Team Canada enters the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games with a wealth of experience

Canada’s wheelchair curling team is ready to take the ice at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games from March 7 to 14.

The experienced contingent of skip Mark Ideson (London, Ont.), third/vice-skip Jon Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.), second Ina Forrest (Spallumcheen, B.C.), lead Collinda Joseph (Ottawa), fifth Gilbert Dash (Kipling, Sask.), and coaches Mick Lizmore (London, Ont.) and Dana Ferguson (Stony Plain, Alta.) is no stranger to the international stage. The 2026 Games will mark Forrest’s fifth Paralympic appearance and Ideson’s fourth.

Team Canada will take to the ice at the historic Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium for the first time on Saturday at 12:35 p.m. (all times Eastern) against host Italy.

The 10-team field will compete for four playoff berths, with the traditional semifinal format of first vs. fourth and second vs. third determining the medal finalists.

Canada enters the week looking to extend a remarkable streak. The country has earned a medal at every Paralympic Games since wheelchair curling made its debut in 2006. Canada captured gold in 2006, 2010, and 2014, before earning bronze in 2018 and 2022.

Milano Cortina 2026 will also mark the debut of mixed doubles wheelchair curling at the Paralympic Games. Mixed doubles competition begins ahead of the mixed team event; however, Canada did not qualify a team in the discipline.

Ideson, Thurston, Forrest, Joseph, Dash, and six support staff were the first to be nominated to Canada’s Paralympic Team in November 2025. In addition to Lizmore and Ferguson, the team is supported by Team Leader Kyle Paquette, Team Physiotherapist Sari Shatil, Team Physician Dr. Steven Macaluso, Performance Science Lead Kyle Turcotte, and Family and Friends Coordinator Wendy Morgan. Milano Cortina will mark Morgan’s sixth Paralympic Games. She previously served as National Wheelchair Program Manager for Curling Canada from 2007 to 2022 and has been involved with the team since the 2006 Games.

Team Canada’s game schedule is as follows (all times Eastern):

Saturday, March 7

12:35 p.m. — vs. Team Italy 

Sunday, March 8

4:35 a.m. — vs. Team Great Britain 

1:35 p.m. — vs. Team Norway 

Monday, March 9

4:35 a.m. — vs. Team Latvia

Tuesday, March 10

4:35 a.m. — vs. Team China 

1:35 p.m. — vs. Team Sweden 

Wednesday, March 11

3:05 p.m. — vs. Team Slovakia

Thursday, March 12

8:35 a.m. — vs. Team South Korea 

1:35 p.m. — vs. Team U.S.A. 

Friday, March 13

5:05 a.m. — Semifinal*

1:35 p.m. — Bronze-medal game*

Saturday, March 14

10:05 a.m. — Gold-medal game*

*pending qualification

Please note Daylight Savings Time goes into effect in Canada on March 8.

For live scoring, team lineups, and standings, CLICK HERE.

All of Canada’s games will be broadcast on a variety of platforms by CBC, the official Paralympic rights-holder in Canada. CLICK HERE for the CBC broadcast schedule.