Yellowknife councillors vote 'No' to hosting Canada Winter Games

The 2023 Canada Winter Games will not be coming to Yellowknife now that councillors have voted unanimously not to pursue a bid.

The vote came despite a last-minute show of support from several sports organizers, and even the N.W.T.'s minister of Finance.

"This is an incredible opportunity, one that we need to take advantage of," Robert C. McLeod told councillors Monday night.

The N.W.T. government had already committed to pay for 70 per cent of the proposed athlete's village, but McLeod admitted Monday, the expense would need to go through the budget process.

Councillor Linda Bussey wondered how the city could be sure that MLAs from across the territory would support a large cash injection to the capital.

In the end, that was just one of many uncertainties cited bycouncillors.

Big risk, small population

Bussey also cited concerns about getting sponsorship during an economic downturn, and the prospect of competing with the local tourism industry during peak aurora season.

Coun.Adrian Bell pointed out several costs that weren't fully considered in the report by a committee tasked with the games' feasibility study, including inflation and potential cost overruns.

He also wondered why the committee assumed the costs of doing business in the North would only be 10 per cent higher than in southern Canada, when the N.W.T. government's own business incentive policy puts that figure at 15 to 20 per cent.

"No one has calculated such a big risk with such a small population when it comes to the games," Bell said. "If we're wrong, and I think it's already clear that there are some things that we didn't take a look at, then it's going to have big implications for taxpayers."

No 'overwhelming support'

Councillor Shauna Morgan who, early on, had pledged to keep an open mind about the games said hosting themwould be a stretch, even at the best of times.

"We could do itif there was overwhelming support by Yellowknifers," she said, "but I haven't seen that, I haven't heard that overwhelming support."

Instead of working towards a grand spectacle seven years in the future, Morgan said she'd rather see the city working towards more athletics and sporting events now, and not just focussing on competitive athletes.

Bussey agreed.

"Hosting smaller scale, but many events that draw smaller numbers of people asthe Canada Winter Games, on a frequent and recurring basis, will help the city continue to develop its capacity to host larger scale events."