Downtown Halifax is ready for the World Juniors and the economic spinoffs

Countdown continues for Maritime World Juniors With the start of the World Juniors just days away, some are wondering why there isn’t more fanfare. Jesse Thomas reports.

Come Boxing Day, the best junior hockey players in the world and future NHL stars, will hit the ice and compete for the IIHF World Junior Championship.

The tournament is being played in both Moncton and Halifax and exhibition games are underway and playing to modest fanfare. Despite a lack of pomp and circumstance, the host cities are ready.

"It's not like a lot of other cities that might have to start from scratch. We know how to do these events and we've done them before," said Halifax Mayor Mike Savage. "We're the only city that has hosted the world men's, the world juniors, and the world women's championships and we'll be ready. It will be abuzz next week."

The excitement hasn't quite hit a fever pitch just yet but as you get closer to the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, there are some clues that something big is on the way.

Halifax hosted the World Juniors tournament in 2003 and set a new tournament attendance record that year.

Tickets to this year's event sold quickly and Hockey Canada confirmed that 90 per cent of all tickets have been sold but there are still some single tickets available for games in Moncton, N.B., and there will be a very limited number of game day tickets available for sale in Halifax.

But even if you don't have a ticket, there's something for the entire family and a way to take in the tournament.

"Even if you don't have a ticket, people can still enjoy the whole atmosphere by coming downtown," said Paul MacKinnon, the CEO of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. "They can come to a local bar and watch it with friends or they can watch it on the big screens for free at an all-ages venue at Rogers Square."

There are also the Fan Fest events happening at the Halifax Convention Centre, with activities and fun for the entire family.

The World Juniors tournament is a major economic opportunity that local bars and restaurants are looking to capitalize on.

For the staff at The Pint Public House on Argyle Street in Halifax, they say the FIFA World Cup was like a warm-up and chance for the entire staff to prepare for the World Juniors crowd.

It's estimated the tournament will bring 100,000 visitors to Halifax's downtown core.

"I think the World Cup got us prepared and it kind of gave us and the kitchen a test run," said Jenna Vienneau, general manager at The Pint. "All of our staff are ready."

Coming out of the pandemic, staffing issues have troubled the restaurant industry but Vienneau says they are in good shape.

"Fortunately for us, we have a lot of loyal staff that have stuck with us through the pandemic," said Vienneau. "And we have done a little bit more hiring and luckily we are in a really good place."

The province of Nova Scotia put up $2 million to host the tournament while the city of Halifax put in $1 million.

Mayor Savage says the investment upfront will pay off in the long run.

"The economic impact will be in the tens of millions," said Savage. "But it will help those people who have suffered the most, like the bars and restaurants and the hospitality industry in general."

Canada opens the tournament on Boxing Day.