The 2015 Canada Winter Games emerged a double winner at the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance Prestige Awards in Ottawa on Monday.
The Games was named both the sport tourism event of the year and the sustainable event of the year and was the only event to win awards in two categories.
Mayor Lyn Hall was on hand in Ottawa for the honours and sent a message read at city council Monday night.
“These awards validate what we’ve known for a long time and that is we’ve done something really special last year,” said Hall in a statement read by acting mayor Brian Skakun.
The Games were the largest multi-sport and cultural event to ever be held in northern B.C. and generated an economic impact of $123 million.
"While developing Canada's next generation of national, international and Olympic champions, the 2015 Games changed the community of Prince George forever for the better," city hall said in a press release.
"The many legacies that stemmed from hosting the Games include infrastructural enhancements, exposure for the region, increased tourist visitations and investment in youth."
Core environmental impacts such as reducing the amount of diverting waste from the landfill, being energy efficient, reducing greenhouse emission and using sustainable wood products were addressed.
"The Games set a shining example of environmental stewardship, social inclusion and responsibility, economic development and generating long-term environmental, social and economic benefits," city hall said.
The other two finalists in the sport tourism event of the year category were the 2015 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships and the 103rd Grey Cup Festival.
The other two finalists in the sustainable event of the year category were the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup and the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games.
