When we’re working with a community to attract a major event, the first question we ask is – why is this event important and what benefits can it bring?

In an ideal situation, the event will attract people and present economic impact opportunities for the city or town itself as well as the surrounding region.

In the case of the 2012 World Junior A Challenge, that’s exactly what happened.

The Town of Yarmouth was selected to host the international hockey event, which brings together the world’s most promising and talented young players to face-off on Canadian ice. This event continued to build on Nova Scotia’s reputation as an ideal host of international hockey events. The event will attract more than  800 people to Yarmouth and is expected to generate over $1 million in economic impact.

But the benefits don’t stop there.

In addition to the games that will be hosted in Yarmouth’s Mariners Centre, a series of training camps and exhibition games will be played throughout south west Nova Scotia in Liverpool, Barrington and Digby.

Liverpool will also host the Czech Republic team’s training camp and Digby will host the Canadian Junior Hockey League Prospects Camp.

What started as one event with the opportunity to have an impact on Yarmouth ended up being a series of events that will impact all of south west Nova Scotia. Even better, it showcases the entire region’s capacity to host major international events, not just one part of it.

It is opportunities like these that provide a platform to showcase Nova Scotia as Canada’s east coast events destination that Events Nova Scotia actively seeks out.  The 2012 World Junior A Challenge is just one example of how we do it.