Possible Olympic bid faces new hurdle at council

City wants cash commitments from Alberta, Ottawa by Sept. 10

As Calgary 2026 prepares to announce a CEO to lead the city’s potential Olympic bid, a decision by city hall has cast some doubt on the likelihood of Calgary ’s Olympic ambitions surviving a crucial offramp this fall.

Council voted Monday to set a Sept. 10 deadline for clarity surrounding funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments.

“This is a shot across the bow to the other orders of government,” said Coun. Diane Colley-Urquhart after council emerged from an in camera meeting.

“If they’re interested and serious about Calgary being committed to this process, then now is the time for them to step up in a timely manner and respond to many of the things that we need answers to.”

A letter will be sent to the provincial and federal governments on behalf of council seeking assurances on a potential multi-party agreement to fund the Games before council decides on Sept. 10 whether to proceed with a possible bid, Colley-Urquhart said.

Council’s decision Monday was driven in part by city staff ’s scramble to meet tight timelines on the Olympic file.

Staff are hoping to have funding commitments in place by September to ensure there is enough time for public engagement on the details of the three-government deal before a plebiscite on the Olympics can be held.

The public engagement program was initially planned to run from April to September.

It has been pushed back to a September start while representatives from different governments continue to work on a deal to fund the Games.

There were signs Monday that the truncated timelines are fraying nerves and dividing council.

“I have to say that my confidence in an Olympic bid is at an all-time low,” said Coun. Druh Farrell in chambers.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi told reporters following the meeting that the timing of an agreement will have consequences for a potential plebiscite.

“If those numbers are not clear on or around the middle of September, it’s hard for me to imagine how we have a plebiscite this autumn,” Nenshi said.

“If the province is really interested in doing this plebiscite in the autumn — which I’ll remind you is their condition — then a lot of stuff has to happen in order for that to happen.”

News of the Sep. 10 off-ramp comes as the board of directors of the Olympic bid corporation, Calgary 2026, prepares to announce the identity of the person who will ultimately lead the city’s bid.

Calgarians will learn who has been selected to be the organization’s chief executive officer Tuesday afternoon at a press conference at Canada Olympic Park.

Tuesday will also see council debate a proposal to bring more public scrutiny to the bid process.

The notice of motion, signed by councillors Jeromy Farkas, Sean Chu and Joe Magliocca, seeks to make the work of Calgary 2026 subject to the same freedom of information laws that apply to public

bodies in the province.

As a private entity, Calgary 2026 is not subject to Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

“It’s a terrible notice of motion,” Nenshi said Monday. “It (has) some good ideas about transparency, which is really important, but what it’s asking to be done cannot be done.

If the province is really interested in doing this plebiscite in the autumn ... then a lot of stuff has to happen ... for that to happen.

“It’s just this particular mechanism of asking the provincial government to change legislation when the provincial government doesn’t even meet until November. It’s not the right legislation. It just doesn’t make any sense.”