MONTRÉAL, QC – The Canadian Taxpayers Federation opposes the subsidy request from billionaire Stephen Bronfman’s Groupe de Montréal for his new stadium project.

“Quebec taxpayers shouldn’t have to spend a dime to help wealthy investors make money with a sports team,” said CTF Quebec Director Renaud Brossard. “And if Bronfman really wants a taxpayer-funded stadium, Montreal already has one of those.”

The Claridge Group, owned by Bronfman, has registered to lobby the Legault government on Monday to ask for a financial contribution as part of its baseball stadium project.

Three Major League Baseball stadiums have been built in the last decade: the Marlins Park (Miami), the Truist Park (Atlanta) and the Globe Life Field (Arlington). In American dollars, their construction has cost $630 millions, $672 millions et $1,2 billion respectively.

According to the IGM Economic Experts panel of the Chicago Booth School of Business, 83 per cent of economists agree that subsidies to build sports stadiums for professional teams cost more than they’re worth. Still according to this panel, only four per cent of economists believe it’s a good use of taxpayers’ money.

“The economic literature is clear: taxpayers lose their cash whenever they pay for new stadiums for professional sports teams,” said Brossard. “It’s not our responsibility to bankroll wealthy sports team owners with hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars only so they can make more money.”