Wheelchair Curling Pathway launches to revolutionize athlete development across Canada

Momentum continues to surge forward for Curling Canada’s National Wheelchair Program as its highly anticipated new pathway initiative was officially launched today.

Wheelchair curling in Canada continues to grow through its participants and audiences, and Canada’s Wheelchair Curling Pathway (WCP) was designed to support this path forward each step of the way.

“The launch of Canada’s Wheelchair Curling Pathway is the result of years of collaboration,” said Kyle Paquette, National Wheelchair Curling Program Director. “Athletes, coaches, and stakeholders from across the country generously shared their time, energy, and insight to help shape it. This truly is a community effort —built together to support the future of the sport.”

Attention on wheelchair curling is at an all-time high. The success of the recent inaugural Grand Slam of Curling (GSOC) Wheelchair Invitational on the road to the 2026 Paralympic Games has attracted countless new eyes to the sport and new possibilities for its athletes.

The WCP is a one-stop shop for athletes considering a path to high-performance wheelchair curling, and it reflects Curling Canada’s deep commitment to supporting the growth of the sport. Alongside the launch, refining a coaching and consulting initiative to boost participation and optimize athlete development is a top priority.

“This marks a really important moment in the sport’s continued evolution,” said Mick Lizmore, Curling Canada’s National Wheelchair Curling Program Head Coach. “Especially understanding how close grassroots and podium-level wheelchair curling really are, the goal is to make high-performance wheelchair curling more accessible and welcoming at every level.”

The WCP is Curling Canada’s way of putting its Strategic Plan into action, aiming to continually enhance world-class athlete development pathways and help Canadian athletes reach the top of the podium. At the same time, the WCP is also designed to support and optimize every stage of an athlete’s journey, from early development to peak competition, including considerations for retirement.

Community-level athletes form the foundation of wheelchair curling in Canada, and the Participation for Life stream encourages lifelong engagement, allowing them to stay involved in ways that suit their goals.

From the community level, athletes’ starting point is the Pursuit Program. Years of piloting different approaches have shaped this program, which introduces athletes to high-performance wheelchair curling and the training, guidance, and support that comes with it. The identification, confirmation, and transition streams assess each athlete’s readiness and desire to pursue high-performance curling.

At the next level, the Podium Program represents Curling Canada’s highest aspirations for the wheelchair program. The Podium Program supports athletes in winning well while developing the next generation of leaders in Canadian wheelchair curling.

With the aim of continuing to grow towards being a leader in parasport, Curling Canada and its National Wheelchair Curling Program have developed the WCP to open more opportunities for Canadian athletes to reach both personal and national performance goals.

The WCP will officially take effect for the 2026-27 curling season, giving athletes time to engage with the program offerings and submit their declaration form before April 15, 2026.

Full details, including the full WCP handbook, are available online.