Despite his best efforts, Victoria 2022 Commonwealth Games bid committee chair David Black couldn鈥檛 convince B.C. Finance Minister Carole James that backing the city鈥檚 bid was a sound business idea.
The NDP decided that now is not the time to provide $400 million toward the cost of the Games,nor agree to cover any shortfalls that might arise out of staging this international multi-sportevent.
鈥淲hile we appreciate the energy and passion of the bid committee, we cannot make a commitmentto support the bid through direct finding, nor can we provide a financial shortfall guarantee,鈥滼ames said in a statement. 鈥淲e have analyzed the bid committee鈥檚 work and see that too manydetails remain unknown to fully understand the costs, obligations and risks associated withhosting such a large-scale event.鈥�
Black, a key member of Victoria鈥檚 1994 Games committee, had assembled a team of movers andshakers from the city to help bolster the bid. But in the end, the decision to support the bid camedown to timing and risk, he said.
鈥淚鈥檓 terribly disappointed,鈥� he said in an interview Thursday. 鈥淚 thought it was an enormousopportunity for Victoria and it really would help build the city.鈥�
He said he understood the position of the government and said James apologized when she calledto inform him of the decision. 鈥淣othing I said to her was going to change her mind.鈥�
James stated that the NDP were elected with 鈥渁 very clear set of priorities鈥� to make life moreaffordable for B.C. residents and add to long-term economic growth around the province. She saidthe government will consider future bid proposals 鈥渨hen there is more time to do the worknecessary to protect B.C. taxpayers from financial insecurity.鈥�
Among the question marks giving the province pause were the uncertainty of commitments fromthe federal and local governments, Games revenues, final venue locations and costs for securityand emergency response.
Black said when he initially spoke with B.C. party leaders John Horgan, Andrew Weaver and ChristyClark, all three supported the bid, subject to seeing the budget. 鈥淭hings change,鈥� Black said. 鈥淚don鈥檛 know where the Liberals would have been today 鈥� but the last thing [Liberal] sport ministerSam Sullivan did was to send off a letter saying they were in support.鈥�
With the bid for the 2022 Games now sunk, Black doubted that Victoria would see anotheropportunity 鈥渋n our lifetime.鈥�
While James stated that she expected that B.C. communities will consider bidding for futureGames, such as the 100th anniversary in 2030, Black said that unlikely to happen.
The 2026 Games are not a possibility for Victoria according to Sport Canada, he said. And thecountry鈥檚 2030 Games bid will likely come from the City of Hamilton if they choose to do so, asthe first British Empire Games 鈥� the predecessor of the Commonwealth Games 鈥� were held there in1930.
