Torch Relays

The Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays are unique occasions to unify Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast and generate a feeling of national pride that will endure long after the flames have been extinguished.

To support this opportunity to engage Canadians across the country, the Government of Canada announced an investment of $24.5 million to enhance the local festivities that showcase community’s cultural heritage while welcoming the Olympic and Paralympic Flames.

The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay

The lighting of the Paralympic Flame in Ottawa marks the start of the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay on March 3, 2010. The 10-day inspirational journey will illuminate the extraordinary achievements of Paralympians and celebrate the endless possibilities of the human spirit. The relay, supported by the Government of Canada, will involve an estimated 600 torchbearers and visit several celebration sites: Ottawa, Québec City, Toronto, Esquimalt, Victoria, Squamish, Whistler, Lytton, Hope, Maple Ridge and Vancouver. The Paralympic Flame will travel to BC Place in downtown Vancouver for the opening of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games on March 12, 2010, marking the first time Canada will have hosted a Paralympic Winter Games.

The Paralympic Torch Relay will touch the soul of the nation and inspire the world. The celebrations will strengthen and foster a sense of community that will become a legacy for the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

Learn more about the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay.

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay

The Olympic Torch Relay was a 106–day journey that gave selected Canadians of all cultural backgrounds the opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame. It started its journey towards Victoria, British Columbia from Greece, the flame then made a 45 000 kilometer trip across Canada before finally arriving in Vancouver. Stopping in each province and territory, the route for the Olympic Torch Relay reached up to 90% of the Canadian population within one hour’s drive and passed through over 1 000 communities and places of interest.

The Olympic Flame traveled from one community to the next by various means of transportation — on foot, by dog sled, on snowmobile, by horse and by plane. This pan-Canadian event concluded at the Opening Ceremony at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on February 12, 2010 with the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, signaling the start of the 2010 Winter Games.

Learn more about the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay.