Core Sport Policy - How Sports Qualify for the Games
First established in May 1994,  each sport organization is given the opportunity to demonstrate how the BC Games fit into their sport development plans and how they use the Games as an integral part of their athlete, coach, and officials’ development models.   Each sport is granted inclusion into one Games and is evaluated against the Core Sport policy after the Games to determine their inclusion in the next Games.The Core Sport policy guides the process for inclusion in the BC Summer and BC Winter Games.

The BC Games are an entry point to the performance pathway and are high profile competitive opportunities for Provincial Sport Organizations to incorporate into their Long Term Athlete/Player Development model.   The competition at the Games is generally in the higher end of the Learning to Train or lower end of the Training to Train stage for each sport.

Key principles for inclusion in the Games include province-wide participation, gender equity among participants (athletes, coaches, officials), competitive opportunities for athletes with a disability where the same level of opportunity for the same caliber of athletes is not available in other Games in BC, and are generally a one-time opportunity for all participants (a possible two-time experience for athletes with a disability).

The following principles guide the decision on inclusion of sports in the Games:

  • Sports included in the BC Winter or BC Summer Games are evaluated after every Games prior to their status for the next BC Games being determined.
  • All sports are compared to other sports included in the Games, as well as to new sports applying for inclusion.
  • The number of sports and the number of athletes allocated to each sport in the BC Winter and BC Summer Games are subject to the discretion of the BC Games Society.
  • Sports that best meet the criteria for Core Sport status will be given preference for inclusion in the BC Winter or BC Summer Games.

Refer to the links on the right for the policy and application process.

Questions about the Core Sport application process can be directed to coresport@bcgames.org.

Application Process

The application process for the 2024 Games will be released in late fall 2021.

The documents below are related to the process for the 2022 Games - updated documents for the 2024 process will be posted in late fall 2021.

  • Core Sport Policy for the 2022 BC Winter and BC Summer Games
  • Core Sport Timeline

Click here to see the sports in the 2022 Games.

Questions about the Core Sport application process can be directed to coresport@bcgames.org.

BC Games Society - 200 - 990 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8V 3K2