprint at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.

September 14, 1928 ce - September 14, 1928 ce

Olympics 

Williams Returns to Vancouver

Olympic gold medal-winner Percy Williams came home to one of the most remarkable homecomings in Vancouver history.

March 27, 1930 ce - March 27, 1930 ce

Summer Sports 

Edmonton Grads Triumph

The Edmonton Grads beat Seattle Ferry Lines by 59 points over two games to retain the Underwood Trophy and the women's international basketball title.

February 13, 1932 ce - February 13, 1932 ce

Olympics 

Winnipeg Hockey Club Wins Olympic Gold

For the first time Canada's hockey team faced serious competition at the Olympics, ultimately playing two scoreless overtime periods in a final game against the US. To end the stalemate, officials chose to declare a tie and award the gold to the team that had won the earlier round-robin game, Canada.

May 29, 1933 ce - May 29, 1933 ce

Summer Sports 

Chinese Soccer Team Wins Mainland Cup

The Chinese Students Soccer Team of Vancouver, BC, won the prestigious Mainland Cup, indicative of Lower Mainland soccer supremacy. They became heroes for the long suffering Chinese Canadian community, which experienced severe institutional racism and economic depression. In September 2011, the team was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

July 23, 1937 ce - July 23, 1937 ce

People 

Death of Lacrosse Legend Lance Isaacs

Lance Isaacs and his brothers, Bill and Wade, became some of Canada’s most outstanding lacrosse players. Their father, Man Afraid of the Soap (also Freeman Joseph Isaacs), represented Canada at the 1904 St. Louis Olympic Games on the Mohawk Indians team, which won a bronze medal. The Isaacs became star lacrosse players in both Canada and the United States. Lance died from a stress-related heart attack during a game in 1937.

September 18, 1941 ce - September 18, 1941 ce

Summer Sports 

Vancouver Asahi Play Last Game

The Vancouver Asahi played their last baseball game as the Japanese community was banished to exile on farms and internment camps.

February 25, 1945 ce - February 25, 1945 ce

Records and Firsts 

Richard Breaks Malone's Record

Maurice "Rocket" Richard of the Montreal Canadiens scored his 45th goal of the season to break Joe Malone's NHL single-season record of 44 goals set in 1918.

March 18, 1945 ce - March 18, 1945 ce

Records and Firsts 

Richard Scores 50th

Maurice "Rocket" Richard scored his 50th goal in his 50th game of the NHL season, a record that stood for almost 40 years.

November 01, 1946 ce - November 01, 1946 ce

Summer Sports 

First NBA Game Played

The Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens in the inaugural game of the Basketball Association of America (forerunner of the NBA). Despite a late-game rally, the Huskies fell short, losing 68–66.

April 15, 1947 ce - April 15, 1947 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Jackie Robinson's Debut

The first black baseball player to play in the major leagues, Jackie Robinson, made his debut at Ebbet's Field in Brooklyn, NY. He had earlier played for the Montreal Royals.

February 06, 1948 ce - February 06, 1948 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Barbara Ann Scott Wins Olympic Gold

Barbara Ann Scott won Canada''s first gold medal in figure skating at St. Moritz and became a national hero. Canada''s sweetheart, wearing a hand-sewn dress adorned with the signatures of those who worked on it, overcame ice that had been torn up by the previous night''s hockey games to win gold. She returned to huge fanfare when 70,000 Ottawans (over one-third of the total population) attended her homecoming in Confederation Square.

February 08, 1948 ce - February 08, 1948 ce

Olympics 

RCAF Flyers Win Olympic Gold

Canada had been in conflict with the International Ice Hockey Federation and, as a result, did not have a team to send to the Olympics until the Royal Canadian Air Force volunteered its athletes from across the country. Hockey legends Georges Boucher and his son Frank whipped a lackluster group into a cohesive team, overcoming slushy ice conditions to take the gold from Czechoslovakia 3-0.

March 22, 1950 ce - March 22, 1950 ce

Winter Sports 

Mercurys World Champions

The Edmonton Mercurys won the world hockey championship tournament in London.

August 12, 1950 ce - August 12, 1950 ce

Summer Sports 

First CFL/NFL Exhibition

The NFL’s New York Giants trounced the CFL’s Ottawa Rough Riders in a pre-season exhibition game played in Ottawa. The first international game played by an NFL team, the Rough Riders scored in the first quarter, but only managed 6 points in a 20–6 loss.

April 21, 1951 ce - April 21, 1951 ce

Winter Sports 

Barilko's Last Goal

Bill Barilko of the Toronto Maple Leafs scored the last game of his life in the first overtime period against the Montreal Canadiens, winning the Stanley Cup for the Leafs. He perished in a plane crash shortly after and his body was only recovered 11 years later. Ironically, the Leafs did not win another cup until the year his body was found.

February 24, 1952 ce - February 24, 1952 ce

Olympics 

Mercurys Win Olympic Gold

The Edmonton Mercurys won the gold medal in hockey at the Winter Olympic Games in Oslo. The final game was a 3-3 tie against the US. Canada's hockey teams did not win another until 2002, when both the men's and women's teams captured gold at Salt Lake.

March 23, 1952 ce - March 23, 1952 ce

Records and Firsts 

Fastest Three Goals

Bill Mosienko of the Chicago Black Hawks set an NHL record by scoring 3 goals in 21 seconds. He scored at 6:09, 6:20 and 6:30 of the third period against the New York Rangers.

March 07, 1954 ce - March 07, 1954 ce

Winter Sports 

Soviets Win Hockey Championship

The Soviet Union, competing for the first time in the World Hockey Championship, defeated Canada 7-2 to win the tournament.

July 30, 1954 ce - July 30, 1954 ce

Summer Sports 

Commonwealth Games

The 5th British Commonwealth Games opened in Vancouver. During the event, Roger Bannister defeated John Landy in the "Miracle Mile."

February 15, 1955 ce - February 15, 1955 ce

Winter Sports 

Dafoe and Bowden Win Gold

Frances Dafoe and Norris Bowden of Canada won the world pairs figure skating championship for the second year in a row.

March 06, 1955 ce - March 06, 1955 ce

Winter Sports 

Penticton V's Win Championship

The Penticton V's from Canada defeated the Soviets 5-0 to win the world hockey championship.

March 17, 1955 ce - March 17, 1955 ce

Winter Sports 

Montreal Riots 1955

The suspension of Montreal Canadiens player Maurice Richard by NHL president Clarence Campbell triggered a riot at the Montreal Forum that spread into the streets.

January 18, 1958 ce - January 18, 1958 ce

Records and Firsts  Winter Sports 

O'Ree Joins NHL

Hockey player Willie O'Ree has his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins in a game against the Montreal Canadiens, thus becoming the first Black person to enter the league.

August 14, 1958 ce - August 14, 1958 ce

Summer Sports 

First Canadian Football League game

Playing for the home crowd, some 18,000 spectators, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Edmonton Eskimos by a score of 29 to 21 in the first Canadian Football League game. By November, the Blue Bombers would win the 46th annual Grey Cup game and be crowned champions of the inaugural CFL season.

February 19, 1960 ce - February 19, 1960 ce

Olympics 

Wagner and Paul Win Olympic Gold

Pairs figure skaters Barbara Wagner and Bob Paul defeated the German team to capture Olympic gold at Squaw Valley. A pair since 1952, they mustered their eight years of international experience to perform flawlessly in the final competition. When all 7 judges awarded them first place they became the first non-European duo in Olympic history to win the event.

February 26, 1960 ce - February 26, 1960 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Heggtveit Wins Olympic Gold

Skier Anne Heggtveit won the Olympic gold medal in slalom at Squaw Valley, edging out US skier Betsy Snite in just under three seconds. As a young girl Heggtveit had been touched by the homecoming parade of skater Barbara Ann Scott, as had many young athletes of the day, and hoped to one day compete at the same level. Heggtveit would eventually receive her own homecoming parade in Ottawa upon her return from Squaw Valley.

April 14, 1960 ce - April 14, 1960 ce

Winter Sports 

Canadiens Win Fifth Cup

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, winning the Stanley Cup for an NHL-record fifth year in a row.

May 13, 1962 ce - May 13, 1962 ce

People 

Birth of Football Player Gizmo Williams

Henry “Gizmo” Williams was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Considered the greatest return specialist in the history of the Canadian Football League (CFL), he played between 1986 and 2000 and set more than 20 CFL records. He won two Grey Cups with Edmonton and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

November 30, 1962 ce - November 30, 1962 ce

Summer Sports 

Stewart Wins Gold at Commonwealth Games

Vancouver swimmer Mary Stewart won a gold medal in the 110-yd butterfly final at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, held in Perth, Australia.

December 01, 1962 ce - December 01, 1962 ce

Summer Sports 

Fog Bowl in Toronto

The Grey Cup football game in Toronto was halted with 9:29 left to play because of severe fog on the field; the game continued the following day. Winnipeg won the game 28-27.

July 29, 1963 ce - July 29, 1963 ce

People 

Birth of Football Player Damon Allen

Quarterback Damon Allen was born in San Diego, California. He set several CFL records in his 23 seasons in the league, winning Grey Cups with the BC Lions (2000), the Toronto Argonauts (2004), and what is now the Edmonton Elks (1987, 1993). Allen was the first CFL quarterback to rush for more than 10,000 career yards. In 2007, he became the all-time passing leader in professional football history, with 72,381 yards. He has been inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

February 07, 1964 ce - February 07, 1964 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Bobsledders Win Olympic Gold

The four-man team of brothers Victor and John Emery, Douglas Anakin and Peter Kirby won the Olympic gold medal at Innsbruck at Canada's first-ever showing in bobsleigh Despite few opportunities to practice on a real track, the team, consisting of a former track and field star, two skiers and a mountain climber, set an Olympic record time in their first run and edged out the Austrians by nearly a second to win the final run.

October 15, 1964 ce - October 15, 1964 ce

Olympics 

Olympic Games in Tokyo

Roger Jackson and George Hungerford (coxless pairs rowing) won Canada's only gold medal at the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

October 15, 1964 ce - October 15, 1964 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Jerome at Tokyo Olympics

Vancouver's Harry Jerome finished third in the 100-m track final at the Tokyo Olympics.

November 28, 1964 ce - November 28, 1964 ce

Summer Sports 

BC Lions Win Grey Cup

The BC Lions defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 34-24 to win their first Grey Cup.

March 04, 1965 ce - March 04, 1965 ce

Winter Sports 

Burka Becomes World Champion

Petra Burka of Canada won the women's title at the world figure skating championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

March 11, 1965 ce - March 11, 1965 ce

Winter Sports 

NHL Expansion

The National Hockey League announced the formation of a 6-team division, consisting of Los Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland, St Louis, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Minneapolis-St Paul. The division began play in the 1967-68 season.

September 10, 1965 ce - September 10, 1965 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Jenkins' Baseball Debut

Canadian pitcher Ferguson Jenkins makes his professional debut in baseball in the US with the Philadelphia Phillies against the St Louis Cardinals, becoming the first Black Canadian to play professionally.

March 01, 1966 ce - March 01, 1966 ce

People 

Birth of Speed Skater Susan Auch

Four-time Olympian Susan Auch, who won two silver medals in speed skating at the Olympic Winter Games, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She earned the 1995 Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s female athlete of the year and was inducted into the Speed Skating Canada Hall of Fame, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

March 12, 1966 ce - March 12, 1966 ce

Records and Firsts 

Hull Breaks Goal-Scoring Record

Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks became the first NHL player to score more than 50 goals in a season.

September 09, 1966 ce - September 09, 1966 ce

People 

Birth of Cyclist Alison Sydor

One of Canada’s best cyclists and one of the best mountain bike cyclists ever, Alison Sydor won 17 World Cup medals in cross-country cycling, including four gold. She also won 13 World Championship medals, including three gold, and never finished outside the top five at the World Championships between 1992 and 2004.

February 11, 1967 ce - February 11, 1967 ce

Summer Sports 

First Canada Games

Québec City hosted the first Canada Games. Inaugurated as part of Canada’s centennial celebrations, the Games bring together young Canadian athletes across a variety of sports. They alternate winter and summer venues every two years.

September 18, 1967 ce - September 18, 1967 ce

Summer Sports 

David Downey Wins Middleweight Championship

In 1967 David Downey won his first Canadian Middleweight Championship, which he retained until August 1970. Downey's boxing career coincided with one of the most dynamic periods in Halifax's history, which saw the emergence of the city's Black population as a social and political force.

May 27, 1968 ce - May 27, 1968 ce

Summer Sports 

Montréal Gets Baseball Team

Montréal was awarded a National League baseball franchise, to be known as the Montreal Expos.

October 27, 1968 ce - October 27, 1968 ce

Olympics 

Olympic Games in Mexico City

Jim Elder, Jim Day and Tom Gayford (equestrian) won Canada's only gold medal at the summer Olympic Games in Mexico City.

December 01, 1969 ce - December 01, 1969 ce

Winter Sports 

Vancouver Awarded NHL Franchise

Vancouver was awarded an NHL franchise. The Canucks' team name comes from a comic book character who protected Canada from the Nazi menace during WWII.

January 04, 1970 ce - January 04, 1970 ce

Winter Sports 

Canada Withdraws from Hockey

Canada withdrew from the world hockey championships to protest rules barring the best Canadian players, the professionals, from playing.

February 14, 1970 ce - February 14, 1970 ce

Winter Sports 

Betsy Clifford Wins Slalom

Canada's Betsy Clifford, 16, won the women's giant slalom at the world skiing championships.

February 16, 1970 ce - February 16, 1970 ce

Summer Sports 

Stolen Grey Cup Returned

The Grey Cup, stolen in December 1969 from the offices of the champion Ottawa Rough Riders, was returned to CFL headquarters. Police recovered the trophy from a Toronto hotel locker room after receiving an anonymous tip.

March 09, 1970 ce - March 09, 1970 ce

Winter Sports 

First Arctic Winter Games

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau opened the first Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife, NWT.

April 03, 1970 ce - April 03, 1970 ce

Winter Sports 

Bobby Orr Wins Scoring Title

Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins was the first defenceman to win the NHL scoring title.

May 12, 1970 ce - May 12, 1970 ce

Olympics 

Montréal Awarded Olympics

Montréal was awarded the 1976 Olympic Games.

May 22, 1970 ce - May 22, 1970 ce

Winter Sports 

Vancouver Canucks Join NHL

The Vancouver Canucks joined the NHL.

October 09, 1970 ce - October 09, 1970 ce

Winter Sports 

Vancouver Canucks Play First NHL Game

The Vancouver Canucks played their first NHL game, losing to the Los Angeles Kings.

January 01, 1971 ce - January 01, 1971 ce

Olympics 

African-Canadian Sprinter Harry Jerome Receives Order of Canada

Sprinter Harry Jerome was awarded the Order of Canada medal for "excellence in all fields of Canadian life." Jerome proudly represented Canada in three Olympic Games, winning bronze at Tokyo in 1964.

August 22, 1972 ce - August 22, 1972 ce

Olympics 

Olympic Logo Unveiled

The logo of the 21st Olympics, created by designer Georges Huel, was unveiled in Montréal.

March 01, 1973 ce - March 01, 1973 ce

Winter Sports 

Magnussen Wins World Figure Skating Championships

Vancouver-born Karen Magnussen won the World Women's Figure Skating Championships in Bratislava in what was then Czechoslovakia.

April 02, 1973 ce - April 02, 1973 ce

Olympics 

Drapeau Announces Lottery

Mayor Drapeau announced the creation of a lottery to raise money for Montréal's financial needs and to help pay for the 1976 Summer Olympics, the first such scheme in the country.

April 28, 1973 ce - April 28, 1973 ce

Olympics 

Construction Begins on Montreal’s Olympic Stadium

Montreal’s Olympic Stadium is the largest covered amphitheatre and sports venue in Quebec and is also the largest stadium in Canada. Construction began in 1973, based on designs from renowned French architect Roger Taillibert.

December 12, 1973 ce - December 12, 1973 ce

Olympics 

Coins Go On Sale

Commemorative coins to finance the Montréal Olympics went on sale.

August 16, 1974 ce - August 16, 1974 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Cindy Nicholas Breaks Record

Sixteen-year-old Cindy Nicholas, of Toronto, broke the record for fastest swim across Lake Ontario. The crossing took her 15 hours and 10 minutes.

February 07, 1976 ce - February 07, 1976 ce

Records and Firsts  Winter Sports 

Darryl Sittler Sets Record

Darryl Sittler of the Toronto Maple Leafs set the single game NHL scoring record with 6 goals and 4 assists in a 11-4 defeat of the Boston Bruins.

February 13, 1976 ce - February 13, 1976 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Kreiner Wins Olympic Gold

At the Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, Kathy Kreiner won the gold medal in the giant slalom. She won Canada's only 1976 Olympic gold medal, for which she was considered a long shot against German skier Rosi Mittermaier. In so doing she became the youngest-ever gold medalist in skiing to that date.

July 17, 1976 ce - July 17, 1976 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Olympic Games Open in Montréal

The Olympic Games were officially opened in Montréal. The star was Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, who scored seven perfect 10s and won three gold medals. Canada won no gold medals.

November 12, 1976 ce - November 12, 1976 ce

Records and Firsts 

Sandy Hawley Sets Record

Canadian Jockey Sandy Hawley broke the single season money-winning record with mounts earning $4 255 912.

April 07, 1977 ce - April 07, 1977 ce

Summer Sports 

Blue Jays Win First Game

The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Chicago White Sox 9-5 in Toronto in the franchise's first game.

September 08, 1977 ce - September 08, 1977 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Cindy Nicholas Swims Channel

Cindy Nicholas became the first woman to complete a return crossing of the English Channel; in doing this she also broke the previous record for the swim by 10 hours.

August 09, 1978 ce - August 09, 1978 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Graham Smith Breaks Commonwealth Games Medal Records

Swimmer Graham Smith won Canada's 26th gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, a record. Hours later, Smith anchored his relay team in the 4x100 m medley and won. As a result, he became the first athlete to win six gold medals in a single Games.

January 09, 1979 ce - January 09, 1979 ce

Winter Sports 

NHL Merges with WHA

The NHL Players' Association ratified the merger of the National Hockey League and the World Hockey Association. Former WHA teams Québec, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Hartford joined the NHL.

June 22, 1979 ce - June 22, 1979 ce

Winter Sports 

WHA Folds

The NHL rival World Hockey Association folded. Winnipeg, Québec, Hartford and the Edmonton Oilers were taken into the NHL.

September 08, 1979 ce - September 08, 1979 ce

Summer Sports 

Vancouver Whitecaps Win NA Soccer League Championship

The Vancouver Whitecaps defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies 2-1 in New York to win the North American Soccer League Championship.

January 12, 1980 ce - January 12, 1980 ce

Winter Sports 

Ken Read Wins at Kitzbühel

Skier Ken Read of Calgary won a World Cup downhill race on the famous course at Kitzbühel, Austria.

February 14, 1980 ce - February 14, 1980 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Podborski Wins Bronze

Skier Steve Podborski won the bronze medal for Canada in the men's downhill at the Winter Olympic games in Lake Placid, New York.

April 12, 1980 ce - April 12, 1980 ce

Summer Sports 

Terry Fox Begins Run

Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope in St. John's, NL, to raise money for cancer research. The run ended on 1 September in Thunder Bay, ON, after cancer was discovered in his lungs. Within days the marathon had raised over $10 million.

April 22, 1980 ce - April 22, 1980 ce

Olympics 

Canada Boycotts Olympics

Parliament announced Canada would join the US-led boycott of the Moscow Olympics over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

September 01, 1980 ce - September 01, 1980 ce

Summer Sports 

Terry Fox Ends Marathon

Terry Fox was forced to end his Marathon of Hope, a cross-Canada fund-raising run, near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when cancer spread to his lungs.

August 13, 1981 ce - August 13, 1981 ce

People 

Dale Hawerchuk is Introduced to Jets Fans

Embed from Getty Images

Drafted first overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, Dale Hawerchuck was introduced to some 2,000 fans Winnipeg fans during a ceremony commemorating the club’s 10th anniversary at the famed downtown corner of Portage and Main. Hawerchuk won the 1982 Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year and was the face of the Winnipeg Jets franchise in the 1980s.

September 13, 1981 ce - September 13, 1981 ce

Summer Sports 

First Terry Fox Run

The first Terry Fox Run was held, in more than 800 Canadian towns and cities. Today, millions of participants in dozens of countries take part in the run to raise money for cancer research, honouring the young Canadian who started it all with his Marathon of Hope in 1980.

September 30, 1981 ce - September 30, 1981 ce

Olympics 

Olympics Awarded to Calgary

The International Olympic Committee awarded the rights to host the 1988 Winter Olympics to Calgary.

December 30, 1981 ce - December 30, 1981 ce

Records and Firsts 

Gretzky Sets Single Season Records

Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers scored 5 goals to give him 50 in 39 games. He went on to set NHL records for goals (92), assists (120) and points (212).

March 05, 1982 ce - March 05, 1982 ce

Winter Sports 

Podborski Wins World Cup

Steve Podborski became the first non-European to win the World Cup downhill skiing championship after winning 3 major events.

February 14, 1984 ce - February 14, 1984 ce

Olympics 

Boucher Wins First Olympic Gold Medal

Speed skater Gaétan Boucher won the first of two gold medals, in the 1000 m, at the Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia. The 1984 Sarajevo Olympics saw Boucher return from a broken ankle suffered the previous year to record one of the greatest performances ever by a Canadian Olympian.

February 16, 1984 ce - February 16, 1984 ce

Olympics 

Boucher Wins Second Olympic Gold Medal

Speed skater Gaëtan Boucher won the second of two gold medals, in the 1500 m, at the Winter Olympic Games in Sarajevo in the former Yugoslavia.

March 28, 1985 ce - March 28, 1985 ce

Summer Sports 

Soccer League Folds

Reduced to only 2 teams, the North American Soccer League suspended operations.

September 10, 1985 ce - September 10, 1985 ce

Summer Sports 

Vancouver Canadians Win Pacific Coast League

The Vancouver Canadians (now the Sacramento River Cats) won baseball's Pacific Coast League title, the first for the city after 20 years in the league.

December 31, 1985 ce - December 31, 1985 ce

Summer Sports 

Fonyo Canadian Newsmaker of the Year

Amputee runner Steve Fonyo, who raised $13 million in a cross-country run, was declared the winner of the award for Canadian Newsmaker of the Year.

July 07, 1986 ce - July 07, 1986 ce

People 

Charmaine Hooper Makes Team Canada Debut

Charmaine Hooper made her debut for Team Canada as an 18-year-old against Team USA. In the following 20 years, she laced up for Canada 129 times. Hooper helped lead Canada to its first-ever CONCACAF gold in 1998 and was the first player to have 100 caps for the women’s national team. She has been inducted into both the Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.

August 30, 1987 ce - August 30, 1987 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Ben Johnson Sets World Record

Sprinter Ben Johnson set a world record of 9.83 seconds for the 100 m dash. The record was later wiped from the record books after Johnson tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

November 17, 1987 ce - November 17, 1987 ce

Olympics 

Olympic Flame Journeys to Calgary

The Olympic flame began an 88-day, 18,000 km journey from Signal Hill (St. John’s), NL, to the Calgary Winter Games. Former Olympians Barbara Ann Scott and Fred Hayward began the relay. Over 7,000 Canadians took turns carrying the torch during its cross-country trek.

May 28, 1988 ce - May 28, 1988 ce

Records and Firsts 

Craig Forrest Records First International Shutout

Craig Forrest, arguably the best goalkeeper to play for the Canadian men’s soccer team, was called up to play against Chile on 25 May 1988 in Toronto. Team Canada won the match 1–0. Forrest recorded his first international clean sheet (shutout) and quickly cemented himself as Canada’s starting goalkeeper. He held the position until 2002, setting Canadian records in both caps (appearances in international play) and clean sheets with 56 and 20, respectively.

August 09, 1988 ce - August 09, 1988 ce

Winter Sports 

Gretzky Traded from Oilers

Though House Leader Nelson Riis demanded the government block the trade, Wayne Gretzky was traded from Edmonton to Los Angeles. The “Great One” left the Oilers along with defenceman Marty McSorley and centre Mike Krushelnyski. Gretzky would lead the Kings to their first Stanley Cup final in 1993. The trade was the driving force behind the NHL’s expansion into such “non-traditional” hockey markets as Arizona.

June 05, 1989 ce - June 05, 1989 ce

Summer Sports 

First Game in SkyDome

The Toronto Blue Jays played their first home game in the new SkyDome, against the Milwaukee Brewers. The SkyDome was the first stadium with a successful retractable roof.

November 04, 1989 ce - November 04, 1989 ce

People 

Birth of Decathlete Damian Warner

Regarded as Canada’s all-time best decathlete, Damian Warner was born in London, Ontario. At the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, he won the gold medal and became one of only four decathletes to reach 9,000 points in international competition. In 2021, he was awarded the Lionel Conacher Award and the Lou Marsh Trophy and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.

January 24, 1990 ce - January 24, 1990 ce

Summer Sports 

Commonwealth Games Open

The 14th Commonwealth Games opened in Auckland, New Zealand.

March 08, 1990 ce - March 08, 1990 ce

Winter Sports 

Browning Wins 2nd Worlds

At Halifax, Kurt Browning won his second consecutive men's world figure skating championship at Halifax.

February 15, 1992 ce - February 15, 1992 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Lee-Gartner Wins Olympic Gold

On what has been deemed the most difficult and dangerous downhill course ever designed for any Olympic Games, Kerrin Lee-Gartner defeated US skier Hilary Lindh to win the gold medal at Albertville. Overcoming injuries to ski the race of her life, Lee-Gartner's win was the first-ever Olympic downhill gold medal won by a Canadian.

February 20, 1992 ce - February 20, 1992 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Women 's Short-Track Speed Skaters Win Olympic Gold

The women's short-track speed skating relay team consisting of Angela Cutrone, Sylvie Daigle, Nathalie Lambert and Annie Perreault won the Olympic gold medal in the 3,000 m race at Albertville. Initially thought to be a contest between Canada and China, a fall by a Chinese skater in the final qualifying round clinched the competition for the women from Québec, who easily beat their nearest competitor, the US, by 1.23 seconds.

September 23, 1992 ce - September 23, 1992 ce

Records and Firsts  Winter Sports 

Rhéaume Plays Goal

Goalie Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play goal for an NHL hockey team, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

October 08, 1992 ce - October 08, 1992 ce

Winter Sports 

New NHL Senators Debut

NHL hockey returned to Ottawa after a 58-year hiatus. The Ottawa Senators defeated Montreal 5–3 in their first game, but then proceeded to have a dismal year, winning only nine more games all season and finishing last in the league.

October 24, 1992 ce - October 24, 1992 ce

Summer Sports 

Blue Jays Win World Series

The Toronto Blue Jays became the first team from outside the US to win the World Series.

December 14, 1992 ce - December 14, 1992 ce

Summer Sports 

Lewis Becomes World Champ

Former Canadian (British-born) Lennox Lewis became the first British world heavyweight boxing champion when Riddick Bowe was stripped of the title.

February 16, 1994 ce - February 16, 1994 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Brassard Wins Olympic Gold

Jean-Luc Brassard won Canada's first-ever medal, a gold, in freestyle skiing at the Olympics in Lillehammer. With yellow patches on his knees highlighting his flawless technique, Brassard edged out Russian Sergei Shupletsov by a mere 0.34 points.

February 18, 1994 ce - February 18, 1994 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Bedard Wins First Olympic Gold

Myriam Bédard won the 15 km event in biathlon. It was Canada's first Olympic medal in Nordic competitions. She would win an additional gold medal days later in the 7.5 km event, becoming the first Canadian woman to win two Olympic gold medals and the first North American athlete ever to win gold in an Olympic biathlon event.

February 23, 1994 ce - February 23, 1994 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Bedard Wins Second Olympic Gold

Myriam Bedard won the 7.5 km event in biathlon and took Olympic gold. It was Canada's second Olympic medal in Nordic competitions. Bedard later realized that she had accomplished the feat on mismatched skis, inadvertently grabbing one from each of her sets on the way to the competition.

February 27, 1994 ce - February 27, 1994 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Winter Olympics in Lillehamer

The Winter Olympic Games in Lillehamer, Norway, ended. Myriam Bédard (biathlon) won two gold medals and J-L Brassard (moguls freestyle skiing) won one gold medal.

June 14, 1994 ce - June 14, 1994 ce

Winter Sports 

Riots in Vancouver

The loss by the Vancouver Canucks in the 7th game of the Stanley Cup final ignited one of the worst sports riots in Canadian history. More than 100 people were arrested and charged with various offences.

September 14, 1994 ce - September 14, 1994 ce

Summer Sports 

Baseball Season Cancelled

The major league baseball season was cancelled, including the World Series, as a result of ongoing labour problems and a players' strike.

May 25, 1995 ce - May 25, 1995 ce

Winter Sports 

Nordiques Sold

The Québec Nordiques were sold to Comsat Corporation for US $75 millions. The new team was moved to Denver, Colorado, and renamed the Avalanche. The new team won the Stanley Cup the following year.

August 06, 1995 ce - August 06, 1995 ce

Olympics  Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Donovan Bailey Becomes "World's Fastest Human" 

Oakville, Ontario's Donovan Bailey assumed the title of "World's Fastest Human" by winning the 100-metre sprint at the World Track Championships at Göteborg, Sweden. Taking silver in the same race was Montreal's Bruny Surin. Bailey went on to win gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, setting a new world and Olympic record (9.84).

May 14, 1996 ce - May 14, 1996 ce

Paralympics and Parasport 

Birth of Aurélie Rivard

One of Canada’s best para-athletes, Aurélie Rivard was born in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. As of 2021, she had won 10 Paralympic medals (five gold, three silver and two bronze), 14 medals at the International Paralympic World Swimming Championships, and seven medals at the Parapan American Games. She had also set multiple world records in the women’s 50 m, 100 m, 200 m and 400 m freestyle.

July 01, 1996 ce - July 01, 1996 ce

Winter Sports 

Jets Become Coyotes

The Winnipeg Jets officially changed their name to the Phoenix Coyotes.

July 19, 1996 ce - July 19, 1996 ce

Olympics 

Olympic Games in Atlanta

The Centennial Olympic Games opened in Atlanta, Georgia, as former boxer Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic flame.

July 19, 1996 ce - July 19, 1996 ce

Olympics 

Olympic Games Open

The 26th Olympic Games opened in Atlanta, Georgia. Canada would achieve what, at the time, was its best medal total, with 22 medals in 9 sports (among them Donovan Bailey's gold win in the 100 m race, making him the world's fastest man).

July 26, 1996 ce - July 26, 1996 ce

Olympics 

Bomb at Olympic Games

A bomb exploded in Atlanta at a music concert during the Olympic Games, killing 2 people and injuring hundreds.

July 27, 1996 ce - July 27, 1996 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Bailey Wins 100 Metres

Sprinter Donovan Bailey established a new world record and earned himself a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. The victory set off an outburst of national pride in winning the glamour event of the Olympic Games.

July 27, 1996 ce - July 27, 1996 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Gold Medals for Canada

Sprinter Donovan Bailey won the 100 m dash at the Atlanta Olympics. Kathleen Heddle and Marnie McBean won gold and Silken Laumann, Derek Porter and the Women's Eight won silver medals in rowing.

August 03, 1996 ce - August 03, 1996 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Victory in the Relay

Robert Esmie, Glenroy Gilbert, Bruny Surin and Donovan Bailey won the 4 X 100 m relay race to crown Canada's performance at the Atlanta Olympic Games.

September 14, 1996 ce - September 14, 1996 ce

Winter Sports 

US Defeats Canada

The US national team defeated the Canadian team 5-2 to win the first World Cup of Hockey. The US won the best of three series, two games to one.

July 12, 1997 ce - July 12, 1997 ce

Summer Sports 

Lewis Retains Title

Boxer Lennox Lewis defended his WBC heavyweight boxing title against Henry Akinwande, bringing his record to 32-1-1.

September 28, 1997 ce - September 28, 1997 ce

Summer Sports 

Walker Leads National League

Canadian Larry Walker led the National League in home runs with 49, and was second in average (.366) and third in RBI (130). he was later named most valuable player.

September 28, 1997 ce - September 28, 1997 ce

Winter Sports 

Hockey Abuse Report Released

Gordon Kirke released a report on the prevention of sexual abuse of Junior hockey players, brought to the forefront by the revelations of former player Sheldon Kennedy.

October 04, 1997 ce - October 04, 1997 ce

Summer Sports 

Lewis Defends Title Again

Lennox Lewis successfully defended his WBC world heavyweight boxing title against Andrew Golota of Poland in a first round knockout.

October 26, 1997 ce - October 26, 1997 ce

Records and Firsts 

Jacques Villeneuve Wins World Championship

Driver Jacques Villenueve became the first Canadian to capture the Formula One World Championship title with a third-place finish at the Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain. He also won the Luxembourg, Austrian, Hungarian, British, Spanish, Argentine and Brazilian Grand Prix that year.

February 08, 1998 ce - February 08, 1998 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Rebagliati Wins Olympic Gold

Whistler snowboarder Ross Rebagliati won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in snowboarding at Nagano, Japan, overcoming the fierce weather that came in during the first and second runs to edge out Italian Thomas Prugger in the giant slalom. Following a positive test for marijuana, a banned substance, he was stripped of his medal but was reinstated as the gold medalist days later.

February 13, 1998 ce - February 13, 1998 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

LeMay Doan Wins First Olympic Gold

Canadian speed skating icon Catriona LeMay Doan won the first of her two medals at Nagano, a gold in the 500 m. In a showdown against fellow Canadian and training partner Susan Auch, LeMay Doan edged out Auch by a mere 0.03 seconds. LeMay Doan also added a bronze medal in the 1000 m later in the Games.

February 15, 1998 ce - February 15, 1998 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Lueders and MacEachern Tie for Olympic Gold

After two days of competition and four heats, the Canadian two-man bobsleigh team of Lueders and MacEachern tied with the Italian team, ending up with an identical cumulative time of 3:37.24. For the first time in Olympic history, two teams shared the gold medal in bobsleigh, a fitting conclusion to what many claim was one of the most exciting bobsledding competitions in Olympic history.

February 15, 1998 ce - February 15, 1998 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Women's Curling Team Wins Olympic Gold

Sandra Schmirler and her rink of Jan Betker, Joan McCusker and Marcia Gudereit captured the first women's Olympic gold medal in curling. Self proclaimed “housewives” and best friends, the group dominated the sport in the 1990s, winning three Canadian championships and three world titles in addition to Olympic gold. Sadly, Schmirler succumbed to cancer in 2000.

February 17, 1998 ce - February 17, 1998 ce

Olympics 

Women's Team Wins Silver

The Canadian women's hockey team lost to the Americans 3-1, losing the gold medal game.

February 19, 1998 ce - February 19, 1998 ce

Olympics 

Perreault Wins Olympic Gold

Short-track speed skater Annie Perreault won the Olympic gold medal in the women's 500 m event. After a spill took out front runners Wang Chunlu of China and fellow Canadian Isabelle Charest, Perreault emerged into the lead and took the medal. She capped off her Olympic experience at Nagano with a bronze in the team relay event.

February 21, 1998 ce - February 21, 1998 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Short Track Men's Team Wins Olympic Gold

Teammates Éric Bédard, Derrick Campbell, François Drolet and Marc Gagnon won the gold medal in the short-track speed skating 5000 m relay at Nagano. Using a strategy that involved leading the pack early on, the team was able to avoid the many collisions that plagued other groups and emerged victorious over Korea by 0.701 seconds.

February 21, 1998 ce - February 21, 1998 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Men's Short-Track Speed Skaters Win First Olympic Gold

Teammates Éric Bédard, Derrick Campbell, François Drolet and Marc Gagnon won the gold medal in the short-track speed skating 5000 m relay at Nagano. Using a strategy that involved leading the pack early on, the team was able to avoid the many collisions that plagued other groups and emerged victorious over Korea by 0.701 seconds.

February 22, 1998 ce - February 22, 1998 ce

Olympics 

Nagano Olympics Close

Ceremonies were held in Nagano, Japan, closing the Winter Olympic Games. Canada won 6 gold medals but failed to win a medal in ice hockey.

February 13, 1999 ce - February 13, 1999 ce

Winter Sports 

Last Game at the Gardens

The Toronto Maple Leafs played their last game at the storied Maple Leaf Gardens. Future games would be played at the Air Canada Centre.

April 16, 1999 ce - April 16, 1999 ce

Records and Firsts  Winter Sports 

Gretzky Retires

Wayne Gretzky, aged 38, announced that he would retire from hockey at the end of the season. He had played for 21 years and held or shared 61 NHL records.

May 23, 1999 ce - May 23, 1999 ce

Summer Sports 

Owen Hart Killed

Alberta-born professional wrestler Owen Hart fell 15 m to his death during a performance in Kansas City. His wife brought a suit against the wrestling federation for endangering Hart's life in pursuit of TV ratings.

September 25, 1999 ce - September 25, 1999 ce

Winter Sports 

NHL Teams Seek Aid

The 6 Canadian-based NHL hockey teams petitioned the federal government for financial aid. It was refused.

October 03, 1999 ce - October 03, 1999 ce

Summer Sports 

Walker Wins Batting Title

Canadian baseball player Larry Walker of the Colorado Rockies finished the season as the batting champion of the National League, with a .379 average.

February 21, 2000 ce - February 21, 2000 ce

Winter Sports 

McSorley Injures Brashear

In the remaining seconds of an NHL hockey match, the Boston Bruins' Marty McSorely delivered a crushing head blow to Donald Brashear of the Vancouver Canucks. McSorely faced jail time, a first for an incident during an NHL game. He received 18 months' probation and a suspension from the NHL that marked the end of his career in the league. The hit is widely regarded as one of the most disgraceful hits in NHL history.

September 27, 2000 ce - September 27, 2000 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Nestor and Lareau Win Gold

Canadians Daniel Nestor and Sebastien Lareau defeated Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge of Australia to win gold medals in tennis doubles at the Sydney Olympics.

February 11, 2002 ce - February 11, 2002 ce

Olympics 

Salé and Pelletier Win Olympic Medal

Pairs figure skaters Jamie Salé and David Pelletier delivered a performance that would eventually win them a gold medal at the Salt Lake Olympics. After the controversial judging scandal dubbed "Skategate" was resolved, the pair shared double gold medals with Russian skaters Bereznaya and Sikharulidze. It was Canada's first-ever gold medal in the event.

February 14, 2002 ce - February 14, 2002 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

LeMay Doan Wins Second Olympic Gold

Catriona LeMay Doan won the gold medal in the women's 500 m speed skating event at the Salt Lake Olympics, defending her gold medal performance of 1998. Doan retired at the top of her sport a year later, garnering numerous world championships throughout her career in addition to her Olympic medals.

February 15, 2002 ce - February 15, 2002 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Beckie Scott Wins Olympic Medal

Beckie Scott delivered a gold-medal performance in the cross-country skiing 5 km pursuit event at the Salt Lake Olympics. Scott initially finished behind two Russian skiers who were awarded gold and silver, but when both tested positive for drugs in other races they lost their medals. Scott was given the silver in June 2003 and, finally, the gold in Dec 2003. Uniquely, Scott became the only Olympian to be awarded all three medals in the same event.

February 21, 2002 ce - February 21, 2002 ce

Olympics 

Women''s Hockey Team Wins Olympic Gold

Canada''s women''s hockey team officially ended the 50-year dry spell that had plagued the country''s Olympic hockey teams when they won the gold medal at Salt Lake, defeating the US 3-2. As part of Olympic lore, many credit Canada''s “lucky loonie,” planted by Edmonton ice maker Trent Evans at centre ice, as the charm that broke the losing streak.

February 23, 2002 ce - February 23, 2002 ce

Olympics  Records and Firsts  Winter Sports 

Gagnon Wins Olympic Gold

Marc Gagnon won the 500 m in short-track speed skating, the first of his two gold-medal wins at the Salt Lake Olympics that day, adding a second with teammates in the relay. Gagnon's total of five Olympic medals from 1994 to 2002 exceeded Gaëtan Boucher record of four medals, making Gagnon Canada's most decorated male winter Olympian to that date.

February 23, 2002 ce - February 23, 2002 ce

Olympics 

Men's Short-Track Speed Skaters Win Second Olympic Gold

Marc Gagnon and teammates Jonathan Guilmette, François-Louis Tremblay and Mathieu Turcotte won Olympic gold in the men's 5000 m relay at Salt Lake, narrowly beating the Italian team by 0.047 seconds.

February 24, 2002 ce - February 24, 2002 ce

Olympics 

Men's Hockey Team Wins Olympic Gold

Canada''s men''s hockey team won the Olympic gold medal at the Salt Lake Olympics on the on the 50th anniversary of the Edmonton Mercurys' win at Oslo in 1952, sporting a replica of the crest of the first-ever official Olympic hockey team - the 1924 Toronto Granites - on their shoulders. Led by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, the team defeated the US 5-2.

May 11, 2003 ce - May 11, 2003 ce

Winter Sports 

Canada Wins World Hockey Title

Anson Carter scored in overtime against Sweden as Canada won the world hockey championship in Helsinki, Finland.

May 22, 2003 ce - May 22, 2003 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

LeMay Doan Retires

Catriona LeMay Doan, one of Canada's greatest Olympic athletes, announced that she was retiring from skating. She won two Olympic gold medals (500 metres) and a bronze (1000 metres), won several world championships and set numerous world records.

July 02, 2003 ce - July 02, 2003 ce

Olympics 

Vancouver and Whistler to Host 2010 Olympic Winter Games

The International Olympic Committee announced that Vancouver and Whistler would host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

September 29, 2004 ce - September 29, 2004 ce

Summer Sports 

Expos' Last Game

The Montreal Expos played their last game at home, at Olympic Stadium, before the team moved to Washington, DC. They were defeated 9–1 by the Florida Marlins in front of more than 30,000 fans.

January 01, 2005 ce - January 01, 2005 ce

Olympics 

Own the Podium is Created

Created in 2005 in advance of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Own the Podium is a non-profit organization that assists national sports bodies in Canada with their investment and training strategies. Based in Ottawa and Calgary, the program provides financial assistance to high-performance Canadian athletes and coaches. 

May 08, 2005 ce - May 08, 2005 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Steve Nash: First Canadian MVP in the NBA

Professional basketball player Steve Nash became the first Canadian to win the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2004–05 season. The Victoria, BC native would capture the title again the following season.

February 11, 2006 ce - February 11, 2006 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Heil Wins Olympic Gold

At the Olympics in Torino skier Jennifer Heil won Canada's first-ever medal in freestyle skiing. On the day of the race, Heil, the last skier down the hill, executed a perfect 360-degree spin and a back flip, resulting in a score of 26.50 that placed her ahead of the 2002 Olympic champion, Kari Traa of Norway.

February 17, 2006 ce - February 17, 2006 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Gibson Wins Olympic Gold

Skeleton racer Duff Gibson edged out Germany's Matthias Biedermann to take the gold medal at the 2006 Torino Olympics. At age 39, he became the oldest individual medalist in Olympic history. Wanting his final ride to be a gold medal victory, Gibson vowed that it would be the last skeleton run he would ever make.

February 20, 2006 ce - February 20, 2006 ce

Olympics 

Women's Hockey Team Wins Second Olympic Gold

Canada's women's hockey team defended its gold medal performance of 2002, beating the Swedish women's team 4-1 to win the gold medal at the Torino Olympics.

February 22, 2006 ce - February 22, 2006 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Crawford Wins Olympic Gold

At the Torino Olympics cross-country skier Chandra Crawford won Canada's second-ever medal in the event. Her win in the 1.1 km sprint during her Olympic debut and second year on the national team was unexpected by both the Canadian team as well as the long-established European teams who had historically dominated Nordic competitions.

February 22, 2006 ce - February 22, 2006 ce

Olympics  Records and Firsts 

Klassen Wins Olympic Gold

Speed skater Cindy Klassen won gold in the 1500 m, and followed it with three additional medals (two silvers and a bronze) later in the Games. In so doing, she became the most decorated Winter Olympian in Canadian history, surpassing Marc Gagnon's 2002 record. To celebrate her achievement Canadian officials chose her to carry the flag at the closing ceremonies.

February 24, 2006 ce - February 24, 2006 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Men's Curling Team Wins Olympic Gold

The rink of Brad Russ Howard, Mark Nichols, Jamie Korab and Mike Adam won Canada''s first-ever gold medal in men''s curling in a final showdown with Finland which Canada won 10-4. Gushue and his teammates became the first Newfoundlanders to win an Olympic medal.

February 25, 2006 ce - February 25, 2006 ce

Olympics  Records and Firsts 

Hughes Wins Olympic Gold

Speed skater Clara Hughes won a gold medal in the 5000 m event and added a silver medal in the team pursuit later in the Games. A former cyclist, Hughes also has the distinction of being the first Canadian to win a medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

May 07, 2006 ce - May 07, 2006 ce

Summer Sports 

Steve Nash Wins Second Consecutive MVP Award

Professional basketball player Steve Nash won the NBA's Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row. The Victoria, BC native was the first Canadian to capture the title.

October 27, 2007 ce - October 27, 2007 ce

Summer Sports 

Death of Nick Weslock

Winnipeg-born golfer Nick Weslock died in Burlington, Ontario, at age 89. Weslock dominated Canada’s amateur golf circuit during the 1950s and 1960s, winning many championships and representing Canada in international team events.

June 09, 2008 ce - June 09, 2008 ce

Winter Sports 

CTV Purchases The Hockey Theme

In a fierce competition with CBC, CTV successfully bid nearly $3 million for exclusive rights in perpetuity to Canada's hockey anthem—the theme song to Hockey Night in Canada. It was written in the late 1960s by Dolores Claman.

March 17, 2009 ce - March 17, 2009 ce

Records and Firsts 

Brodeur Surpasses Roy's Record

Martin Brodeur surpassed his idol Patrick Roy's record of 551 wins when he reached 552 in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

April 26, 2009 ce - April 26, 2009 ce

Summer Sports 

Nestor Celebrates 100th Tour Final

Daniel Nestor reached an historic milestone in Canadian tennis, celebrating his 100th Tour final when he and partner Nenad Zimonjiæ won the Barcelona Open doubles title over former partner Mark Knowles and Mahesh Bhupathi of India. He holds 58 titles at the ATP world level.

October 30, 2009 ce - October 30, 2009 ce

Olympics 

Olympic Torch Relay Begins

The Olympic Flame arrived in Victoria to begin the longest single-country torch relay in the history of the Olympic Games. Former gold medallists Catriona LeMay Doan (speedskating) and Simon Whitfield (triathlon) were the first of over 12 000 torchbearers. Initially lit in Olympia, Greece on 22 Oct, the Olympic Flame will travel to over 1000 communities in 106 days before reaching its final destination in Vancouver on 12 Feb 2010.

November 29, 2009 ce - November 29, 2009 ce

Summer Sports 

Montreal Alouettes Win Grey Cup

The Montreal Alouettes came from behind in the last 10 minutes of the game to win their 6th Grey Cup. In the final play the Alouette's Damon Duval kicked a last-second field goal on a second attempt after the Roughriders had been penalized for having too many men on the field. The goal gave the Alouettes a one-point lead, clinching the game 28-27.

February 12, 2010 ce - February 12, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Luger Dies at Vancouver Olympic Games

Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed during a practice run at the Whistler Sliding Centre just hours before the opening ceremonies when he lost control of his sled on Curve 16, travelling at 140 km/hr.

February 12, 2010 ce - February 12, 2010 ce

Olympics 

Vancouver Olympic Games

The opening ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games were held at BC Place Stadium ON 2 Feb in the first indoor ceremony in Olympic history, attended by a crowd of 60 000. The event lasted until 28 Feb, during which Canada amassed a record 14 gold medals.

February 14, 2010 ce - February 14, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Bilodeau Wins Olympic Gold

Skier Alexandre Bilodeau became the first Canadian Olympian to win a gold medal on Canadian soil when he won the moguls competition at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

February 16, 2010 ce - February 16, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Ricker Wins Olympic Gold

Snowboarder Maëlle Ricker won the gold medal in the women's snowboard cross event, the first medal in the sport for a Canadian woman at an Olympic Games.

February 18, 2010 ce - February 18, 2010 ce

Olympics 

Nesbitt Wins Olympic Gold

Speed skater Christine Nesbitt won gold in the 1000 m event at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games with a winning time of 1:16.56, barely besting silver medal winner Annette Gerritsen of the Netherlands who finished the race with a time of 1:16.58. It was the smallest margin of victory in the race's history.

February 19, 2010 ce - February 19, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Montgomery Wins Olympic Gold

Skeleton racer Jon Montgomery won Olympic gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, just 0.07 seconds ahead of Latvia's Martins Dukurs who took silver. It was Canada's second consecutive gold in men's skeleton at an Olympic Games.

February 22, 2010 ce - February 22, 2010 ce

Olympics 

Virtue and Moir Win Olympic Gold

Skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won the gold medal in ice dancing at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, the youngest-ever Olympic winners in the sport. It was the first gold medal in ice dancing for Canada and the first-ever gold in the event for an ice dancing pair in North America.

February 23, 2010 ce - February 23, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

McIvor Wins Olympic Gold

Skier Ashleigh McIvor won a gold medal in women's freestyle skicross at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games. It was the first time the event had been held at an Olympic Games.

February 24, 2010 ce - February 24, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Women's Bobsleigh Team Wins Olympic Gold

Canadian women bobsledders Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse won gold at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in the pairs events, besting their Canadian teammates Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown by 0.85 seconds. The gold and silver medals were the first in Olympic competition in the sport for Canadian women.

February 25, 2010 ce - February 25, 2010 ce

Olympics 

Women's Hockey Team Wins Third Olympic Gold

Canada's women's hockey team won its third Olympic gold medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, defeating the US 2-0. The team was later chastised by the media for taking its victory party on to the ice after the fans had left the building.

February 26, 2010 ce - February 26, 2010 ce

Olympics 

Men's Short Track Team Wins Olympic Gold

Teammates Charles Hamelin, François Hamelin, Jean Olivier and François-Louis Tremblay won the gold medal in the 5000 m relay event at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, defeating the Korean team by a margin of 0.235 seconds.

February 26, 2010 ce - February 26, 2010 ce

Olympics 

Hamelin Wins Olympic Gold

Short track speed skater Charles Hamelin won the gold medal in the men's 500 m event at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, besting Si-Bak Sung of Korea. Canadian François-Louis Tremblay won bronze.

February 27, 2010 ce - February 27, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Men's Curling Team Wins Olympic Gold

Renowned Canadian curler Kevin Martin led his team to a gold medal victory at the Vancouver Winter Olympics when the team, undefeated in round-robin play, proceeded to the final match where they defeated Norway 6-3.

February 27, 2010 ce - February 27, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Anderson Wins Olympic Gold

Veteran snowboarded Jasey-Jay Anderson won the gold medal in the men's parallel giant slalom event at the Vancouver Winter Olympics when he closed a 0.75 second deficit between himself and Austrian Benjamin Karl in the final round. Canada's most decorated snowboarder, Anderson announced his retirement shortly after the Games.

February 27, 2010 ce - February 27, 2010 ce

Olympics  Winter Sports 

Men's Speed Skating Team Wins Gold

Teammates Mathieu Giroux, Lucas Makowsky, Denis Morrison and Francois-Olivier Roberge won the gold medal in the long track team pursuit at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, defeating the US team by a margin of 0.21 seconds.

February 28, 2010 ce - February 28, 2010 ce

Olympics 

Men's Hockey Team Wins Olympic Gold

The Canadian men's hockey team won the Olympic gold medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, defeating the US 3-2 in overtime when centre Sidney Crosby, assisted by Jarome Iginla, scored against the US. Crosby's goal is considered one of the greatest in the history of Canadian hockey.

March 12, 2010 ce - March 12, 2010 ce

Paralympics and Parasport 

Winter Paralympic Games at Vancouver

The X Paralympic Winter Games were held in Vancouver, a first for Canada. The event hosted 506 athletes from 44 countries, and Canada ultimately ranked third in overall medal standings.

May 27, 2012 ce - May 27, 2012 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Ryder Hesjedal Wins the Giro d'Italia

Ryder Hesjedal, from Victoria, BC, became the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour road cycling title after finishing first overall at the Giro d’Italia.

January 20, 2013 ce - January 20, 2013 ce

Olympics 

Death of Richard Garneau

Richard Garneau, Québec sports journalist and writer, died in Montréal, QC. A veteran sports reporter in Québec, Garneau was best-known for his Olympic coverage, having reported 23 Olympic Games.

March 06, 2013 ce - March 06, 2013 ce

Winter Sports 

Mikaël Kingsbury named FIS World Champion in Moguls

Québec freestyle skier Mikaël Kingsbury won the World Championship in Moguls in Voss, Norway.

June 27, 2013 ce - June 27, 2013 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Anthony Bennett Becomes the First Canadian No. 1 NBA Draft

The Cleveland Cavaliers pick Toronto-born Anthony Bennett first overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. Bennett is the first Canadian to become the No. 1 draft in the NBA.

July 03, 2014 ce - July 03, 2014 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

First Canadian Singles Player at Grand Slam Final

Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, QC, became the first Canadian women's singles tennis player to reach a Grand Slam final after defeating Romania's Simona Halep at Wimbledon.

January 24, 2015 ce - January 24, 2015 ce

Olympics 

Death of Toller Cranston

Figure skater, choreographer and artist Toller Cranston died in San Miguel, Mexico, at the age of 65. He is credited with pioneering a more artistic style in men's figure skating — a departure from convention that did not always win the favour of judges. Nevertheless, Cranston won several Canadian championships and world free-skate titles in the 1970s, as well as the bronze medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Innsbruck.

January 25, 2015 ce - January 25, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Winter Sports 

First Canadian Woman to Win a World Cup Ski Jumping Medal

Calgary's Taylor Henrich became the first Canadian woman to win a World Cup ski jumping medal. The 19-year-old earned bronze at an event in Oberstdorf, Germany.

March 21, 2015 ce - March 21, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Steve Nash Retires

After a celebrated 18-year career in professional basketball, two-time MVP award–winner Steve Nash announced his retirement at the age of 41. A native of Victoria, BC, Nash was the first Canadian to capture the Most Valuable Player title. He retired with the third spot for assists in the history of the league.

April 02, 2015 ce - April 02, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Bhullar Becomes First NBA Player of Indian Descent

Sim Bhullar, of Toronto, became the first NBA player of Indian descent. The 7-foot-5, 360-pound centre signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings.

April 30, 2015 ce - April 30, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Andrew Wiggins Wins NBA Rookie of the Year

Twenty-year-old Andrew Wiggins, of Vaughan, ON, was named NBA rookie of the year. He is the first Canadian and the first player in the history of the Minnesota Timberwolves to earn the honour.

June 13, 2015 ce - June 13, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Matt Stairs Inducted Into Baseball Hall of Fame

Former Major League Baseball player Matt Stairs, of Fredericton, NB, was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. A 19-year veteran of the big leagues, Stairs holds the records for most pinch-hit home runs (23) and the most teams played for by a position player (13).

June 24, 2015 ce - June 24, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts 

Price Makes NHL History With Four Awards

Montréal Canadiens goalie Carey Price received the Hart Trophy (NHL's most valuable player), the Vézina Trophy (NHL's best goalie), and the Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player as voted by the players). In April 2015, he won the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in regular season play (189), which he shared with Corey Crawford (Chicago Blackhawks). Price is the first goalie in NHL history to win those four awards, and the second Canadiens player to win four NHL awards (the first was Guy Lafleur).

July 20, 2015 ce - July 20, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

First Pan Am Gold Medal in Basketball

The Canadian women's basketball team became the first Canadian team of either gender to win gold in the sport at the Pan American Games in Toronto, beating the United States 81–73.

July 24, 2015 ce - July 24, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

De Grasse Sets Canadian Record

Andre de Grasse of Markham, ON, became the first Canadian to finish the 200-metre sprint in under 20 seconds, crossing the finish line at 19.88 seconds for the gold medal at the Pan Am Games in Toronto, ON.

July 26, 2015 ce - July 26, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Record Medal Total at Pan American Games

Team Canada won a record 217 medals at the Pan American Games in Toronto, with 78 gold, 69 silver and 70 bronze medals earned between 10 and 26 July 2015. Canada placed second overall, behind the United States.

August 14, 2015 ce - August 14, 2015 ce

Paralympics and Parasport  Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Rivard Sets World Record at Parapan Am Games

Swimmer Aurélie Rivard, of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, set a world record in the 100-metre freestyle S10 at the Parapan American Games in Toronto, completing the race in 59.17 seconds. In total, Rivard won seven medals at the 2015 Games, six of them gold, and set several additional Americas and Parapan Am records.

August 15, 2015 ce - August 15, 2015 ce

Paralympics and Parasport  Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Record Medal Total at Parapan American Games

Team Canada won a record 168 medals at the Parapan American Games in Toronto, with 50 gold, 63 silver and 55 bronze medals earned between 7 and 15 August 2015. Canada placed second overall, behind Brazil. It was the first time the Parapan Am Games were televised live in Canada. According to the Ontario government, they were also the largest and most accessible Games in Parapan Am history.

September 19, 2015 ce - September 19, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Canadian Team Sets Record Speed for Human-Powered Vehicle

A team of Canadian engineers set a new world record for the fastest human-powered vehicle at an annual competition in Battle Mountain, Nevada, attaining a speed of 139.45 kilometres per hour. The vehicle, Eta — a high-efficiency recumbent bicycle enclosed in a carbon-fibre shell — is the work of Aerovelo, a company founded by University of Toronto alumni Todd Reichert and Cameron Robertson. Reichert pedalled the bike to a world record on 17 September 2015 and subsequently broke his own record twice to achieve the final speed.

December 15, 2015 ce - December 15, 2015 ce

Records and Firsts 

Carey Price Wins Lou Marsh Trophy

Montréal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price won the Lou Marsh Trophy, given annually to Canada's top athlete as determined by a jury of Canadian sports writers. He is the first goalie to ever win the award. The trophy was Price's fifth award of 2015, in addition to the Hart Trophy, the Vézina Trophy, the Ted Lindsay Award and the William M. Jennings Trophy.

June 01, 2016 ce - June 01, 2016 ce

People 

Alphonso Davies Makes First-Team Debut with Vancouver Whitecaps

After a season playing for the reserve team, Alphonso Davies earned a promotion to Vancouver Whitecap FC’s first team, making him the third-youngest player ever to sign an MLS contract. He made his first-team debut on 1 June 2016, in the first leg of the Canadian Championship against Ottawa Fury FC.

July 08, 2016 ce - July 08, 2016 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

Milos Raonic Makes History at Wimbledon

Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ontario, became the first Canadian to reach the Grand Slam men’s singles final at the Wimbledon tennis championships. Adding to the significance of the occasion was his defeat of Roger Federer, one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, in the semifinal round. Raonic lost the final match to Great Britain’s Andy Murray.

August 11, 2016 ce - August 11, 2016 ce

Olympics 

Penny Oleksiak’s Olympic Medal Record

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 16-year-old swimmer Penny Oleksiak became the first Canadian to win four medals at a Summer Games. The first-time Olympian from Toronto skyrocketed to fame in the space of two weeks, stepping onto the podium again and again as the country looked on with amazement. She took home gold in the 100 m freestyle, silver in the 100 m butterfly and bronze in both the 4x100 m freestyle relay and 4x200 m freestyle relay.

August 12, 2016 ce - August 12, 2016 ce

Olympics 

Rosie MacLennan Wins Gold at Rio Olympics

Trampolinist Rosie MacLennan of Toronto, Ontario, won the gold medal at the Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was her second Olympic gold in trampoline, having taken the top spot at the 2012 Games in London, England.

August 16, 2016 ce - August 16, 2016 ce

Olympics 

Derek Drouin Wins Gold at Rio Olympics

High jumper Derek Drouin of Sarnia, Ontario won gold at the Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He had previously taken home bronze from the 2012 Games in London, England.

August 18, 2016 ce - August 18, 2016 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

Erica Wiebe Wins Gold at Rio Olympics

First-time Olympian Erica Wiebe of Stittsville, Ontario, won gold in women’s 75 kg freestyle wrestling at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was Canada’s third ever Olympic gold medal in the sport.

August 19, 2016 ce - August 19, 2016 ce

Olympics  Summer Sports 

De Grasse Finishes Olympics with Three Medals

At the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, sprinter Andre De Grasse won three medals. The Markham, Ontario native took home silver in the 200 m, finishing behind the great Jamaican runner Usain Bolt, and bronze in the 100 m, behind Bolt and American Justin Gatlin. De Grasse also won a second bronze as a member of the 4x100 m relay team.

September 09, 2016 ce - September 09, 2016 ce

Paralympics and Parasport 

Lakatos Wins Gold at Rio Paralympics

Wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos of Montréal, Québec, won gold in the 100 m event at the 2016 Paralympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He went on to reach the podium in each of the three additional events in which he competed, earning a silver and two bronze medals.

September 14, 2016 ce - September 14, 2016 ce

Paralympics and Parasport 

Chernove Wins Gold at Rio Paralympics

At the 2016 Paralympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, cyclist Tristen Chernove won gold in the road time trial with a time of 27:43.16. The Cranbrook, British Columbia resident would finish the Games with additional silver and bronze medals in track cycling events.

September 14, 2016 ce - September 14, 2016 ce

Paralympics and Parasport 

Roxon Wins Gold at Rio Paralympics

Swimmer Katarina Roxon of Kippens, Newfoundland and Labrador, won gold in the 100 m breaststroke at the 2016 Paralympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She finished with a time of 1:19:44.

September 15, 2016 ce - September 15, 2016 ce

Paralympics and Parasport 

Rivard Wins Fourth Medal at Rio, Sets World Record

Swimmer Aurélie Rivard of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec, won her third gold — and fourth medal — of the 2016 Paralympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her 400-metre freestyle swim broke the world record with a time of 4:29.96.

September 17, 2016 ce - September 17, 2016 ce

Paralympics and Parasport 

Stillwell Finishes Rio Paralympics with Two Gold Medals

At the 2016 Paralympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, wheelchair racer Michelle Stillwell completed the 100 m race in a world record–setting time of 19:42. It was her second gold medal of the Games after winning the 400 m race a week earlier. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and a serving MLA in British Columbia, Stillwell previously earned a gold medal for wheelchair basketball in 2000.

December 10, 2016 ce - December 10, 2016 ce

Records and Firsts  Summer Sports 

First Canadian Team to Play MLS Cup Final

Toronto FC became the first Canadian club to reach the Major League Soccer Cup final, facing off against Seattle Sounders FC at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. They lost the match 5–4 in penalty shootout. (See also Soccer.)

December 13, 2016 ce - December 13, 2016 ce

Summer Sports 

Penny Oleksiak Wins Lou Marsh Trophy

Swimmer Penny Oleksiak of Toronto, Ontario won the Lou Marsh Trophy for Canada’s best athlete of 2016, the year of her triumphant four-medal record at the Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The award is given out annually by a panel of Canadian sports journalists.

January 01, 2017 ce - January 01, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Lorne Loomer

Lorne Loomer, gold medallist in rowing at the 1956 Summer Olympic Games, died of esophageal cancer at the age of 79.

January 04, 2017 ce - January 04, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Milt Schmidt

Hockey Hall-of-Famer Milt Schmidt, who was captain, coach and general manager of the Boston Bruins, died at the age of 98.

January 07, 2017 ce - January 07, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Alice Whitty

Alice Whitty, who represented Canada in high jump at the 1956 Summer Olympic Games, died at the age of 82.

January 09, 2017 ce - January 09, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Ty Pozzobon

National bull-riding champion Ty Pozzobon committed suicide at the age of 25 after battling depression and the effects of multiple concussions.

January 10, 2017 ce - January 10, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Kenny Wharram

Kenny Wharram, who played centre in the “Scooter Line” for the Chicago Blackhawks, died at the age of 83.

January 19, 2017 ce - January 19, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Joyce Murland

Joyce Murland, a bronze and silver medallist at both the 1972 and 1976 Paralympics and a member of the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, died at the age of 79.

January 23, 2017 ce - January 23, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Ted Haggis

Ted Haggis (father of filmmaker Paul Haggis), who served in the Canadian Navy during the Second World War and competed as a sprinter at the 1948 Summer Olympics, died at the age of 92.

January 27, 2017 ce - January 27, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Betty Stanhope-Cole

Hall of Fame golfer Betty Stanhope-Cole died of cancer at the age of 79.

February 06, 2017 ce - February 06, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Bill Britton

Bill Britton, former Calgary Stampeders football player and team president, died at the age of 82.

February 17, 2017 ce - February 17, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Russ Prior

Weightlifter Russ Prior, a Commonwealth Games and PanAm Games champion who won a bronze medal at the 1976 Montréal Summer Olympics, died at the age of 67.

February 22, 2017 ce - February 22, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Gordon Currie

Gordon Currie, who served in the Canadian Navy during the Second World War and as a Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in Saskatchewan, died at the age of 93. A highly successful high school coach, he was a Member of the Order of Canada and inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

February 22, 2017 ce - February 22, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Johnny McCormack

Hockey player Johnny McCormack, who won the Stanley Cup with the Toronto Maple Leafs (1951) and the Montréal Canadiens (1953), died at the age of 91. (see Lord Stanley and the Stanley Cup)

March 13, 2017 ce - March 13, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Ed Whitlock

Runner Ed Whitlock, the first person over 70 to run a marathon in less than 3 hours, died of prostate cancer at the age of 86. In October 2016, he shattered the record for the 85-and-older age group, completing the Toronto marathon in 3 hours, 56 minutes and 34 seconds, almost 40 minutes fastest than the previous title owner.

March 14, 2017 ce - March 14, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Arleene Johnson

Baseball player Arleene ‘’The Iron Lady’’ Johnson, who played in the All-American Girls Professionnal Baseball League, died at the age of 93. She is a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. (see also Canadians in Baseball: The ‘’Lost Tribe’’.)

March 25, 2017 ce - March 25, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Gary Doak

Defenceman Gary Doak, who played for several NHL teams including the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins, died at the age of 71.

April 09, 2017 ce - April 09, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Bill Sutherland

NHL hockey player Bill Sutherland, who played for the Winnipeg Jets, the Philadelphia Flyers and the St. Louis Blues, died at the age of 82.

April 14, 2017 ce - April 14, 2017 ce

People 

Death of James Smith

James Smith, Commissionner of Yukon from 1966 to 1976, died at the age of 97. Smith was a joint founder of the Arctic Winter Games.

May 08, 2017 ce - May 08, 2017 ce

People 

Death of John David Molson

John David Molson, former owner of the Montreal Canadiens (1964–72) and member of the Molson family of brewers, died at the age of 88. Under his ownership, the Montreal Canadiens won five Stanley Cups. He was also a prominent figure in the expansion of the National Hockey League during the 1967–68 season.

May 10, 2017 ce - May 10, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Ted Hibberd

Ted Hibberd, member of the Royal Canadian Air Force and hockey gold medallist at the 1948 Winter Olympics, died at the age of 91.

May 15, 2017 ce - May 15, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Stan Kaluznick

Stan Kaluznick, who played football for the Calgary Stampeders (1950–54), died at the age of 85.

May 21, 2017 ce - May 21, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Bill White

Hockey player Bill White, member of Canada’s 1972 Summit Series team, died at the age of 77.

June 18, 2017 ce - June 18, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Tim Hague

Professional boxer Tim Hague died two days after he was knocked out during a heavyweight bout in Edmonton, Alberta.

June 22, 2017 ce - June 22, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Hervé Filion

Quebec-born Hervé Filion, a Hall of Fame harness racer, died of pneumonia in New York at the age of 77. Filion maintained the world record for career wins (15,179) from 1971 until his retirement in 2012. He also won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Outstanding Canadian Sportsman.

June 26, 2017 ce - June 26, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Ric Suggitt

Ric Suggitt, coach of the Canadian women’s and men’s rugby teams (2004–07) as well as the US women’s rugby team (2010–15), died at the age of 58 of medical complications in Alberta.

June 29, 2017 ce - June 29, 2017 ce

People 

Death of Dave Semenko

Hockey player Dave Semenko, who played for the Edmonton Oilers (winning the Stanley Cup in 1984 and 1985), was a bodyguard for Wayne Gretzky and once went three rounds with boxing legend Muhammad Ali, died at the age of 59 of cancer.

November 15, 2017 ce - November 15, 2017 ce

Summer Sports 

2017 Canada's Walk of Fame inductees

The 2017 inductees of Canada's Walk of Fame are Donovan Bailey, Stompin' Tom Connors, Viola Desmond, Anna Paquin, Ted Rogers and David Suzuki.

November 25, 2017 ce - November 25, 2017 ce

Summer Sports 

The Western University Mustangs win the Vanier Cup

The Western University Mustangs defeat the Laval University Rouge et Or 39–17 in Hamilton, Ontario, to win the Vanier Cup. It is only the second time Laval University has lost in the final of the Vanier Cup.

November 26, 2017 ce - November 26, 2017 ce

Summer Sports 

The Toronto Argonauts win the Grey Cup

The Toronto Argonauts win their 17th Grey Cup, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 27–24 at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa.

December 09, 2017 ce - December 09, 2017 ce

Summer Sports 

Toronto FC wins MLS cup

Toronto FC became the first Canadian team to win the MLS Cup, Major League Soccer’s championship trophy. With their relentless attacking style of play, TFC defeated the Seattle Sounders 2–0 on goals from Jozy Altidore and Victor Vazquez.

July 25, 2018 ce - July 25, 2018 ce

People 

Alphonso Davies Joins FC Bayern Munich

Alphonso Davies joined FC Bayern Munich of the Bundesliga on a record-breaking transfer deal with the Vancouver Whitecaps. The deal involved a fixed transfer fee and additional compensation that could reach more than CDN $28 million — the most ever received by an MLS club in the league’s 23-year history.

February 06, 2019 ce - February 06, 2019 ce

People 

Eric Lindros Testifies to Parliamentary Committee on Concussions

Hockey Hall of Famer Eric Lindros, whose playing career was cut short by multiple concussions, urged a Parliamentary health committee to create a national protocol for preventing and treating sports-related concussions. He recommended banning hitting in hockey until players are in their mid-teens, ensuring players have months of recovery time every year, and consolidating various protocols across different sports and regions into a unified approach. 

May 21, 2021 ce - May 21, 2021 ce

Records and Firsts 

Maple Leafs and Canadiens Faceoff in First Playoff Series Since 1979

Arch rivals Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens began the first playoff series against each other since 1979. The higher-seeded Maple Leafs took a commanding 3–1 lead in the series before the Canadiens won two games in overtime to force a Game 7, which they won 3–1 en route to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in almost 30 years.

July 25, 2021 ce - July 25, 2021 ce

Olympics 

Canada Wins First Medal at 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Swimmers Maggie Mac Neil, Kayla Sanchez, Rebecca Smit, and Penny Oleksiak posted a time of 3:32.78 to win silver in the women’s 4x100 m freestyle relay. This was Canada’s first medal of the Tokyo Games. Mac Neil went on to win Canada’s first gold of the Games in the women’s 100 m butterfly.

July 26, 2021 ce - July 26, 2021 ce

Olympics 

Jessica Klimkait Becomes First Canadian Woman to Win Olympic Judo Medal

At the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Jessica Klimkait became the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal in judo, winning bronze in the women’s 57 kg division. Earlier in 2021, Klimkait became the second Canadian judoka, after Christa Deguchi, to win gold at the World Judo Championships. Klimkait was one of two Canadian women to medal in judo at the Tokyo Olympics. Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard won the bronze medal in the women’s 63 kg class on 27 July 2021.

August 03, 2021 ce - August 03, 2021 ce

Olympics  Records and Firsts 

Canada Wins Olympic Gold in Women’s Soccer

After setting a goal to “change the colour” of the Olympic bronze medal it won in Rio in 2016, the Canadian women’s soccer team defeated Sweden to win Canada’s first Olympic gold medal in soccer. With the game tied 1–1 after regulation time, Julia Grosso scored the winning goal in the sixth round of penalty kicks. Midfielder Quinn became the first non-binary person to win an Olympic medal. (See also Canada at the 2020 Olympic Summer Games.)

August 08, 2021 ce - August 08, 2021 ce

Olympics 

Kelsey Mitchell Wins Canada’s Second Olympic Gold in Cycling

Kelsey Mitchell, a multisport athlete who only took up cycling in 2017, posted times of 10.906 and 10.995 seconds to win gold in women’s sprint track cycling at the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. She is only the second Canadian ever to win an Olympic gold medal in cycling, after Lori-Anne Muenzer in 2004.

August 08, 2021 ce - August 08, 2021 ce

Olympics  Records and Firsts 

Canadian Women Lead Record-Setting Medal Count as Tokyo Olympics Ends

Canada sent 371 athletes — 225 women, 146 men — to the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo and finished 11th in the overall medal standings with 24: seven gold, six silver, 11 bronze. It is the most Canada has ever won at a non-boycotted Olympic Summer Games. Of the 24 medals, 18 were won by Canadian women. The seven gold medals tied Canada’s record at a non-boycotted Olympic Summer Games.

October 27, 2021 ce - October 27, 2021 ce

People 

Kyle Beach Comes Forward as Victim in Chicago Blackhawks Sexual Assault Case

Embed from Getty Images

Kyle Beach, a 2008 first-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, came forward as the central figure in an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse within the organization. Beach alleged that Brad Aldrich, the team’s video coach from 2008 to 2010, sexually assaulted him in May 2010. Beach reported the incident to the team at the time, but no disciplinary action against Aldrich was taken. In the wake of Beach’s allegations, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman resigned from the team and from the US men’s Olympic hockey team; former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville resigned from his position as head coach of the Florida Panthers; and the Blackhawks were fined $2 million by the NHL. Aldrich’s name was later removed from the Stanley Cup, which Chicago won in June 2010.

December 08, 2021 ce - December 08, 2021 ce

Olympics  People  Summer Sports 

Decathlete Damian Warner Wins Lou Marsh Trophy

Damian Warner received the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year, in recognition of his gold medal victory in decathlon at the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. Warner set an Olympic record with 9,018 total points and became one of only four decathletes to reach 9,000 points in international competition. He also received the 2021 Lionel Conacher Award as Canada’s male athlete of the year and was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame as part of the class of 2021. Meanwhile, calls grew to rename the Lou Marsh Trophy, due to Marsh’s long, documented history of racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination.

December 28, 2021 ce - December 28, 2021 ce

People 

Leylah Fernandez Wins Bobbie Rosenfeld Award

Nineteen-year-old tennis phenom Leylah Fernandez became the sixth tennis player to receive the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canada’s female athlete of the year. Fernandez finished the year with a 25–17 record and was ranked No. 24 in the world. She won her first WTA Tournament, the Monterrey Open in Mexico, and made it to the final of the US Open after defeating such stars as Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber and Elina Svitolina.

January 18, 2022 ce - January 18, 2022 ce

People  Records and Firsts  Winter Sports 

Boston Bruins Retire Willie O’Ree’s No. 22

Embed from Getty Images

Willie O’Ree, who became the NHL’s first Black hockey player when he took to the ice with the Boston Bruins on 18 January 1958, became the 12th player in franchise history to have his number retired. O’Ree’s No. 22 was raised to the rafters before a home game at TD Garden on the 64th anniversary of his first NHL game.