CALGARY, AB - A total of ten (10) Canadian bid groups have officially declared interest in hosting the 2003 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship by meeting the first criteria, as listed in the CHA Bid Guidelines, the CHA announced on Wednesday.

These bid groups confirmed their interest in hosting the 2003 World Junior Championship by submitting a letter of intent for bid submission to the CHA prior to November 1st, 2000 at 4 pm (Mountain Time) along with a $7500 deposit. The bids received come from the following Canadian communities (listed alphabetically):

Calgary, AB
Halifax, NS
Hamilton/Kitchener, ON
London, ON
Mississauga, ON
Montreal, QC
Ottawa, ON
Québec, QC
Saskatoon, SK
Winnipeg, MB

All bid applicants must now submit their written presentations to the Canadian Hockey Association no later than December 1, 2000. Based on the information contained in the written presentation, not more than five (5) bid applications will be short-listed and invited to make an in-person presentation. The 2003 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Site Selection Committee will make a final decision by December 31, 2000.

The sitewill be subject to final approval by the International Ice Hockey Federation at it's meeting next May, during the Men's World Hockey Championship in Hanover, Germany. However, the IIHF council has informed the CHA that it will give it's support to the Canadian site, should the bid be of the quality of past Canadian bids.

The 2003 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship would take place late December 2002 to January 2003.

Canada has hosted the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship five times: 1999 (Winnipeg, MB), 1995 (Red Deer, AB), 1991 (Saskatoon, SK), 1986 (Hamilton, ON), 1978 (Montreal, QC).