We now have an idea about the economic impact of the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship for New Brunswick.
The province said Thursday that the 11-day tournament generated an estimated $20 million in economic activity.
“The province will benefit from this event for many years as people experience the province for the first time and others rediscover it,” Tourism Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace said in a statement.
“We thank the more than 150 volunteers, partners and supporters who helped make the tournament the success it was.”
More than 100,000 people attended the World Juniors in Moncton, according to the province, which broke attendance records at the Avenir Centre.
Hotel bookings were also up 40 per cent compared to what we would normally see in a typical December.
The province estimates that up to $2 million in provincial tax revenue was collected during the tournament.
On top of the 15 tournament and pre-tournament games held in Moncton, the city also hosted a number of events for residents and visitors alike.
In a previous interview, Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton CEO John Wishart said the event was exactly what the city needed after the pandemic.
“A very worthwhile and much-needed shot in the arm for the city’s economy, especially the downtown businesses,” said Wishart.
“We came out of COVID and then we hit a patch of rising inflation and interest rates and workforce issues, so the last month, it has really put a lot of cash into the tills of a lot of businesses in downtown Moncton, especially at a time when they normally don’t have that.”
Wishart said he thinks there is an appetite now for the next big thing, but they need to take some time to figure out what that is.
“I believe we’re going to sit back for the next couple of months and do more of an analysis, looking at the costs and benefits of hosting the tournament. What could we do better and what should be next on our radar?” he said.
Pre-tournament activities in New Brunswick also took place in Quispamsis, St. Stephen and Bouctouche.
Moncton co-hosted the tournament with Halifax from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.
With files from Tara Clow
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