CALGARY, ALBERTA – Hockey Canada has opened the bid process that will determine a Canadian host city for the 2007 IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship.  On Monday, Hockey Canada made bid guidelines available for the 2007 IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship, which will be held in early April 2007.

Hockey Canada was awarded the opportunity to host this Championship in May 2005 at the IIHF’s Annual Congress.  Canada has hosted the IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship a total of four times, more than any other country.  Past Canadian host cities were Halifax/Dartmouth, NS (2004), Mississauga, ON (2000), Kitchener, ON (1997) and Ottawa, ON (1990).  USA and Finland have each hosted this event twice, while Sweden hosted for the first time in 2005.

A Site Selection Committee has been put in place to review all bids over the coming months and recommend a site to Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors.  The Site Selection Committee is comprised of Bob Nicholson (President, Hockey Canada), Claude Allain (Officer, Hockey Canada), Gay Hahn (Director, Hockey Canada Female Council) and resource person Scott Smith (Hockey Canada’s Senior Vice-president, Business Operations).  Hockey Canada expects to conclude the bid process by January 2006.

Hockey Canada Bid process timelines

- Bid guidelines made available by Hockey Canada
- Site Selection Committee Conference call with potential bid applicants
- Deadline for Letter of Intent to submit bid
Mid November, 2005 - Site Selection Committee Conference call with confirmed bid applicants
- Submission of bid presentations 
December 2005 - In-person Bid Presentations
January 2006 - Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors determines site for 2007 IIHF WWHC

There will not be an IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championship in 2006, as the IIHF does not hold a World Women’s Championship in Olympic years.  Canada will defend its Olympic gold medal February 10-24, 2006 in Turin, Italy. 

Canada has won eight of nine IIHF World Women’s Hockey Championships, since its inception in 1990.  Canada lost in the 2005 IIHF World Women’s Championship final to the USA, in a 1-0 game that was decided in a shootout.