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Surge in Canadian soccer enthusiasm putting strain on communities with lack of available facilities

The Canadian men’s national soccer team’s meteoric season, which has led to a berth at the upcoming World Cup, and the gold medal-winning effort of the women’s team at last year’s Tokyo Olympics has contributed to an explosion of interest in the game in Canada. With that has come a shortage of playing space. In Thunder Bay, Ont., about 2,000 youth have registered for play this season, almost equalling the number of players registered for hockey. But local programs are finding it difficult to accommodate so many. The city is still waiting to learn the fate of its Infrastructure Canada funding application that would cover $22 million of a proposed $27-million indoor facility.

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