Former Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson was unveiled as the volunteer head of a 17-member committee "tasked with examining if it makes sense for Calgary to bid on the 2026 Olympic Games," according to Annalise Klingbeil of the CALGARY HERALD. In June, Calgary city council voted in favor of spending up to C$5M ($3.8M) to "form an exploration committee to examine the costs, benefits and feasibility of bringing the Winter Olympics back to Calgary." Hanson said that the group will "embark on a fact-finding mission, so Calgary’s elected leaders can make an informed decision about a possible Olympic bid." He said, "Our work does not presuppose an outcome. Our success as a committee is not about if we move forward or not (with a bid)" (CALGARY HERALD, 9/19). In Toronto, Donna Spencer reported Calgary was the host city of the 1988 Winter Olympics. In its pitch to council, the Calgary Sport Tourism Authority "offered up a price tag" of C$5.3B ($4B) to host the 2026 Winter Games, which would be less than the $7.7B of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said that she will "wait to see what funding proposals the committee comes up with and review them." Notley added that the province has "earmarked a lot of money to improve Alberta's infrastructure, but the need is already greater than the money available" (THE GLOBE AND MAIL, 9/19).
