The government of Alberta withdrew its backing from a bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 as a result of rising costs. The province in Canada had thought about submitting a joint proposal for the events, focusing on Edmonton and Calgary. Joseph Schow, the minister of tourism and sports, claimed that the anticipated cost of £1.5 billion was “too high for the province to bear.” Therefore, Alberta withdraws its bid to host Common Wealth Games in 2030. Read more details below.
Alberta withdraws bid to host Common Wealth Games 2030
The decision is another setback for the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which has already suffered from Hamilton, Ontario suspending its bid, and Victoria, an Australian state, withdrawing as the 2026 host due to anticipated cost overruns. The only time the multi-sport Commonwealth Games have been postponed was during World War II, which happens every four years.
The 2014 event was conducted in Glasgow, and according to official estimates, the total cost was roughly £543 million ($691 million). The 2017 tournament was held in Birmingham after the CGF revoked the hosting rights of the South African city of Durban.
Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has stated that he would back a proposal for the city to host in 2026, but that the government would have to make the ultimate choice.
Commonwealth Sport Canada issued the following statement in response to Alberta’s decision to abandon its bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games:
“We believe the recent Victorian government decision to withdraw from the 2026 Commonwealth Games was a significant factor in Alberta’s decision, as well as an over-dependence on taxpayer support for the planning and delivery of the Games. Commonwealth Sport Canada deeply regrets the Alberta Government’s decision, but we respect their right to do so,” the organization said.
The city of Edmonton and the government of Alberta each paid $1 million to study the viability of hosting the Games.
The original schedule was for Calgary, Edmonton, the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Enoch Cree Nation to conduct competitions and events over 11 days in August 2030.
The Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek’s office reportedly informed the CBC through email that the campaign was terminated without the backing of the federal government.
The statement claimed that the provincial government’s decision to drop out of Alberta’s candidature for the 2030 Commonwealth Games “effectively terminates the bid and the City of Calgary’s participation.”
