By Lexi McFarlane, Times Chronicle
Hockey fans will be spoilt for choice this coming season as Oliver will be getting an expansion hockey franchise in a league whose inaugural season launches this Fall, bringing even more young hockey talent to the South Okanagan.
The newly-formed Western International Junior Hockey League (WIJHL) is set to take off for the 2026-27 hockey season, and be the official feeder league for the independent British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Prior to the inaugural season getting underway, the WIJHL elected to grant expansion teams, with Enderby getting the first such franchise.
The owners of the new Oliver team will be the same people who form the West Kelowna Warriors ownership group. The West Kelowna Warriors are a member of the BCHL.
With the creation of this franchise in Oliver, there will now be hockey clubs in both Osoyoos and Oliver, though they will not face off against each other given they are members of different leagues with the Coyotes being a founding member of the new Hockey Canada-sanctioned BC Hockey Conference (BCHC).
Oliver Council was met with a proposal to amend their Recreation Facility Allocation Policy, specifically to allow the Oliver and District Arena to be the home of this new franchise. Carol Sheridan, the Town’s Director of Recreation, told Council that it was the WIJHL themselves who reached out to Oliver about the prospects of a new franchise.
“We have reviewed the information, and believe that this would be a very positive move for hockey, in general, in the community,” Sheridan said. “It would be a good move for us to increase the utilization of the facility, and increase the overall revenue for the facility as well.”
The community aspect was what both Councillor Aimee Grice and Mayor Martin Johansen heralded. Grice applauded the work that was done by staff to have everyone be consulted and involved with bringing a new team to Oliver.
“You’ve done some really robust consultation with all parties that were involved and affected, and the benefit to our community of bringing this team would be incredible,” Grice said.
“I think about the families that want to move here, and are looking for opportunities for their kids. This just brings a higher level of sports to our community that would present as an opportunity for young families to move here.”
Johansen reflected on how so many local hockey-playing youths have had to relocate elsewhere to pursue their ambitions in the sport.
“What’s more important than people moving here is people not moving away,” Johansen said. “I know, having been involved in hockey and having coached hockey, there’s a lot of kids that have had to move away to Grand Forks, and different places like that, just to play and get access to hockey.”
The demands of a league such as the WIJHL require the Oliver and District Arena be made more available for game nights, and work together with other tournaments and things such as ice skating and tutorial sessions to find the right schedule. However, Sheridan’s report noted that the arena is currently underutilized, and should be able to handle having a full-time hockey tenant.
Requests made for the future WIJHL franchise’s use of the arena include two hours of non-prime daytime practice ice, along with a Friday or Saturday evening block of time to accommodate a weekly home game. Sheridan also mentioned the potential that showcases for the Junior Prospects Hockey League could come through town.
Other groups that currently use the arena, including the old-timer Old Stockers club, were consulted and Sheridan notes they seem open to welcoming a WIJHL team to town.
Also consulted were the Wolf Creek Chargers, the youth and adult group from the Osoyoos Indian Band, as well as South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association (SOMHA), and the local hockey academy. SOMHA tournaments such as the Atom Fiesta tournament would be protected, Sheridan confirmed.
Councillor Petra Veintimilla felt that every question she did have was answered by the “thorough” job done by staff.
“My biggest concern was being respectful towards the users that have been using the facilities for a long time, and it sounds like everyone’s still going to fit in somewhere,” Veintimilla said. “It’s exciting.”
Council voted in favour of amending the Allocation Policy, setting the stage for the WIJHL to prepare the new Oliver franchise to begin play this upcoming hockey season.
In a June 12 statement, WIJHL chairman Brandon Buliziuk welcomed Oliver into the fold for the upcoming season.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Oliver and their ownership group to the Western International Junior Hockey League,” Buliziuk said.
“Oliver is a beautiful and vibrant community located in the heart of British Columbia’s wine country. The town has a rich hockey tradition, modern facilities, and a strong sense of community pride that makes it an ideal location for a junior hockey franchise.
“The ownership group has demonstrated a clear vision for building a first-class organization that will provide opportunities for young athletes to develop both on and off the ice. We are confident the Oliver team will become an outstanding addition to our league and a tremendous source of pride for the community.”
The WIJHL was formed by eight clubs of the former Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) that chose not to follow the other former KIJHL teams into the BCHC, which will be officially sanctioned by Hockey Canada. Enderby and Oliver are the ninth and tenth teams to join the WIJHL ahead of its debut campaign.
