Calgarians vote ‘no’ to bidding for 2026 Winter Games in plebiscite

“Today, I have to say, Calgarians won,” said Coun. Sean Chu, who was against a bid. (Photo: @frankyYYC/Twitter)

CALGARY — Calgarians have said ‘no’ to bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In a plebiscite asking citizens if they want to host a Winter Games again after the 1988 Winter Olympics in the city, 56 per cent of those who went to the polls cast a dissenting vote Tuesday.

“I believed in what the Olympic Games could do for our community, for our province and for our country,” bid corporation chair Scott Hutcheon said.

“I’m disappointed in the outcome, but I certainly respect the democratic process.”

Out of 767,734 eligible voters, 304,774 voted and 171,750 said “no.”

“Today, I have to say, Calgarians won,” said Coun. Sean Chu, who was against a bid.

The plebiscite’s result is non-binding on city council, which has the final say on whether Calgary proceeds with a bid.

The results won’t be declared official until Friday. Council is expected to address the results Monday.

While a firm ‘no’ vote Tuesday was definitive in terms of what action a nervous council will take, a ‘yes’ vote would have been subject to the decision of a group of people divided on 2026.

“I think it’s a very strong message,” said Daniel Gauld of the No Calgary Olympics organization. “I think city council is going to have to listen to that.

“The provincial and federal funding will not be forthcoming with this decision today. I think it would be political suicide if they didn’t shut down this bid, so I expect we’ll be seeing that, hopefully.

“But you never know. These people on the yes side, the boosters, are very motivated and they have a lot to lose.”

The venues from the 1988 games formed the foundation of a 2026 bid, for which Calgarians were asked to state their appetite.

Bid supporters and bid corporation Calgary 2026 people gathered at restaurant near the Saddledome to await the results Tuesday.

Several athletes there were devastated when the result was read out.

“I feel really heartbroken and disappointed,” said Helen Upperton, a silver medallist in bobsled. “I have a daughter who would be eight in 2026. I did this for her. My question to Calgary is now what? What is the big dream, what is the big idea?”

A bid was nearly scuttled before the plebiscite.

Ten votes out of 15 on council were required Oct. 31 for a motion to pass on abandoning the plebiscite.

Eight voted in favour of that motion which would have generated a cascade of other motions shutting down the bid.

Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi voted for continuing with a bid, saying the proposed host draft plan and budget was a good deal for the city.

The Alberta government made its funding of a bid conditional on a plebiscite and provided million to pay for it.

Calgary 2026 was led by Mary Moran, who came from Calgary Economic Development, and Hutcheson, a commercial real estate and former national-team skier.

The bid corporation’s mandate was “to promote a responsible bid.”

Calgary 2026 was hampered by the tardiness of what the cost-sharing agreement would be between the federal and provincial governments and the city.

An agreement that was supposed to be ready for public consumption mid-August wasn’t clear until Oct. 30.

In the estimated $5.1 billion price tag to host the games, the public investment ask was $2.875 billion and down from an initial $3 billion.

The province committed $700 million, while the Canadian government said it would provide $1.45 billion.

The city of Calgary was asked for $390 million, and was credited with the $150 million already committed to improving an area that would be a games hub.

Games revenues — tickets, merchandising, television rights, corporate sponsorships — would cover the remaining costs.

While no order of government offered to be a guarantor against debut, Calgary 2026 built $1.1 billion in contingency funds into its budget to mitigate financial risk.

“I think building a dream and articulating that with our social media today and a populist movement makes it more challenging,” Hutcheson said.

“With the right dream and with the right city and with the right program, the Olympics should bring lasting memories to a community and we weren’t able to do it this time.”

The International Olympic Committee invited Calgary, Stockholm and a joint Italian bid from Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo to be candidate cities for 2026.

The IOC will accept bids in early January. The election of the host city is in Lausanne, Switzerland, in June.

— Lauren Krugel contributed to this story.