ATR First: Toronto Ends 2022 Commonwealth Games Campaign

(ATR) City staff in Toronto tell Around the Rings that its 2022 Commonwealth Games bid will not be pursued any further.

The City Council approved the report by Toronto Economic Development and Culture general manager Mike Williams that exposed the risks associated with the bid including lack of funds, time, committed government support and community involvement on May 30.

Williams details these risks and the reasoning to abandon the bid in a 1,000-word report available here.

The approval by City Council means the report will not be on the July 5 agenda where it could have been put to a vote and the city will officially end its campaign to host the event.

"While it is possible to complete a bid on an expedited timeline by the end of August, the City does not currently have any resources in place to do so and would incur significant unbudgeted costs for third-party support to complete the necessary work," Williams writes.

The report followed an inspection visit by the Commonwealth Games Federation the previous week to the potential Canadian bid cities of Toronto and Victoria. Commonwealth Games Canada tells ATR it is disappointed in the report’s findings after the productive inspection visit.

"The Bid Briefing and Venue Tour portion of CGF's 2022 CWGs Bid Process went very well in Toronto, providing the information required for the City of Toronto’s Economic Development Committee to make a duly considered and informed decision," CGC chief executive officer Brian MacPherson tells ATR.

"Although disappointed with the City of Toronto’s Economic Development Committee’s report, CGC respects any decision the City of Toronto makes about a 2022 CWGs bid.

"CGC will continue to collaborate with the City of Victoria and BC Government about a possible 2022 CWGs bid."

The Commonwealth Games Federation has asked candidate cities to declare their intention to bid by early July and submit a formal bid proposal by the end of August. The CGF hopes to name a host city by the end of the year after the original host city – Durban, South Africa – was stripped of hosting rights in March.

The CGF is currently making the rounds to the other countries that have expressed interest in hosting the Games, including Australia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. The federation begins its three-day visit in Kuala Lumpur on May 31.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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