OTTAWA, Ont. – Hockey Canada announced Wednesday that Ottawa will host the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship. Canada’s capital city last hosted the IIHF World Women’s Championship in 1990, the inaugural event.

The Ontario Women’s Hockey Association, in partnership with Senators Sports and Entertainment, was one of three groups to submit bids to host the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship and made a formal presentation to Hockey Canada’s site selection committee Wednesday, April 6 in Calgary, Alta.

The site selection committee consisted of Bob Nicholson (president/CEO, Hockey Canada), Ken Corbett (chair of the board, Hockey Canada), Scott Smith (chief operating officer, Hockey Canada) and Scott Farley (vice-president of marketing services and events, Hockey Canada). Following the presentation, the site selection committee recommended Ottawa as host of the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship to Hockey Canada’s board of directors, which has approved that recommendation.

"We’re excited to have this elite women’s hockey event come back not just to Canada, but to Ottawa, the city where it all started," Nicholson said. "Our organization looks forward to working with the Province of Ontario, the City of Ottawa, the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association and Senators Sports and Entertainment to make the 15th IIHF World Women’s Championship a complete success." 

"Today’s announcement reaffirms my continued commitment to bring world class events to Ottawa," said Eugene Melnyk, owner and chairman of the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club. "We have been strong supporters of women’s hockey for the past decade. The opportunity to host the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship is a culmination of that decade long commitment. Women’s hockey is one of the most exciting and fastest growing dimensions to the game and we look forward to using this world-class event to inspire young Canadian girls right across the country to play the game and dream big."

The 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship will take place at SBP Arena and the Nepean Sportsplex in April 2013, with more details to be announced at later dates. The last time SBP Arena hosted the National Women’s Team was , when 16,347 fans filled the arena, breaking a women’s hockey game attendance record, and watched Canada edge the United States 3-2 in a shootout.

Beginning today, fans are invited to create an account with Hockey Canada to get all the ticketing news and information for the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship. By registering immediately, fans will receive priority access to purchase ticket packages when they become available. Only 3,000 tickets will be available in the 100 Level of SBP Arena, so fans are encouraged to register as soon as possible to ensure the best chance at the best seats.

This will be the final world championship prior to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, with many of the players who will represent their countries in Sochi, Russia expected to be on the ice in Ottawa. It will also mark the sixth time that Canada has hosted the tournament, joining 1990 in Ottawa, 1997 in Kitchener, Ont., 2000 in Mississauga, Ont., 2004 in Halifax, N.S., and 2007 in Winnipeg, Man., where a world championship attendance record of 122,152 fans was set.

"Women’s hockey has come a long way since Team Canada wore pink jerseys to attract attention to the inaugural world championship held in Ottawa," said Fran Rider, president of the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association. "The 2013 tournament will feature a stronger, faster female game that will showcase just how much the sport has grown."

The Ontario Women’s Hockey Association will host its provincial championships in conjunction with the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship, bringing more than 500 girls’ teams of all ages and from all skill levels to the Ottawa area.

It is estimated the world championship will have an economic impact of $20 million, with a guaranteed minimum of $500,000 in profit to be invested in minor hockey programs across the country. In addition, the OWHA provincials will have an estimated economic impact of $15 million, meaning the two events will exceed $35 million in economic impact.

"Ottawa showed its enthusiasm for international hockey by successfully hosting the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship," City of Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said. "We can’t wait to put our civic pride and hockey passion on display again when we welcome the best female players in the world back to Canada’s capital for the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship."

"Ontario welcomes the 2013 IIHF World Women’s Championship to Ottawa," said Michael Chan, Ontario minister of tourism and culture. "Ottawa is a real hockey town, and with 21 games over eight days, this is a first-class sports event that will generate local economic activity and boost tourism, while showing the world what a great place Ontario is to live, visit and do business."

Canada’s National Women’s Team has appeared in every gold medal game at the IIHF World Women’s Championship, winning gold nine times (1990, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, and 2007) and silver four times (2005, 2008, 2009 and 2011).