Survey shows: Most Canadians believe the financial costs of hosting the Olympic Games outweigh the benefits
Although Canadians are very proud of their country’s achievements at the Olympics, most of them do not want Canada to host the Games again, new data from the Angus Reid Institute shows.
Canada has had an undeniably successful Summer Games, winning an impressive 23 medals so far, with more to come. Canada’s biggest achievements at the 2024 Paris Olympics include swimmer Summer McIntosh’s three gold medals, as well as corresponding gold medals won by Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers in the men’s and women’s hammer throw.
Nine in ten (87 percent) of Canadians are proud to watch the Olympics, and about half (52 percent) say they are interested in watching the Games.
However, only 31 percent would support the nearest major city applying to host the games, while 69 percent are against it.
Why? Most Canadians (79 percent) say the financial costs outweigh the benefits and it would not be worth it.
Hosting the Paris Olympics will reportedly cost more than $10 billion. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics cost between $7 billion and $9 billion Canadian.
Interestingly, 69 percent of respondents said the Olympics are “more about corporate sponsorship and commerce than the athletes and competitions themselves.”
This is underlined by the scandal in women’s football where the team was caught spying on the opposing team using drones.
Canada Soccer received a six-point penalty. Head coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi were sent home by the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Canadians are divided on the question of whether this punishment was appropriate: 33 percent think it was fair, 30 percent say it was “a little too harsh,” and 20 percent say the punishment was “far too harsh.”
About 78 percent of respondents agree that scandals like this one have diverted attention from athletic performance at the Olympics. Most Canadians have heard about this scandal.
The players denied any involvement in the spying scandal, and Canadians agree: 53 percent blame the coaching staff, 43 percent blame Priestman specifically.
