Nearly three years after hosting one of Canada’s premier snowboarding competitions, the City of Edmonton, Alberta, is taking legal action.
In 2023, the Canadian Snowboard Federation hosted the FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium. The event features snowboarders hitting a giant scaffolding jump and competing to land the best trick. However, two years after the event, Dec. 2, 2025, the City of Edmonton filed suit against the federation, alleging it had missed multiple payment deadlines.
After the 2023 competition, Edmonton charged the federation USD 99,605 (CAD 139,000) to use the stadium. This included a rental fee, electricity, and IT support, locker room services, and event security. The amount was to be paid by the end of January 2024. The city never received that payment, forcing it to make multiple requests for payment in February and March of 2024. Only after a year did the City of Edmonton receive any kind of payment, when it received two USD 7,166 (CAD 10,000) installments in January and February 2025. Those were the only payments.
Today, the City of Edmonton is asking for USD 85,730 (CAD 119,637), plus interest and legal costs, according to the lawsuit. The interest that has accrued since February 2024 amounts to about USD 932 (CAD 1,300). Despite filing suit, the city was “open to discussing a repayment plan to resolve the debt,” according to CBC.
Canadian Snowboard Federation spokesperson Rich Hegarty contacted the city via email, including the draft of a repayment plan. Hegarty claims the plan has been accepted by the city, and that the federation is “awaiting details from Edmonton to finalize the settlement process,” Hegarty wrote in his email.
The same snowboard event was held in 2022, which generated a total economic impact of USD 6.2 million (CAD 8.7 million) and drew 15,300 spectators. Its success prompted the event to return in 2023. However, it did not return to Edmonton in 2024.
Canadian Snowboard Federation in Deep Water
The Canadian Snowboard Federation is the sport’s not-for-profit governing body in Canada. It coordinates with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) for hosting events, building teams, and structuring competition. However, according to financial experts, the large unpaid bill is a major warning sign for the federation’s financial health.
Dan Mason, a professor of sport management at the University of Alberta, called the bill a “substantial red flag” in an interview with CBC.
Audits also spell trouble. In an audit posted on March 31, 2025, the federation reported USD 369,041 (CAD 515,000)in bank debt, USD 148,761 (CAD 207,597) in credit card debt, and nearly USD 2.86 million (CAD 4 million) in total liabilities. At the end of 2025, it reported a cash balance of USD 102,831 (CAD 143,502), 89% lower than its five-year peak of USD 922,910 (CAD 1,287,928) in 2022.
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Trouble Within FIS
Not only is the Canadian Snowboard Federation experiencing financial trouble, but so is FIS. In an open letter coordinated by FIS athlete representative AJ Ginnis, athletes expressed their concerns about the FIS’s finances. The letter referenced a significant decline in FIS financial reserves over recent years, from roughly USD 170 million to around USD 50 million, according to figures cited by athletes and national federations. Many national federations and FIS insiders believe former FIS President Johan Eliasch is to blame for the decline.
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Many ski and snowboard federations depend on FIS funds for their operations. With FIS struggling financially, it trickles down to various national federations, leaving them struggling to operate and support their athletes.
On June 11, the 80 national ski federations voted Liechtenstein’s Alexander Ospelt as the new FIS president, who narrowly defeated Eliasch by one vote. Ospelt will formally assume the presidency one day after the election under FIS rules.
The Changing Professional Skiing and Snowboarding Scene
The struggles of the Canadian Snowboard Federation and FIS magnify a larger trend in professional skiing and snowboarding: it is simply becoming harder to operate. Between rising operational costs, television and media deals, and climate pressure on resorts, federations are in a complicated place. As the Canadian Snowboard Federation continues to navigate its finances and the FIS works out its issues, there is no doubt that Ospelt’s election as president will have major implications on the future of professional skiing and snowboarding.
