A Swedish Viking soccer fan has joined the streets of downtown Toronto.
It has bright yellow and blue colours, a horned helmet, a shield and a weapon.
It’s also a beaver.
The sculpture was created by Jack Jensen, a longtime Prince Albert, Sask., artist now living in Toronto, as part of the Great Beaver Quest — a public art installation and scavenger hunt tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
“It’s an honour, certainly, to be part of all of this,” he said. “Art is kind of like a learning process all the time. So, it was really interesting to me to work on this, and really, a privilege.”
The Great Beaver Quest includes 51 decorated beaver sculptures installed throughout Toronto’s Old Town area. Forty-eight represent countries connected to the World Cup, while the other three are designed to welcome the world and celebrate the neighbourhood.
Jensen’s beaver represents Sweden, though he said that wasn’t his original plan.
He’s a Canadian of Danish descent and initially put Denmark, Norway and England forward as possible countries. Denmark failed to qualify, and other countries already appeared to have artists attached.
Then, the Old Town Toronto Business Improvement Area asked if Jensen would take on Sweden.
Jensen eventually landed on the idea of a Swedish Viking soccer fan. (Submitted by Jack Jensen)
After a few sketches and email exchanges, he landed on the idea of a Swedish Viking soccer fan.
To make the sculpture look the part, he bought two tin pie plates — one for the helmet and one for the shield. Jensen used a piece of chain and a curtain rod to turn the soccer ball under the beaver’s paw into a flail — a medieval-style weapon with a spiked ball attached to a handle.
The beaver is painted in Sweden’s colours, with “Heja Sverige!” written across the back, which means “Go Sweden!”
Jensen’s time in Prince Albert
Jensen was born in Kinistino, about 65 kilometres southeast of Prince Albert, and spent nearly 30 years working for the City of Prince Albert’s engineering department.
Outside of work, he was also deeply tied to the local arts scene.
Jensen has been painting for about 50 years and is a founding member of the Kyla Artist Group in Prince Albert, which has held annual exhibitions for decades.
“I recall living in Prince Albert fondly,” he said, noting the artist group was “really part of the arts community.”
While living in Saskatchewan, Jensen created five life-size or larger bronze sculptures — three in Prince Albert and two in Regina.
He and his wife, Linda, moved to Toronto about four years ago to be closer to family. Since then, Jensen has continued making art, including at Creative Works Studio, where he volunteers.
That’s also where he worked on the beaver.
The project moved quickly. Jensen said he usually goes to the studio once a week, but for the beaver, he started going three times a week to meet the deadline.
How Prince Albert remembers Jensen
Patti Cannon-Levesque, a Prince Albert artist who knows Jensen through the Kyla group, said Jensen and his wife were active mentors in the local art scene before they moved away.
She first got to know Jensen after he and Linda invited her into the artist group. Cannon-Levesque said Jensen was always willing to support new artists, whether by helping bring them into the group, teaching workshops or sharing what he knew from decades of working across painting, bronze and paper sculpture.
“I’ve never seen an artist that does work in as many mediums as Jack does,” she said.
Cannon-Levesque said Jensen’s work has been shown at local galleries, including the John V. Hicks Gallery and the Mann Art Gallery, adding his impact in Prince Albert went beyond his pieces.
“When Jack and Linda left, their presence has been missed,” she said. “They’ve left a hole in the art community.”
Patti Cannon-Levesque with a Jensen art piece she owns. (Aishah Ashraf/CBC)
But Cannon-Levesque said it’s thrilling to see a Prince Albert artist included in a public art project tied to the World Cup.
“How can you not be excited to see him participating in something of that nature?” she said. “It’s wonderful.”
The beavers are scattered throughout Old Town Toronto, but Jensen said he can’t reveal the exact location of his sculpture. The mystery is part of the scavenger hunt.
The process of Jensen’s beaver sculpture. (Submitted by Jack Jensen)
He said he’s already seen people tracking the sculpture down and scanning the QR code attached to it.
Once the project is over, Jensen said the beavers will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to charity.
For young artists in Prince Albert hoping to land similar opportunities, Jensen said it starts with taking the chance.
“Just put yourself out there,” he said. “[Show them] this is what you’re willing to do, these are your qualifications, and just see what happens.”