Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games postponed to 2026 due to wildfires

The Manitoba Indigenous Summer Games (MISG) that were scheduled to begin next week in Norway House Cree Nation, have been postponed to next year.

"As the hosts, we actually sent a letter to the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council on June 6 requesting a start of a rescheduling," said Edward "Sonny" Albert, president of the MISG North host corporation.

The Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council board passed a motion on June 9 to postpone the games to 2026, citing the wildfire emergency affecting participants and their communities and the province-wide state of emergency.

The first half of the games was scheduled to be held in Norway House, about 450 kilometres north of Winnipeg, July 9-13, and the second half was scheduled for Aug. 17-23 in Sagkeeng First Nation, about 100 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

An expected 2,000-4,000 athletes were expected to attend the games between the two host communities to participate in 16 different sports.

"We're working hard to ensure that those participants that were going to come, will come next year," said Albert.

One concern that athletes, parents and coaches have shared online is age eligibility. If the games are postponed a year, then the older athletes will no longer be eligible to compete in 2026.

Albert said the age limits for 2026 will follow the North American Indigenous Games model of 18 and under and 15 and categories, therefore qualifying athletes who otherwise would have aged out of the MISG model.

Sagkeeng First Nation is installing a $600,000 rubberized track for the athletics competition as a legacy project.

According to Indigenous Services Canada, as of July 2, there were four First Nations in Manitoba evacuated and two more impacted by wildfires.

The MISG planning committee, along with the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council, said it will confirm the new dates for the games soon.