RECAP: 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Meeting – July 17

Recap
These blog posts are meant to help inform and provide updates on The City’s role in exploring a potential bid for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (OPWG). They share the highlights of the process, including how we’re evaluating the risks and benefits of hosting the 2026 OPWG, sustainability, the make-up of a bid submission and cultural planning. Please check calgary.ca\olympicbid or the Olympic Blog Series for more information. 
As it becomes available, we will share engagement opportunities and how you can participate in the conversation. 
Agenda

The 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (OPWG) Assessment Committee met July 17 to discuss:

  • City Secretariat update
  • Vote of the Electors 
City Secretariat update

The City Secretariat is a due diligence team of City of Calgary employees, ensuring citizens and Council are represented throughout the bid exploration process. The team is reviewing Calgary 2026’s business case, providing updates to the assessment committee, and supporting Council in assessing opportunities, risks and issues associated with a potential bid and hosting the 2026 OPWG. They also ensure the process is aligned with our city’s values, culture and vision.

Here’s the full presentation to assessment committee.

Work streams
The Secretariat has eight streams of work:

  • Planning, reporting and risk management: keeping Council informed and assessing risk and opportunities for The City
  • Programming: identifying social and community events and activities leading up to and during the OWPG, if Calgary was to host
  • Essential services: identifying actions needed to maintain the level of service for transportation, public safety, community living, etc. if Calgary was to host 
  • Communications: informing Council and engage citizens on the process of a potential bid
  • Legal services: protecting The City from risk;
  • Finance: determining the cost to The City of hosting 
  • Issue management: identifying issues and ensuring they can be resolved 
  • Research: conducting research to baseline and track citizen’s knowledge of the bid process, including communication and informational needs.

More details can be found in the report to the Assessment Committee.

Budget

The budget for the Secretariat work until September 2019, presented to the assessment committee, is $5.1 million. The funds come from The City’s Corporate Savings Program, meaning there are no new dollars required and there is no draw from City reserve funds.

Current priorities

The Secretariat is working on a number of priorities over the next few months:

  • Reviewing the Government submission
  • Negotiating a Multi-Party Agreement
  • Identifying programming and essential services requirements
  • Supporting the engagement program

Vote of the Electors (Plebiscite)

The assessment committee met in camera to discuss the Vote of Electors. Council will receive an update on July 30.

Committee meeting recaps

For more information about the bid exploration project, visit calgary.ca/OlympicBid.

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