For the Third Straight Year, the CSSHL Western Championships Set a New Economic Impact Record in Penticton, BC.
The 2025 Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) Western Championships held March 2-16, reported an economic impact record of $6.725 million—almost $1.5 million more than the 2024 record of $5.231 million, and more than double the total from 2023. The 2025 event saw 104 teams descend on Penticton—including over 2,100 players and staff from four Western Canadian provinces, Idaho, and Washington. A record number 7,300 spectators attended the event over the two week period.
Now that the CSSHL has started its 17th season, we are excited to announce the much anticipated Western Championships will return to Penticton for the 11th year in a row on March 7-22, 2026.
“We are thrilled to see the increase in economic impact that the CSSHL Championships had in March of 2025. This is a major event for the CSSHL and the City of Penticton, Travel Penticton, OVG and the businesses in the community. We look forward to building on these numbers in March of 2026,” said Andy Oakes, CEO of the CSSHL.
As the premier league in education-based hockey, the CSSHL’s national presence has grown exponentially year-over-year due to unprecedented demand from schools, parents, and student athletes. This has meant the annual addition of new teams and a 35% increase in games since the 2022/23 season. Data from the league suggests current demand will continue to rise with the resulting economic impact along with it.
In 2023, the City of Penticton announced it would host the CSSHL Western Championships for the next ‘10 years’.
For further information:
Jordan Martin
Manager, Media & Communications
Canadian Sport School Hockey League
j.martin@csshl.ca
About Us
The Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) was established in 2009 and has grown to feature 38 accredited schools and 129 teams from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island and the states of Idaho and Washington. The league was designed specifically for elite level student athletes, giving them the opportunity to focus on their education while increasing their skills off and on the ice and providing them with a high level of competition and exposure. Currently, the CSSHL includes eight different divisions at the U15, U17, U18 Male and U18 Female levels.
