It is a long way from a potential opening kickoff in Quebec City, but the CFL finally might have the right location and ownership group for a much-needed 10th team.
Reports out of Quebec from Sylvain Bouchard of FM 93 and TVA Sports on Wednesday indicated that the CFL's board of governors voted to approve a conditional franchise for the city, with real estate developer William Trudel of The Trudel Group heading the ownership group.
The $350-million question is who pays for the proposed 25,000-seat, open-air stadium, reportedly to be placed on the grounds of Le Colisée, formerly the home of the NHL's Quebec Nordiques.
With a Quebec election next month, this question can't be answered until the votes are counted and the government starts to set the agenda.
So while this is no sure thing, there is reason to believe this actually could happen.
Funding for sporting venues always is a tricky subject, but the neighbouring Videotron Centre for the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts — which opened in 2015 — was funded by the provincial and municipal governments
Sure, there was hope that it could eventually house an NHL team, but there seems to be little momentum on that front, with the league focused on Texas along with other U.S. markets.
Hockey may be king in Quebec, but the province's football scene also is booming — just look at some of the recent Canadian names in the NFL, CFL and NCAA.
With the NHL seemingly a remote possibility, the CFL team could be the big sporting show in town.
The popularity of the Laval Rouge et Or university team shows the city loves football. And with the Rouge et Or having just four regular-season home dates a year, there's no doubt that a region with more than 900,000 people could support both teams.
Regina, the only CFL city without an NHL team (excluding Hamilton, which is quite close to Toronto), has a population of under 300,000, by comparison.
Under previous commissioner Randy Ambrosie, the league tried to put a team in Atlantic Canada, but the effort was unsuccessful. The Maritime provinces don't have nearly as strong a connection with the CFL as Quebec — and also don't have a population centre close to the size of Quebec.
Considering the strength of amateur football in Quebec, you could see the stadium as a project governments would seriously consider — with it being useful for the community at large.
Another potential possibility is funding from the federal government, which has boosted its investment in national sport.
The Canadian women's and men's flag football teams recently both qualified for the sport's Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028. Football Canada, as a national governing body, could see a Quebec stadium as a potential home base and could make a case to the feds for funding. A public-private partnership certainly could be in play.
Current CFL commissioner Stew Johnston did very well financially on the league's recent media deal, and has shown he's unafraid to make bold moves — even if some fans (and this writer) aren't wild about some of the rule changes coming in 2027.
Johnston seems to have the current support from the board of governors to push ahead on the Quebec file — L’Attaque de Québec was floated as a name by Bouchard earlier this year.
Add in a natural rival in the Montreal Alouettes, and you can see how the CFL could make big gains with the French market by adding another team in the province.
It would be a big win for Johnston and CFL fans if this promising plan becomes reality.
The wild, wild West
Unlike the East, where the Alouettes are all but certain to finish first, and the Toronto Argonauts seem destined for second, the West Division race should go right down to the wire.
With the Hamilton Tiger-Cats all but eliminated, the fourth-place team in the West figures to cross over and face the Argos in the CFL East semifinal.
The last-place Calgary Stampeders (6-8) would be the only West team to miss the playoffs, but they still are very much alive. The B.C. Lions and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are just ahead of them at 7-6, but Calgary faces the winless Ottawa Redblacks this week to wrap up a home-and-home series, while B.C. and Winnipeg battle tougher foes.
At the top, the Edmonton Elks (10-4) are trying to hold off the Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5), but a B.C. win over Saskatchewan this week would put the reigning Grey Cup champs in danger of falling down the standings.
On the other hand, a Roughriders win would put Saskatchewan in position to make a push for first. The Roughriders host the Elks on Oct. 24 in the final game on the regular-season schedule, which could be for all the marbles.
Meanwhile, Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea has simple advice for his players.
"Don't look at the standings," O'Shea told reporters this week. "There has to be some big-picture thought with a couple of us. But for the most part, everybody is insulated from that. They don't have to do that. I certainly don't want them to do it.
"I just want them to understand, as we talked about a month or more ago, keep your head down, keep grinding and we'll end up where we end up. There's still a ton of possibilities. Really, as cliché as it is, they've just got to stay focused on what we're doing right now."
Week 17 games
Toronto Argonauts (8-6) at Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-6), Friday, 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT
Quarterback Dru Brown starts in place of the injured Zach Collaros for the Blue Bombers. Brown performed very well in a 30-21 win over the Argos earlier this year. The Argos' top-ranked passing offence will battle the Blue Bombers' top-ranked pass defence.
Saskatchewan Roughriders (8-5) at B.C. Lions (7-6), Friday, 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT
The winner takes the all-important season series. The Roughriders get receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker and running back A.J. Ouellette back from injury.
Calgary Stampeders (6-8) at Ottawa Redblacks (0-13), Saturday, 3 p.m. ET
Finale of a home-and-home series after the Stampeders escaped with a win on a 62-yard field goal by Rene Paredes last week.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-10) at Edmonton Elks (10-4), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. MT
The Elks are 6-1 at Commonwealth Stadium this year, while the Ticats are 1-5 on the road.
