With less than six months to go before the 2027 Canada Games, the Host Society is celebrating the completion of construction work on Espace Y, a brand-new sports centre that will host the Games’ squash competitions and provide the Québec City region with a lasting legacy for the practice and development of the sport.
Following the major work completed at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Stoneham Mountain Resort and Le Relais Ski Centre, Espace Y joins the list of sport legacies made possible by the 2027 Canada Games in Québec City.
An Opportunity Transformed into a Sustainable Sport Project
Espace Y was created through the initiative of entrepreneur and developer Yves Germain, who already owned a two-court squash complex. Wishing to contribute to hosting the 2027 Canada Games, he undertook the addition of two courts to meet competition requirements, bringing the centre’s total number of squash courts to four.
Mr. Germain also chose to take this opportunity even further by developing a comprehensive complex dedicated to physical activity, health and healthy living. In addition to four squash courts that meet international standards, Espace Y now features three baseball batting cages, a fully equipped gym, a recovery area that includes a sauna, cold plunge baths and compression boots, as well as a café and smoothie bar.
The 2027 Canada Games Host Society invested $750,000 in the infrastructure required to host the squash competitions. This investment also includes the addition of an elevator to make the facilities accessible to people with reduced mobility.
The remainder of the project was financed by Mr. Germain, who oversaw the construction and development of the centre.
A Tangible Legacy for Squash in Québec City
Beyond the 2027 competitions, the addition of four internationally compliant courts that are accessible to the public will provide the community with modern facilities in which to discover and play squash, while creating new opportunities for developing emerging talent and training high-performance athletes. To support this objective, Espace Y will provide Squash Québec with 1,200 hours of complimentary court time per year for ten years, supporting regional athlete development and facilitating access to high-quality facilities.
This new infrastructure comes at a pivotal time for the sport. With squash set to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, Espace Y aims to become a leading training centre for high-performance athletes in Eastern Canada. Québec athlete David Baillargeon, a Canada Games alumnus who reached No. 39 in the world rankings, will notably complete part of his preparation there as he pursues qualification for the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Espace Y’s First International Event
Just days after opening, Espace Y will host its first international competition. From September 22 to 26, the centre will host the 2026 Québec City Open, a Professional Squash Association (PSA)-sanctioned Challenger Tour event.
Players from 12 countries will compete on the new courts, providing Espace Y with its first opportunity to put its facilities to the test in an international competition setting just a few months before the Canada Games.
To learn more about the 2026 Québec City Open:
🌐 Open de la ville de Québec 2026 - Espace Y
To discover Espace Y:
🌐 www.espacey.ca
Less Than Six Months Until the Games: Preparations Enter the Final Stretch
With less than six months remaining before the Opening Ceremony, preparations for the 2027 Canada Games are reaching their final major milestones and progressing according to schedule.
Funding
The private fundraising campaign continues to advance, with $6.1 million confirmed toward a $7-million goal. The overall operating budget for the 2027 Canada Games is $45 million.
Sports and Venues
On the sport side, nearly all the equipment required to host the competitions has now been acquired, and operational planning for the various venues is well underway.
Preparations will soon enter a new phase of on-site validation. Technical representatives for the sports on the Games program completed their second and final preparatory visits to the competition venues this week. In a few weeks, the Chefs de Mission representing the provinces and territories will also travel to Québec City to assess the progress of preparations and familiarize themselves with the facilities that will welcome their delegations in 2027.
Volunteers
The goal of recruiting 5,000 volunteers was surpassed nearly six months before the Games begin—an outstanding milestone in Canada Games history. Traditionally, the volunteer roster is completed only in the final weeks leading up to the event.
This mobilization reflects the community’s exceptional enthusiasm for the 2027 Canada Games. With 5,000 people engaged, this also represents the largest volunteer cohort ever assembled to host an event in Québec City.
What They Said :
“Sport brings us together and give us a reason to celebrate what unites us as Canadians. Every day, across Quebec, athletes, coaches, volunteers and communities are helping to build a strong and dynamic sport system. Our government’s investments will help sustain this momentum, provide more opportunities for athletes at all levels, and host world-class competitions here. As we look ahead to the 2027 Canada Games, we are proud to invest in a sport legacy that will continue to inspire young people and strengthen communities throughout the province.”
- The Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sports)
“Through Espace Y, the Games are helping to create something that will remain long after the final competition in 2027. This is the kind of legacy we want to leave in Québec City: facilities that enable emerging athletes to dream bigger, high-performance athletes to train here and an entire community to discover and enjoy a sport in exceptional conditions.”
- Denis Servais, Chair of the 2027 Canada Games Host Society
“Québec City residents will benefit from hosting the Canada Games in many ways. This new squash centre and sports complex is another excellent example: the Games helped bring to life a project that expands our city’s sport offering with a modern and versatile facility that meets the highest standards and that we will all be able to enjoy long after the competitions have ended.”
- Raphaël Lebailly, Québec City Councillor and Associate Member of the Executive Committee responsible for the 2027 Canada Games
“I firmly believe in the importance of investing in sport development and encouraging physical activity throughout the Québec City region. Building Espace Y is a tangible way for me to contribute to this vision by creating an accessible, modern and welcoming environment where young people, families and athletes of all levels can stay active, improve and develop healthy habits. The Canada Games gave us the momentum needed to bring this project to life, but its true impact will be measured by everything it contributes to our community in the years ahead.”
- Yves Germain, Entrepreneur and Owner of Espace Y
“The arrival of a centre featuring four courts that meet international standards represents an exceptional opportunity for the development of squash in the Québec City region. Espace Y’s new facilities bring renewed energy and modernity to our sport and will allow us to provide better conditions for both emerging and experienced athletes. Once you try squash, you are hooked—and we are confident that Espace Y will help attract even more people to our sport!”
- Yves Tremblay, Board Member, Squash Québec
“Being able to train in facilities of this quality here at home in Québec City, just a few months before representing the province at the Canada Games, is incredibly motivating. Squash deserves to be better known. I hope the Games and the arrival of Espace Y will inspire other young people to discover our sport, whether for recreation or competition.”
- Clément Leperlier, 2024 and 2026 Québec Junior Squash Champion and qualified athlete for the 2027 Canada Games
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