Photo: Government of British Columbia
Provincial Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Lisa Beare.
Officials of the Canadian Olympic Committee and four host First Nations were unwilling to admit on Friday that their bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics was over, despite the NDP government’s refusal to endorse any further Games. Olympics.
But, a few hours later, the office of Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, reiterated the decision announced the day before.
At a press conference at the BC Sports Hall of Fame, where exploration of the bid was originally announced last December, Squamish Nation council spokesperson Wilson Williams said stated that “our canoe is at a standstill at the moment”. Musqueam Indian Band Chief Wayne Sparrow hoped the NDP would do an about-face like it did with FIFA for the 2026 World Cup. After refusing to bid in 2018, the government New Democrats reopened negotiations in 2021, and BC Place was named the host venue last June.
Unlike FIFA, the International Olympic Committee does not have the luxury of time. He wants to start negotiations with bidders as early as December and decide on the 2030 host by next October. He originally wanted to name the host in May 2023. Salt Lake City and Sapporo, Japan remain in line.
A statement attributed to Beare said the COC had given a November deadline for a funding decision. The Cabinet decided it could not afford to approve spending time or money on other Games, “while there are many competing priorities and challenges to be addressed”.
“Cabinet carefully considered the proposal within these timelines before reaching the decision to decline our support for the 2030 bid, given the significant investment and risk involved,” Beare said in the statement. “I met virtually with the Host First Nations and the COC on Monday to share this decision with them on behalf of the cabinet, as I am the minister responsible for sport. I understand that the Nations are disappointed with this process and for that, I am truly sorry.
COC President Tricia Smith said the bid team wanted one more chance to make its case with provincial and federal officials.
“That’s all we’re asking, let’s go to a room,” Smith said. “If it doesn’t make sense in the end. I’m with everyone around the table here, it doesn’t make sense and we’re not moving forward.”
She said the reconciliation-themed bid was based on the revitalization of the 2010 Games venues, except for the construction of new athletes’ villages which could have provided much-needed social housing stock.
Williams hasn’t ruled out regrouping to bid for the 2034 Games, but Smith said there will be more competition. Germany, the country of origin of IOC President Thomas Bach, has already announced that it is studying a candidacy for winter 2034 or summer 2036. While Salt Lake City is in the running for 2030, it had expressed its preference for 2034 because Los Angeles already hosts the summer of 2028 Games.
Beare’s predecessor, Melanie Mark, had commissioned a business case from the COC and the four host First Nations in mid-August. A government source who reviewed the most recent version said it fell short of expectations because many questions remained unanswered and suggested municipalities take on more costs than originally expected.
There were also differences between what the feasibility team made public in July and what was on the desks of politicians and their staffs earlier this month.
For example, July estimates indicated that the 2030 Games would cost taxpayers between $1 billion and $1.2 billion to help pay for venues, villages and security. The organizing committee, funded by broadcast rights payments, sponsorship, ticket sales and merchandise, would be responsible for $2.5 billion to $2.8 billion to plan and stage the Games.
The latest version of the budget, however, indicated that $1.309 billion would be needed from taxpayers, plus $384 million for contingencies, for a total of nearly $1.7 billion in public funding.
The new budget also included $150 million for legacy endowment funds and $277 million in in-kind land contributions from First Nations and municipalities. The grand total: $2.12 billion, which was estimated to be worth $2.715 billion by 2030.
The federal government was asked to pay a 50% share of the state-funded portion and BC 35% plus a guarantee to cover any shortfall. Federal Sports Minister Pascal St-Onge said Thursday she respects B.C.’s decision because an Olympics would require approval from all levels of government.
The COC has proposed to reuse most of the Vancouver 2010 venues in Vancouver, Richmond and Whistler, with the exception of the Agrodome for curling, Hastings Racecourse for big air skiing and snow jumping and Sun Peaks resort near Kamloops for snowboarding and freestyle skiing. The proposal did not attach individual cost estimates for the site improvements, but did include long lists of needed and desired works.
The proposal released in June said the Vancouver Olympic Village could be built on MST Development’s Jericho or Heather land. But the last unpublished version offered a third option, the former Liquor Distribution Branch warehouse on East Broadway near the Rupert SkyTrain station, just over 4 miles from the proposed Olympic Park on the Expo grounds. Pacific National.
The latest version of the bid also suggested that the Whistler Olympic Village could be built on the golf club driving range near Whistler Village or at Cheakamus Crossing near the 2010 Athletes’ Village.
The 2010 Games would have cost $8 billion, all inclusive. The true costs are unknown, as the Auditor General never did a study after the Games, the Organizing Committee was not subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the minutes of its board of directors administration and its financial records will not be publicly available at the city archives until fall 2025.
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