The crowd, including dozens of young Saint-Boniface Boum hockey players, erupted on Saturday night when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the winner of 2025 Kraft Hockeyville’s location.
“We are so grateful to have been able to count on the community of Saint-Boniface and all of Quebec!” the Saint-Boniface Arena posted on its Facebook page. “We are experiencing a historical event.”
The town of just over 5,100 people northeast of Montreal beat out Crossfield, Alberta; Honeywood/Shelburne, Ontario; and Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia in a nationwide vote to win.
It is just the second time a Quebec town has won the sought-after Hockeyville prize in the program’s 19 years. The last time a Quebec town won the privilege was in 2008 when the Benoit Levesque Arena in Roberval was chosen.
The arena in Saint-Boniface will get $250,000 for upgrades and will host an NHL pre-season game in 2026. In addition, the NHLPA Goals and Dreams program will donate $10,000 worth of new youth hockey equipment.
The other three communities will get $25,000 in arena upgrades and will also receive $10,000 in equipment.
The arena in Saint-Boniface was built by volunteers in 1999 and the municipality said that costly renovations are putting its future at risk, according to a news release.
“This program isn’t just about building better arenas; it’s about building strong Canadian communities,” said Kraft Heinz Canada president Simon Laroche. “For more than a hundred years, Kraft Heinz has been producing food in Canada and contributing to our communities where we work, live and play, and it has been a true privilege to extend our reach by supporting community hockey – a sport that so beautifully mirrors our nation’s passionate, resilient, and unified spirit.”
