We're excited to share the news that the 2025 Montana's Brier is one of three finalists in the Sport Tourism Canada (STC) Canadian Sport Event of the Year: Group A category for STC's 2026 PRESTIGE Awards!
The STC Canadian Sport Event of the Year category recognizes the overall success of an outstanding single-sport, multi-sport or collegiate event held in Canada in 2025. The 2025 Montana's Brier nomination submission for Canadian Sporting Event of the Year: Group A, which is for events with a budget of $1M–$10M, highlighted four key areas:
- The significance of the event.
- Its impact on local community spirit.
- Its contribution to long-term sport and community development.
- The defining “wow” factor that sets the Brier apart from other events.
The 2025 Montana's Brier nomination package showcased the strength of the partnership between Curling Canada, Tourism Kelowna, the City of Kelowna, and many community groups. It also emphasized the high level of business engagement, the excitement felt throughout the city during the championship, and the impressive attendance figures and economic impact that reinforced the Brier’s lasting legacy in Kelowna.
Nolan Thiessen, CEO of Curling Canada, noted: "We’re always proud and excited to see Curling Canada events recognized and celebrated in this manner. This nomination is another example of the economic benefits, sporting legacies, and community pride that are provided by hosting a Curling Canada championship."
Instagram Stories from local businesses during the 2025 Montana's Brier
“The 30 finalists represent both summer and winter sports, held in smaller communities and major urban centres," said Sheena McCrate, CEO, Sport Tourism Canada. "It’s another demonstration of the calibre of the events held in Canada, both domestic and international, and incredible legacies, as well as a recognition of the volunteers and sponsors who are the backbone of sport hosting and sport tourism."
As noted in a press release announcing the finalists, the STC PRESTIGE Awards recognize exceptional sport tourism initiatives, multisport games, and events, while also spotlighting the people and places behind them that make the Canadian sport tourism industry so dynamic and diverse. Each year, 10 awards are handed out to honour individuals, companies, and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the success of the Canadian sport tourism industry.
The 18th edition of the STC PRESTIGE Awards will be presented at a gala on March 11, 2026, in Mississauga, Ontario, in conjunction with STC’s annual Sport Events Congress.
Team Jacobs, winners of the 2025 Montana's Brier. Image credit: Curling Canada / Raiden Freire
About the 2025 Montana's Brier
The 2025 Montana’s Brier, hosted in Kelowna from February 28 to March 9, 2025, was one of the largest sporting events ever held in the city. Over 10 days, the event welcomed nearly 90,000 attendees and generated a direct local economic impact of more than $15 million, boosting the region’s tourism, hospitality, and business sectors. Learn more.
The event was secured in part through Tourism Kelowna's Major Events Strategy in partnership with the City of Kelowna. This collaboration positioned Kelowna as the perfect host for the 2025 Montana's Brier, with Tourism Kelowna's team assisting in preparing the bid document, securing funding, and nurturing relationships with Curling Canada, the Province of BC, and key local stakeholders.
About Sport Tourism Canada
Sport Tourism Canada is an organization founded in 2000 through a partnership with the Canadian Tourism Commission, with the mission to increase Canada’s capacity to attract and host sport tourism events and to grow the sector. STC has over 280 members, including municipalities, national, provincial/territorial, and multi-sport organizations, educational institutions, and other suppliers that support the sport tourism industry. Learn more.
About Curling Canada
Curling Canada is a National Sport Organization (NSO) and the leading expert and growth engine for curling excellence in Canada. Curling Canada’s exclusive function is to promote amateur athletics in the form of curling in Canada, on a nationwide basis at all levels. Curling Canada is furthermore an association of provincial, territorial, and regional curling associations. Learn more.
