Visit the hometowns of our Olympians

At the just-completed 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Canada was represented by 207 athletes across 14 disciplines. For those who proudly competed on the world stage, the Olympic journey didn’t start in Italy. It began on frozen rivers and lakes across this land, in cold rinks on the edge of small prairie towns, and on ski runs carved out of rugged granite hills.

Mikaël Kingsbury is a legendary freestyle skier and one of the greatest in the history of his sport. He has won five Olympic medals across his career, including silver in men’s moguls and gold in men’s dual moguls in Italy. Kingsbury was born and raised in Deux-Montagnes, Que., at the southern edge of the Laurentian Mountains. With world-class downhill terrain less than an hour away, Deux-Montagnes is a natural training ground for elite athletes. It’s also a wonderful place to discover aromatic bakeries, bilingual cafes, and postcard-perfect views.

Half an hour’s drive away is Laval, the hometown of speed skater Steven Dubois. He has also earned five Olympic medals in his career, including this year’s gold in men’s 500-metre short track, and silver as part of the mixed 2,000-metre short track relay team. Laval is a vibrant city just north of Montreal which blends urban energy with natural beauty. Here you’ll find outdoor parks, an abundance of walking trails, and family-friendly attractions like the Cosmodome, the space science museum and astronaut training centre.

Four-time Olympic medalist Isabelle Weidemann was born and raised in Ottawa, Ont. She won gold in long track speed skating in Italy as part of the women’s team pursuit. Like many who reside in Ottawa, she may have begun skating on the Rideau Canal, which holds the Guinness record for being the world’s longest naturally frozen skating surface. Equivalent to roughly 90 Olympic-sized hockey rinks, Ottawa’s unique winter attraction enables you skate through the heart of Canada’s capital along a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Megan Oldham grew up in Parry Sound, Ont., where rugged Canadian Shield wilderness meets the massive Georgian Bay. She took home two Olympic medals from Italy, with gold in women’s freeski gig air, and bronze in women’s ski slopestyle. Parry Sound is known for its stunning scenery and outdoor adventure playgrounds. With a mix of nature combined with small-town charm, it’s an ideal destination for those who like both relaxation and recreation.

Courtney Sarault grew up in Moncton, N.B., known as the ‘hub city’ of Atlantic Canada owing to its central location, and as the gateway to the Acadian and Maritime regions. Sarault skated and trained in Moncton before moving to Montreal to advance her speed skating career at the national level. She earned four medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, with two silvers, in the women’s 1,000-metre event and the mixed 2,000-metre relay, and two bronze in the women’s 500-metre event and the women’s 3,000-metre relay.

Incredible athletes such as these (and so many others) represent their home regions on the global stage as much as they represent Canada. One by one, they give the world a glimpse of who we are as Canadians, and the many diverse places that we come from, in a country where winter isn’t just a season – it’s part of our identity.