2030 Commonwealth Games back on Hamilton council’s radar

A Hamilton bid to host the Commonwealth Games initially pitched as a celebration of the event's 100th anniversary has come full circle.

The private group behind the idea was aiming for 2030 - a century after Hamilton presented the first edition - but then pivoted to 2026 and considered 2027.

A report before city councillors Wednesday presents steps ahead now that the team behind the pitch has reverted to its original plan for 2030 after a turbulent exploration of the other years.

Commonwealth Sport Canada has asked city staff to be part of a bid concept review committee.

Its goal would be to refine the proposal, including its vision and legacy, identify the required government services and investment and outline a timeline for next steps."

The committee would include representatives from Commonwealth Sport Canada, the federal and provincial governments, the city and the bid team, Hamilton 100. Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit and the Canadian Paralympic Committee are also invited.

The city's involvement in the committee, however, doesn't mean formal endorsement nor approval of any financial commitment" and no financial decision" is required at this stage, the report notes. After refinement, the city, provincial and federal governments would review a proposed bid.

In June 2019, council endorsed Hamilton 100's proposal to host the Games in 2030 to celebrate 100 years since the inaugural, then-named British Empire Games. But last summer, Commonwealth officials asked the local consortium led by PJ Mercanti, CEO of Carmen's Group, to pivot to 2026.

The switch was met with community support and backlash alike, a dynamic echoed on council with concerns over spending public dollars on the event, including concerns over the unpredictable COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the provincial government sounded the proposal's death knell, saying it wouldn't fund a 2026 Games.

Given the ongoing impact of the pandemic, we intend to preserve the 2026 focus on social impact, principally around affordable housing, and to work to increase significantly the degree of private sector engagement and investment around the hosting proposal beyond that contemplated in the original 2030 plan," Mercanti wrote in a letter to council last month.

Teviah Moro is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: tmoro@thespec.com