Nenshi optimistic province, feds will back Calgary Olympic bid

Mayor Naheed Nenshi is feeling a lot more optimistic about the Olympic bid investigation process moving to the next stage than he thought he would be.

Council set a deadline of the end of the month to hear back from the province and federal government on whether they would support a bid.

Nenshi said both levels of government have shown an interest in funding a bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

“It may not be that a full cheque for the full amount will be cut in time for council’s deadline at the end of January, but I’ll remind you that the amendment that council passed didn’t say give us the full $10-million, it said give us evidence of financial participation and you know, I’m sure that will in fact happen between now and the end of the month,” he said.

Nenshi said, if the feds and province back a proposed bid, the city still has to make a final decision on whether to pursue it, which they will do in the coming months.