Brock University is partnering with a number of area groups and agencies to bring the 2021 Canada Summer Games to Niagara region.

The Games are rotated across the country every four years and 2021 is Ontario’s turn to provide the venue. Niagara will be up against bids from Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo and Sudbury to win the selection, in a decision expected this spring.

The Games typically see more than 4,800 athletes, supporters and parents descend on the host community over nearly three weeks, generating an economic impact estimated at $200 million.

Earlier this week, the executive committee of Brock’s Board of Trustees approved a non-binding memorandum of understanding that would see the University become an athletes’ village during the Games, with 2,400 athletes staying for a week at a time and making use of residences, dining halls and ancillary services.

The Niagara bid calls for competition or practice events to take place in all 12 of the region’s municipalities. Besides housing the athletes, Brock would host up to seven events on campus. Brock could also end up being the site of new or upgraded facilities that would benefit future undergraduate and graduate students, academic programming, experiential education and enhanced research and partnership opportunities, as well as the broader Niagara community.

The Niagara bid team is being headed up by Doug Hamilton, a retired lawyer who lives in St. Catharines. Besides Brock, the bid team includes Niagara Region, the 12 municipalities within Niagara, Niagara College and several private sector partners.  The provincial and federal governments are helping the bid teams for all of the finalists.

The Canada Games site selection committee will be visiting the bidding communities in late February and early March, and is expected to decide on a host by early April.