Start the countdown, the 2015 Canada Winter Games opening ceremonies will be happening in Prince George three years from Sunday.
The 2015 Canada Winter Games Host Society and City of Prince George held a ceremony on Friday to mark the milestone event.
"It's a rare thing in this country when the whole country can come together. It's a big, national group hug all in the City of Prince George," Canada Games Council vice-chairperson Piers McDonald said. "Without the support of the federal government, provincial government and city this couldn't happen."
A plaque marking the three-year countdown to the games was unveiled at the corner of Highway 16 and Highway 97, during the ceremony. In addition, three trees were planted to mark the three levels of government coming together to host the games.
2015 Canada Winter Games CEO Stuart Ballantyne said the games host society has, "1,098 days and no sleeps," to get the city ready to host the nation.
"The curtain goes up when it does, we can't control that," Ballantyne said. "The countdown clock has begun. Our website launch is tomorrow, and it does have a countdown clock on it."
The host society and senior games staff are now deep in the business planning process, he said, which is expected to take until June.
The 2015 host society is working with the Canada Games Council to learn from previous Canada Games host societies, he added.
Host society chairperson Anthony Everett said the society has not received full funding from the provincial and federal governments, but those announcements are expected soon.
In June, 2011 the provincial government announced an initial $1 million in operational funding for the games.
The host society expect a $16 million total contribution from the federal and provincial governments to the operational budget. The operational budget for the games is pegged at approximately $30 million.
In addition, both governments were anticipated to provide $3 million each to the city to assist with the $17.4 million in capital projects needed for the games.
"This year, sometime, is when we'd like to see it," Everett said.
