Calgary and Edmonton looking to host 2030 Commonwealth Games
The 2030 Commonwealth Games could come to Calgary and Edmonton.
On Wednesday, mayors of the two cities, Alberta’s Minister of Culture Jason Luan, and local Indigenous representatives joined organizational leaders in announcing the formal exploration of bidding for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in the province’s two largest cities.
The joint bid, dubbed Alberta 2030, would take over the Canadian bid after Hamilton’s initial leading bid folded when they were unable to meet Commonwealth Sport Canada’s deadline to secure government funding.
Hamilton had been considered a favourite to host the 2030 Games, having hosted the first edition 100 years earlier in 1930, then known as the British Empire Games.
A group of Alberta community builders have been at work on a potential bid for the past three years. They have been working with potential partners, venue operators, technical experts, and community advocates in order to approach a feasibility assessment and bid exploration.
The Calgary-Edmonton Games would be held over 11 days in August 2030, with competitions and cultural events shared between Calgary, Edmonton, Tsuut’ina Nation, the Bow Valley, and other Alberta communities.
“Hosting a major multi-sport event like the Commonwealth Games is a rare opportunity for significant transformational development of a community, region and country,” said Dr. Roger Jackson, President and CEO of the Alberta 2030 Commonwealth Games Corp.
“Our goal through this collaborative work is to build on Alberta’s successful sporting legacy to host a very cost-effective Games that are reflective of the values of all Canadians and will improve the lives of our citizens by delivering widespread impacts on the economy, arts and culture, tourism, education, sport, volunteerism, new and renovated sport facilities, and so much more.”
The Commonwealth Games are held every four years with competitors representing 72 nations and territories, all of which were at one point associated with the British Empire. The latest 2022 Games were held in Birmingham, England.
Commonwealth Games cost
While the costs for a potential joint bid between Calgary and Edmonton have not been announced, Edmonton mayor Amarjeet Sohi told media on Wednesday that the council had allocated $1 million to “help assist the big goal in exploring this project.”
Additionally, Luan says the Government of Alberta is investing $2 million in the Games exploration process, while Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek says her city would also chip in $1 million, bringing the total exploration phase funding to $4 million.
The Hamilton group projected the Games would cost a total of $1.1 billion.
Potential venues discussed
As for venues, the organizing committee is open to exploring options but suggested that Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium and Calgary’s McMahon Stadium could undergo upgrades to become Games suitable.
Construction 🔨 has officially begun for Edmonton's new Coronation Park Sports & Recreation Centre which will include the city's first indoor velodrome 🙌
The $156 million project is set to be completed by 2026! pic.twitter.com/5k4aBAkVQU
— Cycling Canada (@CyclingCanada) February 22, 2022
Edmonton’s new cycling velodrome, set to open in 2026, would also be a key venue. Additionally, lawn bowling would head to Edmonton, while a new fieldhouse could be constructed in Calgary. Lindsay Park Pool in Calgary could also host aquatic events.
“The important thing from our standpoint is how the communities are involved,” Jackson said. “Identifying what new projects that are a priority for them, and we will work with them to support the sports solutions conversations.”
Past Games experience helps Alberta 2030
Both cities have played host to major world events in the past, with Calgary hosting the 1988 Winter Olympics and Edmonton welcoming the Commonwealth Games in 1978. Edmonton’s last major sporting event was the 1983 FISU World University Games.
Although the Calgary 2026 Olympic bid didn’t go through after getting defeated in a plebiscite, there are hopes that a 2030 Commonwealth Games bid could succeed and even benefit the province.
Additionally, Gondek sees the Alberta 2030 approach far differently than the Calgary 2026 Olympic exploration.
With today's news that Calgary and Edmonton will explore the 2030 Commonwealth Games joint bid after Hamilton drops out, Sport Calgary's President and CEO, @Catrionald, has issued the below statement to support the Games coming to Alberta. pic.twitter.com/oBwIiWQwTg
— Sport Calgary (@SportCalgary) March 8, 2023
“There is a commitment of truth and reconciliation and working with Indigenous communities,” she said. “The fact that this is being community-led right at the beginning is a significant departure from what we saw with the Olympic bid.”
“I don’t know where it’s going to land through the exploration or whether it will require a plebiscite; it’s early days. I’m really hopeful now that people will see the value in this type of investment.”
An eventual official bid and moving forward with the project would be up to organizers, municipal councils and a provincial cabinet
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are set to take place in the state of Victoria in Australia, and will be the first held under a multi-city host model.
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