FIRST Alberta is excited to announce the return of the FIRST® Robotics Competition Canadian Rockies Regional to Calgary, the city’s first regional competition of its kind since 2019. The competition is open to the public and will run April 1-3, 2027. This event helps prepare Alberta students for the future by bringing world-class robotics competition to the province and creating more opportunities for Alberta students to build, code and compete with their robots.
The competition will bring 32 high-school robotics teams to Calgary, with approximately one-third from Alberta, one-third from elsewhere in Canada and one-third from international destinations. The competition will be hosted at the STEM Innovation Academy in a new gymnasium designed to accommodate large-scale competitions. Teams will compete to win regional recognition for design excellence, team leadership and STEM outreach in hopes of advancing to the FIRST World Championships in Houston, Texas, April 28-May 1, 2027.
Until now, Canadian teams seeking a regional competition have had limited domestic options, including events in Vancouver and Montreal. The Canadian Rockies competition in Calgary will make participation more accessible to Alberta teams and reduce a significant travel-cost barrier.
FIRST Alberta hopes the event will encourage more Alberta schools and students to form teams and compete. Students, teachers, volunteers and potential sponsors interested in the FIRST Robotics Competition can more learn more by contacting:
Volunteering – Jen Milroy, Volunteer Coordinator, volunteer-frc@firstalberta.ca
Starting or Joining a Team – Aaron Williams, Program Delivery Partner, frc@firstalberta.ca
Partnering and Sponsorships – John Smith, Board President, john.smith@firstalberta.ca
More information on the FIRST Robotics Competition is available at: https://firstalberta.ca/frc/