Canada has unveiled its 50-athlete team for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, taking place March 6–15 in northern Italy. The squad spans every winter Para sport on the program and mixes seasoned champions with rising stars — a deliberate blend aimed at short-term results and sustained success.
By the numbers: 21 athletes are returning from Beijing, 19 are making their Paralympic debuts, and four sighted guides will partner visually impaired competitors. With coaches, medical staff, technicians and officials added, Team Canada’s full delegation is expected to total roughly 163 people in Italy.
Selectors clearly aimed for balance. Keeping veteran leaders preserves institutional know-how; bringing in fresh faces invests in the next generation. That mix creates a dynamic training environment where mentors can pass on experience and newcomers push the team’s depth and adaptability.
Canada will contest every discipline:
– Para alpine skiing: 8 athletes
– Para ice hockey: 17 athletes
– Para nordic skiing (biathlon and cross-country): 15 athletes
– Para snowboard: 5 athletes
– Wheelchair curling: 5 athletes
A wide support network will travel with the athletes: coaches, sports scientists, medical personnel, equipment technicians and classification officials. Specialists will handle sport-specific needs — from sit-ski maintenance and prosthetic tuning to sled preparation — while administrative teams manage accreditation, accommodation and daily logistics. About 50 coaches and national sport organization staff are expected to be on-site to keep training and recovery running smoothly.
Logistics planning has also prioritized efficiency and sustainability. Organizers consolidated shipments, coordinated accreditation, and rationalized transportation choices to cut costs, reduce delays and shrink the delegation’s carbon footprint. Those practical moves help minimize surprises on competition days and let athletes focus on performance.
Veteran leadership anchors the roster. Greg Westlake returns from retirement for his sixth Paralympic Winter Games — a career that began in 2006 and includes a gold in Turin. Adam Dixon, Mark Arendz and Ina Forrest are also back, each preparing for their fifth Winter Games. Arendz leads the current group with 12 career Paralympic medals (2 gold, 3 silver, 6 bronze). Ina Forrest has stood on the podium at four consecutive Winter Games — two golds and two bronzes — and aims to extend that streak.
In total, 24 selected athletes are Paralympic medallists, and 17 have more than one Paralympic medal to their name.
The team’s age range fosters mentorship and continuity. The most senior member is Ina Forrest, 63, while the youngest is para alpine skier Florence Carrier at 18 years and seven months. Wheelchair curler Gilbert Dash, at 57, will be the oldest first-time Paralympian on the roster. Those intergenerational pairings aim to deliver immediate results while building experience for future cycles.
Geographically, the lineup reflects Para sport’s national footprint. Athletes hail from nine provinces: Ontario leads with 23, followed by Quebec (9) and British Columbia (8). Alberta contributes four; Saskatchewan two; and Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island add one each. The distribution highlights where high-performance infrastructure and coaching are strongest, and underscores the value of investing in regional development to expand the talent pipeline.
By the numbers: 21 athletes are returning from Beijing, 19 are making their Paralympic debuts, and four sighted guides will partner visually impaired competitors. With coaches, medical staff, technicians and officials added, Team Canada’s full delegation is expected to total roughly 163 people in Italy.0