CALGARY, ALBERTA - Five Canadian cities have submitted 'letters of intent to bid' to possibly host the IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship in 2007, the CHA announced on Thursday.

The five Canadian cities that submitted 'letters of intent to bid' on Wednesday, December 4th prior to the 5pm (Mountain Time) deadline, were:

• Calgary, AB

• Edmonton, AB

• Halifax, NS

• Saskatoon, SK

• Winnipeg, MB

The next step for these bid applicants will be to submit an Operations Plan to the CHA by * and to make an in-person presentation of this plan to the IIHF Championship Committee in January 2003 (exact date TBD).

In January of 2003, the IIHF will announce a list of the bids that been chosen to be shortlisted for further presentations that will be made to the CHA Site Selection Committee. Canada will be one of many other countries vying to host the 2007 Worlds. The IIHF will approve a host country and a host site for the 2007 IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship no later than .

The IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship is the premiere annual international hockey event, bringing together the top hockey playing nations in the World, running every year from the end of April through mid-May. Teams are comprised of top players from European leagues and NHL players not involved in the NHL playoffs. Slovakia won the World Championship in 2002, while Canada finished fifth.

Since the World Championship was held as a stand-alone event for the first time in 1930, Canada has never hosted this event. Canada has captured a total of 13 gold medals, including gold medals in 1994 and in 1997. The first World Championship was held as a part of the Summer Olympics in 1920.

Scott Smith, Vice-president, Business Operations for the CHA, is the official spokesperson for these bids. He can be reached at 403-777-4584.

*The deadline date for the Operations Plan has been changed to