Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

While most will agree the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games was an overall success and good for the City, Alberta and Canada, the bidding cost alone for the 2026 Games will be at least $30 million and the expenses for hosting the Games if Calgary is chosen, could top $8 billion, including interest, considering all three levels of Government are running deficits – hosting the 1988 Games cost less than $1 billion and turned a profit. The Alberta and Federal Governments have made their contribution to the 2026 Calgary Olympics conditional on a Nov 13, 2018 City of Calgary plebiscite. The non-binding plebiscite will offer two choices – for or against Calgary hosting. There are other key points to be sorted out as the City can’t rely completely on its 1988 Winter Olympic infrastructure – a new hockey arena and other facilities are needed – and there are still questions about hosting some events outside of Calgary – possibly Whistler, B.C., and Edmonton. While hosting the 2026 Olympics and Paralympic Winter Ga