CALGARY – Hockey Canada has cancelled the 2021 men’s World Junior A Challenge, the Canadian Tire Para Hockey Cup and the national under-18 women’s championship because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the organization says.

Canada’s governing body of hockey says the pandemic and the vaccination status of some international teams “left us with no other option,” Hockey Canada said Monday in a statement.

“We believe the decision to cancel these fall events is the safest decision given the ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic at a local level, as well as the uncertainty around countries and regions being able to safely compete.”

The World Junior A Challenge was scheduled to be held in Cornwall, Ont., and the international para hockey tournament in Bridgewater, N.S., in December.

The para hockey tournament was an important warmup tournament for host Canada and other countries ahead of the Winter Paralympics in Beijing in March.

The national under-18 women’s championship was slated for Oct. 31 to Nov. 6 in Dawson Creek, B.C.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2021.