Calgary city council voted 13-2 on Monday against a motion to hold a plebiscite, which would put the question of whether to bid on the Olympics to a public vote.
It comes after the Calgary Bid Exploration Committee (CBEC) announced it could not say with certainty whether the city should bid on the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The majority of councillors said a plebiscite in October would be premature as there isn’t enough information for the public to make an educated decision.
Councillor Brian Pincott went one step further, claiming council would be skirting responsibility by passing off the decision to the public.
“You can’t just hide behind a plebiscite whenever it’s controversial or difficult or you don’t want to put your name on the line and upset somebody. Let’s actually have the balls to do what we’re hired for,” Pincott said.
CBEC returned to council on Monday with a report that recommended further examination. It was meant to be a final report answering the question of whether Calgary should bid on the Games.
READ MORE: Most Calgary voters support 2026 Olympic bid: poll
However, in light of the changes the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made in mid-July to bid processes and timelines, the committee said it needs more time to deliberate. It added the IOC has yet to announce its new host city requirements, which will be critical to any decision.
CBEC said the question of whether Calgary “could” bid on the 2026 Winter Games is answered with a “yes.” The task at hand is determining whether the city “should” bid.
“We have a history of doing it right,” CBEC chair Rick Hanson said. “We have done our homework to know what needs to be done in the future. We know what success looks like, but we also know that conversation with the IOC is absolutely essential.”
Hanson said the IOC’s commitments to cost reduction need more study to ensure realistic cost estimates.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi agreed that council does not have all the information it needs in order to decide whether it should proceed with a potential bid.
“I would suggest that it is impossible for us to answer that question without really understanding the financial requirements. And we won’t understand the financial requirements until the IOC releases in draft a host city contract,” the mayor said.
READ MORE: $4.6B price tag for Calgary to host 2026 Winter Olympic Games
Council will review the administration’s analysis of the report next week before it decides if another report should be put to council on Sept. 11, as the committee recommended.
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