Parrish CEO as Canada Games comes to Niagara in 2021

2021 Canada Games Host Society Announces Wayne Parrish as Chief Executive Officer

By Cassie Robinson
The Host Society for the 2021 Canada Games announced Wayne Parrish as its Chief Executive Officer. This is an important milestone for the 2021 Canada Games which will be held across the Niagara Region in the summer of 2021. A national search for the CEO role was launched last fall, with Wayne standing out amongst all other applicants. Parrish will commence his new role as the 2021 Canada Games CEO on March 1st, 2018.

Parrish brings to this role a wealth of diverse executive level experience, including experience in the media sector as the Chief Revenue and Transformation Officer and as the Chief Operating Officer for Postmedia Network, and experience in the sport sector as President and CEO of Canada Basketball. Wayne is currently the Co-Chair of Canada Basketball and President of Sport Media Enterprises.

Baseball will be a part of the Canada Games featuring the 17U age grouping.

With a lifelong passion for sport and a strong desire to positively impact the lives of young athletes, Parrish is thrilled about this opportunity - “the Canada Games are a special event for sport and culture in our country and I am extremely excited to be part of the team that will welcome all of Canada to Niagara in 2021”.

Under Parrish’s leadership, the 2021 Canada Games will welcome approximately 5,000 young athletes from across Canada to Niagara in the summer of 2021. It is expected that around 5,000 volunteers will be needed to host the Games, and that the Games will bring an economic impact of approximately $200 million to the Niagara Region.

About the Canada Games: The Canada Games are Canada’s largest multi-sport event. Held every two years, alternating between Winter and Summer Games, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up-and-coming provincial and territorial athletes. The Games have been hosted in every province at least once since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s centennial in 1967. This year’s Summer Games took place in Winnipeg and marked the 50th anniversary of the Canada Games. The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system and their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity.

The organization of the Canada Games is made possible thanks to the contribution and support of the Government of Canada, provincial/territory governments, the Host Societies, host municipalities, corporate partners and the Canada Games Council.