Leduc sports tourism provides economic boost

LEDUC -- A pair of major sporting events held last year in Leduc had a strong economic impact. 

This impact was driven by the 2025 Alberta 55+ Summer Games and the Slo-pitch National Championships. Between the two events, more than $4.2 million was generated in economic activity. According to Leduc's Sports Tourism Coordinator Janet Guthrie, the two events drove more than $1.7 million in direct visitor spending and over $1.3 million in net economic activity. Guthrie says these kinds of events continue to drive significant economic growth locally.

"Leduc hosts over 200 events annually, varying in all sizes. Small, single-day events and major events; this is a massive impact for the community as a whole," said Guthrie. "These events people bring together and create that sense of belonging."

The Alberta 55+ Summer Games welcomed more than 1,100 participants to Leduc in late August, and more than 87 per cent of respondents rated their experience as very good or excellent, and 57 per cent indicated they were likely to return to Leduc. Meantime, the Slo-Pitch National Championships were held over two weekends in August and gathered teams from across Canada. Guthrie says 2026 is expected to be another strong year for local sports tourism.

"We have the Leduc Ringette Provincial Championships, we're also hosting Fencing, and the Indoor Archery Provincial Championships, so those are pretty new and a little bit different for our community," said Guthrie. "We also have the Slo-Pitch National Championships coming back to Leduc again this year."