HRM approves $90K for U SPORTS hockey championship 

A $90,000 grant unanimously approved by Halifax regional council for the 2026 U Sports men’s hockey University Cup is expected to pay off in tourism dollars, when the championship brings thousands of visitors to the city in March.

This is the first of four U Sports championships coming to Halifax over the next three years. 

Halifax Regional Municipality staff expect the University Cup to generate roughly $3.45 million in economic benefits for the municipality and create about 26 jobs, resulting in $1.2 million in wages.  

The province has also committed $100,000 to support the event. 

“I think people love to watch hockey, and anything that brings joy to people and has an economic input is good for all of us,” said Coun. Laura White, who represents Halifax-Downtown. 

Funding for the grant comes from the city’s three per cent hotel tax, paid by visitors staying in Halifax hotels, which was introduced in October 2023. 

Money from the grant will be used toward the event’s operating budget, which totals about $500,000, according to Sports Entertainment Atlantic president Chris Larsen, chair of the 2026 University Cup’s organizing committee. 

Larsen said that Halifax’s market size and corporate community aren’t big enough to support major events, which is why the city and province have funding portals in place like the hotel tax. 

“You can’t raise $500,000 through sponsorship and ticket sales,” Larsen noted. “So, these events don’t happen without government funding.” 

With these funding challenges in mind, Larsen approached Saint Mary’s University, Dalhousie, Acadia, and Saint Francis Xavier University, offering them the opportunity to create an official Team Halifax that would bid on all four upcoming U Sports events. 

Saint Mary’s will host men’s hockey this year, then Dalhousie and Acadia will host the 2027 men’s and women’s national basketball championships. Saint F.X. will host the 2028 women’s hockey championship. All four tournaments will take place at Scotiabank Centre, which holds over 10,000 fans. 

Larsen said Team Halifax will use this three-year bidding model going forward, which creates stability and is appealing for sponsors and funding. 

“The objective is that every March there will either be a hockey or basketball championship in Halifax,” said Larsen. 

When Halifax last hosted the University Cup in 2016, it set a total attendance record of 43,513, which still stands today. Larsen said this sets a precedent for what Halifax can expect in the next three years of U Sports championships. 

“They set the record previously at this event, and their goal is to beat it,” said White. “I think that’s kind of a fun goal, to beat your own sales record.”  

White said that when she was canvassing her district, she spoke to a man who said all he wanted was more fun things happening in Halifax. His comment stuck with her. 

“Now we’re doing it,” exclaimed White. “We’re bringing more fun things to the city.”