(ATR) Calgary 2026 supporters receive a boost a week ahead of the plebiscite that will determine if the 1988 Olympic city will stay in the race to host another Winter Games.
The town council of Canmore late Tuesday voted 6-1 in favor of the bid, as long as a funding agreement can be reached with the other levels of government that would help the town pay for the operational costs of the games in Canmore.
The council wants a two percent hotel tax to help raise revenue. Funding negotiations are ongoing between Canmore, the province of Alberta and the federal government.
The Canmore council also added an amendment requiring that all Olympic-related policing and security costs be covered.
Canmore, located about 65 miles (105 kilometers) west of Calgary, is proposed to host biathlon and cross country skiing. An athletes village for competitors in those events would be converted to 240 units of below-market housing after the Games. Canmore mayor John Borrowman says the affordable housing, which is in short supply in the town, was a major part of why he supports hosting the Games.
For the Paralympics, Canmore would host Para Nordic Skiing events as well as the medal ceremonies for all of the individual Paralympic sports.
Wednesday marks the second and final day of early voting in Calgary ahead of the November 13 plebiscite.
The Calgary City Council kept the bid alive last week, after an 11th-hour funding agreement was reached on how to pay for the public portion of the bid cost.
The federal government agreed to put in $1.423 billion in cash and the province of Alberta $700 million. Calgary is supposed to provide $370 million in cash, along with an additional $20 million to pay for $200 million in insurance to cover potential cost overruns.
Canada’s federal minister of sport said on Friday that the federal government would not be responsible for any cost overruns. The issue is just one of the details still to be worked out.
Calgary City Council has yet to begin deliberations on how to pay for its share. Eight of the 15 councilors voted to end the bid last week, two short of the two-thirds majority needed. It appears they are waiting to see if it survives the plebiscite before putting any more work into the process.
Written by Gerard Farek
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