According to the Toronto Star, Marcel Aubut, head of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and a member of the board of Directors of Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games, is open about Quebec bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
The Star reports that following Quebec’s failed bid for the 2002 Games, organizers have hired Populous, a U.S. strategy firm that helped Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Sochi 2014 win their bids.
Quebec City is hosting the annual SportAccord meeting next May to be attended by representatives of international sports federations and many International Olympic Committee (IOC) members who will have an opportunity to view the city and its attributes.
There is also talk of a 2024 Toronto Summer Games bid. Toronto unsuccessfully bid for the 1996 and 2008 Olympic Games. The Star reports Toronto 2024 backers hope to follow Rio 2016, host of a successful Pan Am Games in 2007.
As for the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games, the Toronto Star reports preparations have stalled under a lack of organization and expertise among senior management. There is less than four years to the Opening Ceremony.
Contracts have not yet been signed with the several Ontario municipalities involved, and several venue sites have yet to be decided on. The Star reports there are no announced sponsorships, no signage, no media partner, no public-service announcements, and as of Friday the official website has not been updated since early July. Also qualified people have left the organization.
