Moose Jaw is a buzz this week with the 2023 World Para Ice Hockey Championships taking place at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.

Rob Clark is the CEO for the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce.

"I've talked to a few of the hotels. I know some of the teams came in 10 days earlier and they're just hanging out and having fun. Just really enjoying themselves. I'm assuming the downtown is also feeding off the success of the tournament. There's family members, there's spouses there. There's going to be support systems there for them. I think there's a lot of people in town. Moose Jaw is really thriving on events these last few months."

Clark says he's heard that about 1,000 additional people are visiting Moose Jaw this week, which will be a big benefit for local restaurants and businesses.

"From what I understand, most of these countries have not been here, so now they're sampling all our wares and our food here in Moose Jaw," he added. "I'm sure they're all doing very, very well. Hotels are excited about the fact that they're there. Players are respectful, they're having fun, they're enjoying life in Moose Jaw."

He notes it's huge for Moose Jaw to be able to host a major international event like the 2023 World Para Ice Hockey Championships.

"I think it's huge. People are going to be talking about Moose Jaw. I think we really offer great opportunities for any type of event that's coming to Moose Jaw. We have the amenities, we have that small-town atmosphere so people can move around, and everybody's friendly. Every time there's another event here, there's going to be three or four more following. The word is going to spread."

Moose Jaw has seen an influx of visitors over the past few weeks with the 71st annual Moose Jaw Band and Choral Festival taking place earlier this month.

"Hopefully we continue on with the events, every week or every other week. This is absolutely amazing and unbelievable for Moose Jaw," concluded Clark.

Related Stories