Support for Vancouver 2030 Olympic bid now on the upswing: survey

Jul 5 2022, 7:44 pm

There is renewed public support for the idea of re-hosting the Olympic Winter Games in British Columbia in 2030.

According to a new Research Co survey conducted late last month, 54% of British Columbians believe Vancouver should bid to host the 2030 Games. This is up by 11% from a similar survey conducted in Fall 2021.

The level of public support is highest amongst younger groups — 61% ages 18 to 34. This is followed by 56% for ages 34 to 54 and 48% for ages 55 and over.

Regarding location, the highest support was 58% in the Fraser Valley, followed by 57% in Northern BC, 56% in Metro Vancouver, 52% in Southern BC, and 46% on Vancouver Island.

This latest survey was conducted just a week after the Canadian Olympic Committee and local Indigenous leaders released their potential 2030 Games concept, including the venue strategy of mainly reusing the venues and facilities of the 2010 Games.

The bid is being led by the Four Host First Nations — Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Lilwat — with the involvement of the City of Vancouver and Resort Municipality of Whistler. The councils of all six bodies are expected to decide whether the bid should proceed to the international competition stage with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) before the end of this year. The IOC is slated to decide on the host city in May 2023.

The same survey found that 23% of British Columbians are more likely to support the 2030 bid with the increased Indigenous participation in the process, while 44% say it does not affect their views and 18% are less likely to back the bid as a result.

Interestingly, the level of support for the theoretical idea of Vancouver bidding for the 2036 Summer Olympics and hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup is comparable to the support attained for the potential 2030 bid.

When it comes to bidding for the 2036 Summer Olympics, 48% of British Columbians are in support, with this figure rising to 58% for ages 18 to 34. There is greater overall support for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with 55% supporting Vancouver’s co-hosting of the men’s tournament, including 58% of ages 35 to 54.

Last month, FIFA officially announced Vancouver is one of 16 host cities in Canada, the United States, and Mexico for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

 

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