WADA decides to stay in Montreal

OTTAWA The World Anti-Doping Agency is keeping its headquarters in Montreal until at least 2031.

Officials in the federal Transport Department made the announcement Wednesday.

It came after a proposal put forth to the International Olympic Committee agency in Seoul by Transport Minister Marc Garneau, Quebec International Relations Minister Christine St-Pierre and Hubert Bolduc, head of Montreal International.

The province of Quebec and the federal government are also promising to contribute a joint amount of $3 million a year to the organization over 10 years.

The Canadian Olympic Committee applauded WADA’s decision Thursday to remain in Montreal, which was first chosen as the site of WADA’s headquarters in 2001.

“We are happy to see how fruitful these negotiations have been,” said Chris Overholt, the COC’s CEO and secretary general. “We will continue our commitment as WADA partners to be world leaders in the fight against doping in sport. We firmly believe that we are embarking on a new era of international sport, one anchored in clean and ethical competition.”

The federal and Quebec governments reportedly offered WADA generous tax incentives to settle in the Canadian city, including millions of dollars in contributions to the agency as well as income-tax exemptions for non-Canadian employees.

The Montreal headquarters employs about 85 people.