The sport’s national governing body has been "actively investigating" financing options for the base, which would double up as a venue for elite competition as well as community use, reports the Hamilton Spectator.

Last week, the team behind the city's Commonwealth Games bid announced they were changing their focus from the 2030 edition of the event to the 2026 edition, with the bid team re-branding themselves from Hamilton 100 to the Hamilton 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid Corporation.

The city's 2026 proposal is scaled down financially from its 2030 equivalent, meaning there could be more of a focus on existing venues.

Plans for the new centre show it could include six full-size courts as well as seating capacity for between 4,000 and 5,000 people, making it suitable for the hosting of elite competitions such as the Commonwealth Games.

Chief executive of Canada Basketball Glen Grunwald insisted Hamilton was among a number of locations being considered for the new centre.

"We just completed research on our strategic plan ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics and the feedback we got from everyone in the basketball community is that we need more access to basketball facilities," Grunwald said to the Hamilton Spectator.

"There are now more than 1.3 million youths [of both sexes] playing organised basketball in Canada and school gyms are becoming more crowded, more expensive and less accessible.

“The need for a national and regional training centre available to all members of the basketball community from tykes to master players cannot be debated."

Canada Basketball is seeking funding for the project as it wants to avoid asking for cash from the municipality where the centre is built.

Federal and Provincial Governments, plus private sources, donations and sponsorships are all funding streams being considered.

It is reported that the municipality chosen would have to provide land for the construction of the base and would have to commit to offering strong local access to the facility.

As the facility would be constructed with the hosting of national and international competition in mind, it could boost sports tourism in the area where it is located.

A recent report by the Commonwealth Games Federation highlighted examples of how the Games could boost revenue growth in a region through helping tourism and accelerating development projects linked to the multi-sport event.

Although Grunwald did not detail all the locations being considered for Canada Basketball's new training centre, he said: "I think Hamilton would be an ideal spot if we can put it all together."