CALGARY, AB: Today, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) officially announced its support for Stockholm’s bid for the 2026 winter games.

“Calgary doesn’t need to waste billions of tax dollars to be a great city,” said Franco Terrazzano, Alberta Director with the CTF. “Calgary households will save thousands of dollars if Stockholm gets the Olympics. So Calgarians should break out the brännvin and pickled herring and cheer on our friends in Stockholm.”

With no cost overruns, a Calgary household should expect to pay over $2,000 to host the 2026 Olympics. If Calgary 2026 experiences the same overruns as the 1988 Calgary Olympics, a Calgary household should expect to pay roughly $6,000 in additional taxes. If Calgary 2026 experiences the same cost overruns as the average winter Olympics, a Calgary household should expect to pay nearly $11,000.

The Stockholm city government wants to ensure that taxpayers will not be burdened by the winter Olympics. The chairman of the Swedish Olympic Committee said there will be no taxpayer funding for the operational cost of the games included within the Stockholm 2026 bid. The only financial guarantee would be for national security. Los Angeles’ 1984 Olympics was a financial success that was modeled around business funds.

“The Olympics needs a make-over, it’s time for the games to stop leaving taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars,” continued Terrazzano. “If the IOC wants to host a sporting event in Calgary, they should fund it 100 per cent without taking a cent from the taxpayer. If that was the case, we’d have been pleased to endorse Calgary’s bid. Sadly, it is not.”

The CTF is urging Calgarians to help make Stockholm’s bid for the 2026 Olympics successful by voting NO in the November 13 plebiscite.