Toronto city hall and Queen’s Park are at odds over who will cover the costs of policing, transit, first responders and other services required for next year’s FIFA World Cup tournament.
One year out from the city’s hosting duties, a new financial conflict has arisen between the two levels of government — and Mayor Olivia Chow is threatening to slash the city’s budget for the event if it’s not resolved.
The Government of Ontario previously agreed to provide the city $97 million for the tournament, funds that are intended to support capital infrastructure expenses as well as cover the cost of extra provincial services the event will require, such as ramped up policing and increased GO Transit service.
However, a new report from Sharon Bollenbach, the executive director of Toronto’s FIFA Secretariat, warned these service costs are “substantially higher than budgeted, and in some cases completely unbudgeted,” meaning the $97 million from Ontario won’t cover everything the city expected it to.
Bollenbach’s report points to $39 million in services for the tournament that the city thought the province’s grant would cover but are now “in negotiation.”
Her list includes $15 million for Ministry of Health services, such as hospital surge capacity and paramedics; $14 million for Ontario Provincial Police services; $6.6 million to ramp up GO Transit service and security; $2.5 million for Ministry of Sport project management work and staffing; and smaller costs related to the FIFA Fan Festival and hosting foreign dignitaries.
Chow’s office described these service costs as “a much larger clawback than expected” and accused the province of making a “funding change.”
“Mayor Chow wishes to continue to negotiate with the province to free up those funds or will alternatively start looking to cut $40 million from the FIFA budget,” said her spokesperson Shirven Rezvany.
Hosting six FIFA World Cup games in Toronto is forecasted to cost $380 million, of which the city is paying $179 million. The federal government is chipping in another $104 million.
Premier Doug Ford’s government is adamant that $97 million is the most it will spend to help the city host FIFA.
“No more than the $97 million. We were clear up front. I'm clear today,” Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy told reporters at Queen’s Park on Wednesday.
Coun. Brad Bradford (Beaches-East York) warned that “financial mismanagement” at city hall could risk turning Toronto into a “laughing stock” on the world stage.
“We continue to keep getting surprised about the cost overruns, the delays associated with this project,” Bradford said of the FIFA tournament.
“I'm sure it'll be a fantastic event when it's here, but I don't want the city to be the laughing stock of the world from our mismanagement of this event, so I hope the mayor is successful in getting this back on course,” he told reporters Wednesday.
The hosting agreement with FIFA was signed in 2022 under former mayor John Tory.
Coun. Diane Saxe (University-Rosedale) called it a “terrible, terrible deal” that “was designed to leave the city on the hook with very few benefits.”
Tory “should wear it,” Saxe said, while also accusing Premier Ford’s government of rubbing salt in the wound by “refusing to pay its fair share.”
Chow’s spokesperson also threw shade at the former mayor, saying provincial and federal funding arrangements should have been secured by Tory before he signed a contract to host the FIFA games.
With files from Aidan Chamandy and The Trillium's Jessica Smith Cross
