Tory appoints panel to study future bids for international events

TORONTO – Mayor John Tory has assembled an Olympic-inspired panel to give the city advice on how and whether to bid to host international events.

“Cities that host international events can generate great civic pride and accelerate investment, but they also face significant costs,” Tory said in a statement released Friday announcing the city’s Event Bidding and Hosting Strategy.

The three-person panel will be chaired by former RBC CEO Gord Nixon and include Civic Action CEO Sevaun Palvetzian and Saad Rafi, CEO for Toronto’s Pan/Para Pan Games in 2015.

The release says the panel will consult with council and determine the risks and benefits of hosting international events and make recommendations to ensure Toronto can win bids.

“I am confident that Gord, Sevaun and Saad will help determine the appropriate opportunities for Toronto through their deep understanding of Toronto’s civic, financial and sport landscapes,” Tory’s statement reads.

The success of Toronto’s Pan Am games this summer prompted many to wonder whether Toronto should bid for the 2024 Olympic games.

Tory said in September Toronto won’t throw its hat in the ring.

But he did promise to form a committee to give the city advice on whether to bid on similar events in the future, and how to do it.

READ MORE: ‘Time was against us’: Mayor Tory on dismissing Toronto Olympic bid

The panel will report back to the Mayor and members of council in February with a list of possible events to host over the next 10 years.