(Grande Prairie, AB) - Today, the first-ever national MNP Canada Games Torch Relay visited Grande Prairie with seven torchbearers participating in the relay. Torch relays and community celebration stops are hosted over the coming months across Canada before arriving in Red Deer, Alberta for the Opening Ceremony of the 2019 Canada Winter Games on February 15, 2019.

“The MNP Canada Games Torch Relay is an exciting opportunity to share the spirit of the Canada Games across the nation,” said Lyn Radford, Board Chair of the 2019 Canada Winter Games Host Society. “We are proud to partner with MNP to deliver the first-ever national MNP Canada Games Torch Relay and celebrate sport and culture in communities across the nation from now until the Opening Ceremony of the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.”

“For MNP, the opportunity to participate in the coast-to-coast Torch Relay is a real honour and a wonderful way for us, as a ‘Made in Canada’ firm, to celebrate our 60th anniversary,” said Jason Tuffs, Chief Executive Officer of MNP. “We wish all the athletes, their families, Games organizers, leadership and volunteers a fun and successful 2019 Canada Winter Games.”

As part of Canada Games tradition, the Roly McLenahan Torch was lit from the Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill with guest of honour the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, on October 4, 2018. From Ottawa, the torch journeys across Canada for the first time in the 51 year history of the Canada Games.

The MNP Canada Games Torch Relay visits almost 50 communities across Canada through a series of torch relay and community celebration stops before arriving in Red Deer for the Opening Ceremony of the 2019 Games. The next torch relay event is in Edmonton, AB on January 8th.

Information on the torchbearers participating in the MNP Canada Games Torch Relay is available at canadagames.ca/2019/torchbearers.

For the complete MNP Canada Games Torch Relay schedule, please visit www.canadagames.ca/2019/mnptorchrelay.