Andrew Baker is set to take the reins as the upcoming president and CEO of Alpine Canada, aiming to capitalize on his previous contributions to the organization. He is stepping into the role previously held by Therese Brisson, who has transitioned to the position of CEO at Skate Canada after a six-year tenure.
With a 21-year tenure at the Canadian Olympic Committee, Baker’s most recent role was as the COC’s chief external affairs officer. He is scheduled to commence his new position at Alpine Canada in September. Alpine Canada is responsible for managing alpine and Para alpine racing, as well as ski cross, overseeing around 15,000 registered racers and 5,500 coaches across 200 clubs nationwide, according to the organization’s 2025 annual report. Additionally, Alpine Canada organizes international World Cup races held in Canada.
The upcoming schedule includes women’s giant slaloms in Mont-Tremblant, Que., in December and a World Cup ski cross event planned for March at Craigleith in Ontario. Baker’s appointment to Alpine Canada coincides with the beginning of a new Olympic quadrennial leading up to the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.
Hailing from Montreal and aged 43, Baker played a pivotal role in the COC’s advocacy efforts for enhanced core funding for national sport organizations. In April, the federal government announced a $755 million investment in high-performance sport over the next five years, with an annual amount of $118 million thereafter. A significant portion of this funding, totaling $660 million over five years and $110 million annually thereafter, is allocated directly to national sport organizations like Alpine Canada.
Baker expressed enthusiasm for the future of sport in Canada, highlighting the history of excellence in alpine, ski cross, and Para alpine disciplines. He emphasized the importance of funding and support for athletes to drive both performance and inspiration for future generations. Ski cross, while internationally classified under freestyle skiing, is managed domestically by Alpine Canada as a speed discipline.
Alpine Canada achieved its world championship and Olympic and Paralympic medal targets outlined in its 2021-26 strategic plan. However, Canada did not secure any Olympic medals in alpine skiing or ski cross at the Milan Cortina Games in February, breaking a streak of podium finishes in ski cross since its introduction in 2010. Canadian Para alpine athletes managed to secure a silver and four bronze medals in Italy.
Looking ahead to 2030, Canada no longer hosts World Cup downhill or super-G races, with the discontinuation of the men’s and women’s downhills in Lake Louise, Alta., in 2022 due to economic viability concerns. Plans are in place to potentially host men’s speed races in Whistler or Panorama, B.C. The federal government’s commitment to allocate an additional $50 million over the next five years for hosting international sports events was announced in April.
Moreover, recent investments of $3.65 million in alpine training center upgrades at Panorama and Whistler, as well as ski cross facilities at Alberta’s Nakiska Ski Resort, signal a strong support system for athletes heading towards the 2030 Winter Games. Baker highlighted the positive impact of the government’s funding announcements on athlete development and infrastructure improvements at national training centers.