The 2026 Arctic Winter Games are currently taking place in Whitehorse, but young athletes from Leduc, Alberta, are not part of the competition. The international event, which runs from March 8 to March 15, 2026, has strict rules about where participants must live to be eligible for the provincial team.
To join Team Alberta North, a person must live north of the 55th parallel. Because Leduc is located south of this boundary in the central part of the province, local youth are not eligible to represent Alberta at this specific northern competition.
While local competitors are not in the Yukon this week, many recently took part in the 2026 Alberta Winter Games. That provincial event was held in the Lakeland Region in February 2026 and allowed athletes from all parts of the province to compete against one another.
The Arctic Winter Games are held every two years to celebrate northern culture and help young people from remote communities develop their skills. According to the Alberta government, the event is a key opportunity for athletes from circumpolar regions to meet and compete.
