A surprise nomination from over 1,000 kilometres away has propelled Tumbler Ridge to the national stage of Kraft Hockeyville 2026.
The small municipality in northeastern B.C. was named a finalist in the annual community competition and will receive $50,000 for upgrades to the Tumbler Ridge Community Centre Arena, as well as an additional $10,000 for hockey equipment.
Representing B.C., the community will now go head-to-head against each provincial and territorial winner across Canada for the grand prize—$250,000 and the chance to host an NHL preseason game.
Tumbler Ridge was nominated by Vancouver Island resident Theresa Nevills in February—over a month after the competition started—following the tragedy that saw eight people killed and others injured in a mass shooting.
She said the nomination was a way to rally support for a community that was dealing with unimaginable and devastating loss.
“In this time of profound grief, coming together to support one another is vital,” she said.
“[This] is a powerful way to foster community spirit, and secure much-needed funds to help the town heal and rebuild, especially during a time when the community centre is being used for support services.”
Communities earned rally points through participation, such as sharing the nomination page, submitting photos and other online engagement. These points boosted the submission’s overall score after being reviewed by a panel of judges.
Community spirit, the rink’s local significance and the potential impact of funding were all taken into consideration during the review and selection process.
The panel will now examine the 13 communities and announce two finalists on March 21. The grand prize winner will be announced on April 4 following two days of public voting.
Since 2006, Kraft Hockeyville has awarded $5.4 million to 105 communities across Canada.
“We’re excited to celebrate 20 years of growing the game with you,” Kraft Hockeyville stated.