Reece Howden of Canada celebrates a win during the podium ceremony of the men’s Ski Cross event at the FIS Ski Cross SX World Cup, in Veysonnaz, Switzerland last month.Cyril Zingaro/The Associated Press
The Canadian Press forecasts 26 medals for Canada’s team at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Speedskaters and freestyle skiers will lead the country’s medal charge at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics that officially start with Friday’s opening ceremonies.
CP predicts Canadians will win seven gold, 10 silver and nine bronze medals.
The Canadian Press predicted 26 medals for Canada in Beijing in 2022 (eight gold, eight silver and 10 bronze). The team delivered 26 albeit with a breakdown of four gold, eight silver and 14 bronze.
CP forecasted 29 medals (nine gold, 10 silver, 10 bronze) for Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Canada won 29 (11 gold, 8 silver, 10 bronze) for the most total medals by a Canadian team at a single Winter Olympics.
The 2010 host team holds the record for most gold with 14 claimed in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C.
Here is a look at Canada’s medal prospects at the 2026 Olympic Games.
Alpine skiing
Ski cross falls under the international freestyle umbrella, but Alpine Canada runs it domestically as a speed event. Canada boasts multiple medal threats in what is NASCAR on skis, including Reece Howden, Kevin Drury, Brittany Phelan and Marielle Thompson. Canadian women have won a ski cross medal at every Olympic Games since it made its debut in 2010. 2 silver
Team Jacobs, rear from left to right, Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert pose with the winning women’s team, from left to right, Rachel Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, and Sarah Wilkes following the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax.Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
Curling
Canada has won at least one medal in every Winter Olympics since the sport returned to the menu in 1998, but it’s harder now, given the ascension of Europeans and Asians. Canada sends experienced curlers steeped in international success. Brett Gallant will be the first Canadian to curl in both team and mixed doubles at an Olympic Games. 1 gold, 1 bronze
Figure skating
Ice dance judges haven’t been kind recently to two-time world silver medalists Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. Pairs skaters Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps, the 2024 world champions, will not compete in the team event after Stellato-Dudek sustained an injury in training, making their availability for the pairs event a question mark. Russia’s absence still boosts Canada’s outlook. 1 bronze
Freestyle skiing
Depth of talent makes Canada a powerhouse, led by moguls king and triple medalist Mikaël Kingsbury, who will compete for a second medal in dual moguls in its Olympic debut. Megan Oldham and Olivia Asselin (slopestyle, big air), Dylan Deschamps (big air), Naomi Urness (big air), Brendan Mackay, Cassie Sharpe, Amy Fraser and Rachael Karker (halfpipe) are also ones to watch. 1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
Hockey
NHL players return for the first time since Canada won men’s hockey gold in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. Without Russia at these Games, a men’s hockey showdown with the United States in a big game feels inevitable. The U.S. has taken the upper hand in its women’s rivalry with Canada. 1 gold, 1 silver
Long-track speedskating
The 30-somethings lead the charge with Isabelle Weidemann, Valerie Maltais and Ivanie Blondin defending champions in women’s team pursuit. Blondin and Maltais are threats in mass start, and Weidemann and Maltais in distance races. 2 silver, 2 bronze
Short-track speed skating
Canada’s motherlode sport with multi-medal threats: William Dandjinou, Steven Dubois, Courtney Sarault. Short-track is also a hard-luck sport with crashes and disqualifications common. 3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze
Ski jumping
A knee injury sidelined world champion Alex Loutitt, but teammate Abigail Strate has kept Canada a contender for the country’s first Olympic medal in individual ski jumping. Women’s large hill making its Olympic debut is Strate’s strength. 1 bronze
Snowboard
World championship slopestyler Liam Brearley’s season-ending injury put a dent in prospects, but reigning men’s cross world champion Éliot Grondin headlines a solid snowboarding squad featuring multi-medalist and X Games champ Mark McMorris (slopestyle), last season’s men’s overall World Cup champ Cameron Spalding (slopestyle), and Laurie Blouin (slopestyle, big air). 1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze.
Total: 26 (7 gold, 10 silver, 9 bronze)