Victoria to host Hockey Day in Canada
Victoria will host the 2024 Hockey Day in Canada event, which will see all seven of Canada's NHL teams in the Inner Harbour to celebrate the sport.
The nationwide event kicks off on Jan. 20, 2024, and will include broadcasts from Ship Point and live music.
A synthetic ice rink will be set up in the Inner Harbour for an entire week.
"We've purchased an outdoor synthetic rink and we will hopefully continue to use that every winter in Victoria," said John Wilson, chair of the Victoria Hockey Legacy Society.
The event will also begin with a traditional welcoming from the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, which will include paddling the Stanley Cup through Inner Harbour.
There will also be events in Victoria following Hockey Day in Canada. Other highlights include an NHL alumni and celebrity game at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, school visits and hockey camps for kids, a banquet hosted by Sportsnet commentators, and a harbour music night.
Besides celebrating the game, Hockey Day in Canada will also raise money for the Archie Courtnall Centre in Victoria.
The centre offers specialized emergency mental health and substance use services at the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
"Russ, Geoff and I started our society back up in the last decade, and we're trying to help as many as we can," said Bruce Courtnall, who played in the NHL, as did his brothers.
While visitors may get a chance to touch the Stanley Cup, Courtnall warns that you aren't allowed to pick it up.
"Little known fact, if you've never won the Stanley Cup you can't pick it up," he said.
"I can't pick it up, but Geoff can," he said with a laugh.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

LIVE UPDATES: Election Day in Manitoba
Manitobans are casting their final votes in what will be a historic election for the province. With the Progressive Conservatives' Heather Stefanson looking to become the first woman elected premier, and NDP's Wab Kinew looking to become the province's first First Nation premier. Follow along for live updates on candidates, voting information and results.
Parks Canada reveals additional details about deadly bear attack in Banff
The couple and dog mauled and killed by a grizzly bear in the backcountry of Banff National Park late last week did everything right, Parks Canada says.
McCarthy becomes the first U.S. speaker ever to be ousted from the job in a House vote
U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was voted out of the job Tuesday in an extraordinary showdown, a first in U.S. history that was forced by a contingent of hard-right conservatives and threw the House and its Republican leadership into chaos.
Why Canada's condo market is showing signs of slowing
Amid consistent interest rate hikes and wavering markets, Canadian condo sales are starting to fall in all but two markets in the nation, according to a new report from Re/Max.
CN experiencing network-wide system failure; Via, GO and other trains affected
Canadian National Railway Co. is experiencing a network-wide system failure that is affecting Via, GO and other trains in Ontario.
Poilievre defends Truth and Reconciliation Day post, calls criticism 'appalling politicization'
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is defending the caption on photos he posted to social media on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation after Liberal cabinet minister Marc Miller accused him of misidentifying Inuit people as Algonquin.
A bus crash near Italian city of Venice kills at least 21 people, including Ukrainian tourists
A bus carrying foreign tourists including Ukrainians crashed near the Italian city of Venice when it fell from an elevated street Tuesday, killing at least 21 people and injuring 18 others, authorities said.
Liberal Greg Fergus makes history, elected first Black House Speaker
Liberal MP Greg Fergus is Canada's new House of Commons Speaker, following a secret ranked ballot election on Tuesday. It is a day for the political history books as Fergus, once a parliamentary page, becomes the first Black Canadian to hold the prestigious role.
After a four-week campaign, Manitobans to decide on Tories' bid for a third term
Manitobans are to make history today as they cast final ballots in an election that has followed four weeks of promises, debates and controversial advertisements.