Federal, provincial governments back idea of Calgary Olympic bid

Calgary took another step toward bidding for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games when the federal and provincial governments announced they ’d support the formation of a bid corporation Thursday.

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi had said a bid couldn’t happen without financial backing from the Canadian and Alberta governments.

Calgary wants a three-way split on the cost of a bid estimated at $30 million.

A bid corporation will continue to develop hosting plans and analyze costs, according to a joint statement released Thursday by the three levels of government.

“This partnership is an exciting step toward determining if a bid for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is right for Calgary,” Nenshi said in the statement. “We have a strong legacy of sport in this city and we know we can host a great Games, and now, alongside our partners in the government of Alberta and the government of Canada, we can continue to figure out if a 2026 bid is the best interests of our citizens.”

Calgary has already spent $6 million on exploring a potential bid. The city didn’t want to commit any more money to the process until the other two levels of government indicated they were on board.

“Participating in the bid process will allow us to further examine the costs associated with hosting the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games and ensure they are carefully balanced around the needs and expectations of Albertans, within the greater context of Alberta’s economic recovery,” Alberta Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda said.

The International Olympic Committee will invite cities to bid for 2026 in October with the deadline to do so by January. The winning city will be announced in September 2019.

“We are always happy to see cities and sport partners showing interest in hosting national and international sport competitions, as these events support our athletes, our communities and our economy, and help galvanize a country around the power of sport,” Canada’s sports minister Kirsty Duncan said.

Calgary was the host city of the 1988 Winter Games.