Item - 2008.EX26.6

The Government of Ontario, with the concurrence of the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Government of Canada, has indicated its interest in submitting a bid to hold the 2015 Pan Am and ParaPan Games in Toronto and the surrounding region.  The province has established a Bid Corporation to develop the bid.  A formal bid to host the Games must be submitted to The Pan American Sports Organization (PASO), which owns the rights to the Pan American Games, in April 2009.  To comply with bid protocols, a host city must be named in the bid.  This report seeks Council agreement in principle for the City of Toronto to be identified as host city as part of a bid to be submitted by the Bid Corporation to host the Games.

As the process to develop, submit and win a bid to host the Games proceeds through all of its stages, it is contemplated that the roles, responsibilities, obligations and benefits of all parties involved will be identified in a series of formal agreements.  The first such agreement is a Bid City Agreement between the Canadian Olympic Committee, the City of Toronto, The Province of Ontario and the Bid Corporation.  This Agreement will identify the City of Toronto as the Bid City and will set out the roles and responsibilities of all the parties involved in the development of the bid.   There will be no financial implications for the City as a consequence of entering into a Bid Agreement.  As this Agreement paves the way for subsequent activities, it must be signed by the end of January 2009.  This report seeks Council authority to enter into a Bid City Agreement.

A more detailed Multi-Party Agreement in June 2009 will identify a venue strategy and all commitments, obligations and benefits for contributors to a Toronto regional Pan Am Games (whether through funding or in-kind support).  A Council mandate to enter into the Multi-Party Agreement will be sought in February 2009, when the City Manager will bring forward a detailed report on aspects of the bid affecting Toronto including a venue plan and analysis of the financial, social, economic and infrastructure implications for the City.

There are no immediate financial implications, other than staff resources, with respect to proceeding with the bid to host the Games as outlined in this report.  The City of Toronto will not be required to contribute to the cost of bidding for the Games.

The City of Toronto may elect to build new sport and recreation facilities which will be utilized by the Games in order to leverage Federal and Provincial sport infrastructure funding.  Federal and Provincial sport capital funding is available only for capital projects that will be used for the Games. 

There are no capital projects in the 2009 Capital Budget that have any implications for a Games bid.  If any new or enhanced sports or recreation capital projects are proposed they will be put forward in the 2010 Capital budget.

A full report on the potential financial implications for Toronto of hosting the Games, should the bid be successful, will be presented to Council in February 2009 upon the development of a more specific sports venue and infrastructure plan.

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.