Olympic bid up to voters in Calgary

Plebiscite a go after feds, province commit to funding

CALGARY — A potential Calgary bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games survived a city council vote Wednesday, when a motion leading to the cancellation of a planned plebiscite did not pass.

Ten votes out of 15 on council were required to abandon the Nov. 13 plebiscite, which will ask Calgarians whether they want to play host to the Games.

Eight voted in favour of a motion that would have led to abandoning the plebiscite and scrubbing a bid.

Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi was among those in favour of the plebiscite.

“It was a very close vote,” Nenshi said. “Over the next few days, I will be trying to explain this deal to people. But I’m now at the point where I can actually say to people: ‘This is a great deal we’ve negotiated’ and I’m encouraging people to vote yes.’ ”

The plebiscite’s result is nonbinding, but will influence the next council vote on a Winter Games bid.

Mail-in ballots for the plebiscite were sent out this week. Advance voting is scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday.

“This is a great opportunity for Calgarians,” Calgary 2026 chief executive officer Mary Moran said. “This is $4.4 billion of investment coming into our community that should be taken very seriously.”

It appeared a bid was headed for the ditch Tuesday when a councillor complained of the lack of a Games funding agreement between the city and senior governments.

But Calgary 2026 presented a revised financial plan to council on Wednesday. The federal and Alberta governments have agreed in principle to the plan.

Under the plan, the estimated cost of hosting the 2026 Games was reduced by $125 million to a total of $5.075 billion.

A pro-Olympic rally drew dozens of red-clad supporters to the steps of city hall before council met. Those who didn’t make it into chambers sat in chairs and watched proceedings on a screen outside the doors.

But a Canadian Taxpayers Federation representative was dismayed the bid wasn’t abandoned Wednesday.

“The CTF will be continuing to educate the public on why the Olympic bid is just not a good choice for Calgarians,” said Alberta director Franco Terrazzano.

Calgary 2026 dropped the required public investment from $3 billion to $2.875 billion.

The Alberta government’s commitment remained at $700 million, while the federal government would provide a total of $1.453 billion.

“We support the Calgary Olympic bid,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Ottawa. “Calgary is a world-class city. It would be great to host the Olympics in Canada, but obviously, the ultimate decision is up to Calgarians and Albertans themselves.”

The city was asked to contribute $390 million, which includes $20 million to pay the premium for a $200-million insurance policy against cost over-runs.

Calgary 2026 has said $1.1 billion in contingency funds are built into the draft host plan to mitigate financial risk and that the $200 million in insurance is included in that figure.

Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. Venues built then and still in use are the foundation of a second bid.