Canadian Olympic leaders courting Mayor John Tory’s support for a 2024 bid

TheStar.com
Aug. 12, 2015
Jennifer Pagliaro

Canadian Olympic leaders and people hopeful that Toronto could host its first-ever Summer Games in 2024 are courting Mayor John Tory to jumpstart the bid process.

It’s believed Tory is poised to sign off on putting Toronto’s name in the ring, following a successful Pan Am Games and with new relaxed rules handed down by the International Olympic Committee.

But the mayor continued to have many questions about the process as he met with Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) president Marcel Aubut and Toronto’s 2008 Olympic bid organizer, Bob Richardson, at city hall on Tuesday.

Richardson, a well-connected Liberal credited with bringing in all three levels of government support for Toronto’s unsuccessful 2008 bid, was also co-chair of Tory’s successful mayoral bid this past fall and is one of his long-time advisors.

Tory’s office confirmed the meeting, saying he was “briefed on the changes to the bid process” recently announced by the International Olympic Committee and also given background on previous Toronto bids.

“This is part of the consultation and due diligence the mayor committed to undertake,” said his spokesperson, Keerthana Kamalavasan.

But she said Tory has yet to make any decision on whether to sign his name — and sign up Toronto — ahead of a Sept. 15 deadline.

To be considered as part of a bid process, each potential host city must first send a letter expressing interest, along with a $150,000 (U.S.) fee, being promised in Toronto’s case by the COC.

Kamalavasan said Tory is committed to seeing the Parapan Am Games through to their wrap-up this weekend before he comments on the Olympic bid.

“Any further discussion about a possible Olympic bid would take place after the close of these Games,” she said.

COC spokesperson Carl Vallée said Toronto “could truly benefit from this new era for bidding and hosting the Olympic Games.”

He said president Aubut is committed to advocating for a Toronto bid.

“He also said he would be in close contact with all levels of government as we move closer to the Sept. 15 deadline, especially the mayor of Toronto,” Vallée said.

Several questions remain for government leaders and bid hopefuls about whether Toronto can launch a successful bid supported by Toronto residents.

But the relaxed IOC rules are believed to significantly reduce the cost of a bid, which in the past has been estimated at upwards of $75 million. In the past, the federal and provincial governments, along with the private sector, have funded a bid.

A source told the Star that longtime sponsor RBC was considering not participating in a potential 2024 Games, which the company tried to dispel.

“As the longest-standing sponsor of the Canadian Olympic Team, we are proud to support our athletes and the Canadian Olympic Committee. Until a formal bid for the 2024 Olympic Games is submitted, we will not provide any further comment,” spokesperson Jackie Braden said.

Among the cost concerns is whether existing Pan Am and Parapan Am venues could be repurposed for the Summer Games, which in the past have hosted twice their capacities.

Of chief concern is whether expensive, major builds for the Pan Ams such as a velodrome in Milton, at a cost of $56 million, and a major aquatics centre in Scarborough, at $205 million, can be reused — something it appears the new rules would allow.

Vallée said the relaxed IOC rules would encourage “in a financially sustainable way — the use of existing facilities in communities surrounding the host city.”

Also important is where and how Toronto might host the opening and closing ceremonies, which are usually held in a stadium twice the size of the Rogers Centre. It’s possible Toronto could opt to build a temporary stadium to host those milestone events.

It’s believed that much of the 2008 bid plan, which would have led to accelerated redevelopment of the industrial Port Lands area to host a new stadium and athlete’s village, could be repurposed for a 2024 bid.

If Toronto commits to a bid process, organizers would be under significant pressure to put together what’s known as a bid book and campaign, detailing the design and impact of the Games in this city, in competition with Paris; Rome; Hamburg, Germany; and Budapest, which are already planning their bids.