Question Period Note: Canadian Commonwealth Games Bids for 2026 and 2030

Hamilton 2026, a community-based bid group, is exploring the possibility of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Hamilton, Ontario. The international Commonwealth Games Federation worked exclusively with Hamilton 2026 and Commonwealth Sport Canada until the end of September 2020 to develop a proposal and budget estimates to secure government support for the event. On October 6, 2020, a Hamilton area MPP suggested that the Province of Ontario would not be in a position to support the 2026 Games.

• The Government of Canada is always pleased to see sport partners and communities show interest in hosting international sport competitions.
• The Government will base any decision on potential support for bids in accordance with its Hosting Policy and other financial considerations.
• Under the Hosting Policy the federal government’s contribution would be limited to up to 35 percent of the total event cost and up to 50 percent of the total public sector contribution.
• With respect to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Sport Canada has not received a formal request from the Hamilton 2026 Commonwealth Bid Corporation.

• Hamilton100, an incorporated community-based organization, submitted a Hosting Concept to Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG) – for the 100th anniversary of the Games, which were first held in Hamilton in 1930.
• The submission included the required provincial and municipal letters of support from the Mayor of Hamilton and Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
• The submission included an estimated budget of $1.45 billion. This was not a final budget, as it had not been assessed in detail or discussed by all orders of government and did not include costs for incremental government services.
• In March 2020, CSC named Hamilton as Canada’s Candidate City for the 2030 Games that it would put forward internationally against bids from other nations.
• With no potential host for the 2026 CWG, the international Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) requested that Hamilton100 pivot to hosting the 2026 edition; the request to do so means that Hamilton would have no international bid competition. The CGF also proposed that the 2026 CWG could be a scaled down version of the Games.
• Hamilton100 agreed to develop a proposal for the 2026 Games and has completed significant work on its proposal.
• On May 19, 2020, a Hamilton 2026 Commonwealth Bid Corporation (Hamilton 2026) was announced.
• On June 29, 2020, a letter from the CGF President to Hamilton 2026 was sent indicating that the CGF would continue to work exclusively with Hamilton 2026 to develop a proposal until the end of September 2020.
• If support is secured from all levels of government, the 2026 CWG are very likely Canada’s to host. It is not known if there would be any international competition if Canada were to bid for the 2030 CWG.
• Hamilton 2026 has completed significant work on a proposed plan to host the 2026 Games. It is anticipated that this plan will be available to governments for review and decisions, in the coming weeks.
• Media reports indicate that the 2026 Games budget is scaled down, with an estimated cost of $1 billion, plans for a reduced investment from the City, regionalized infrastructure, and an affordable housing legacy.
• To date, Sport Canada has not received a hosting concept or budget estimate specific to the Hamilton 2026 CWG. Both the Canadian Soccer Association and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have expressed concerns that pursuing a 2026 Commonwealth Games would reflect negatively on Canada because it could be perceived as a sign of diminished support for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and that supporting another major event in Canada in the summer of 2026 could negatively impact Montréal, Toronto and Edmonton’s chances of being selected by FIFA to host matches.
• On October 6, 2020, a number of media reported the MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook indicating that the Province would not be able to support the 2026 Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
• CSC confirmed that the Ontario Premier and Hamilton Mayor met on October 6, 2020; the outcome of that meeting is unknown at this time.
• Hamilton 2026 was expected to present their hosting concept and budget estimates to Hamilton City Council on October 7, 2020.
• Hosting a major international sport event in Canada often requires a substantial federal commitment. Federal support may include direct funding to the host society for capital and essential federal services costs, funding towards impacts and legacies, and the provision of essential federal services.

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