(Reuters) – The province of Alberta withdrew its support for a bid centred around Calgary/Edmonton to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games on Thursday, ending any chance of bringing the multi-sport showcase event back to Canada for its centennial.
The decision was another blow for the embattled Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) after Hamilton, which hosted the inaugural Games in 1930, suspended its bid and Australian state Victoria last month withdrew as host of the 2026 Games due to projected cost overruns.
The Alberta bid was scuttled for similar reasons.
“We promised to remain transparent with Albertans about the costs of hosting international sporting events and clearly demonstrating a return on our investment for the people and communities of Alberta,” wrote Mackenzie Blyth, press secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Sports Joseph Schow in an email to CBC.
“In the case of the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the numbers just didn’t add up for our government to commit taxpayer’s money with the games estimated to cost $2.68 billion.”
The Alberta government had committed up to $2 million and the city of Edmonton another $1 million to explore the feasibility of hosting the Games.
Commonwealth Sport Canada had said it expected to complete the feasibility study in August when a decision would be made on whether to submit a formal bid.
That decision has now been made for them.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek’s office said in an emailed statement to the CBC that without the support of the province the bid was finished.
“The provincial government’s decision to withdraw from Alberta’s 2030 Commonwealth Games bid process effectively terminates the bid and the City of Calgary’s participation,” the statement said.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, Editing by Ed Osmond)
