Majority of Torontonians support 2024 Olympic bid: poll

TORONTO – The success of the Pan Am Games in Toronto is seemingly intensifying support in the city for a 2024 Olympic bid.

A new poll released by Forum Research shows 61 per cent of respondents would support the Summer Games in Toronto while 30 per cent oppose and 9 per cent don’t have an opinion.

Support for the bid is highest among those under 35 years of age at 73 per cent and the least (43 per cent) for those surveyed aged 65 and above.

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“There’s a warm halo emanating from the Pan Am Games right now, and it would appear citizens no longer fear the potential congestion and cost of an Olympics,” said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff in a media release.

“The young remember Vancouver as being a big party, so they aren’t afraid of the impact, either. It’s the oldest citizens who are the least reluctant to embrace the idea.”

The telephone poll of 755 people also found that 52 per cent would vote for a city councillor who supported an Olympic bid compared to 26 per cent who would not.

Mayor John Tory said on Monday he is taking a cautious approach to a potential bid and wants to “let the dust settle” from the Pan Am Games before making a decision.

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The deadline for cities to register their interest with the International Olympic Committee is Sept. 15, with the winning city to be chosen in 2017.

Canadian Olympic Committee president Marcel Aubut said Sunday his office will “lead and advocate for Toronto’s candidacy for the 2024 Olympic Games.”

Toronto has officially bid and lost twice, most recently for the 2008 Summer Games.

The Forum Research poll was conducted on July 26 with a margin of error of +/- 4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

With a file from Adam Miller and The Canadian Press