The Calgary 2026 bid book has been published following a freedom of information request by CBC ©Calgary City Council/CBC

The City of Calgary has published a redacted version of the bid book for its failed candidacy for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games following a freedom of information request from a Canadian broadcaster.

CBC News has published a copy of the book, the first time it has been made public since Calgary's bid for the Games collapsed after the city's residents voted against it in a referendum in November 2018.

Calgary City Council then dissolved the bid corporation following the plebiscite defeat, which left Stockholm-Åre and Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo as the only two candidates to host the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Milan-Cortina was awarded the Games at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Lausanne in June 2019.

The Calgary 2026 bid book, according to CBC News, contained plans to involve indigenous people but did not have a confirmed venue for curling, one of the most popular sports in Canada.

Calgary, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 1988, had planned to use venues in other areas of Canada, such as Canmore/Kananaskis and Whistler.

A redacted version has been released by the city, which had previously refused to do so.

A freedom of information request submitted by CBC News was initially rejected by the city, before the broadcaster appealed.

Calgary's bid did not make the vote at the IOC Session in 2019, where the Games were awarded to Milan-Cortina ©Getty Images
Calgary's bid did not make the vote at the IOC Session in 2019, where the Games were awarded to Milan-Cortina ©Getty Images

The province's information and privacy commissioner had agreed to look into the issue before the city decided to release the bid book before a ruling was made.

Mary Moran, who led the now defunct Calgary 2026 Bid Corporation, told CBC News that she was unaware of the reason behind the city's refusal to release the book.

"There's also commercially sensitive information particularly as it relates to venues, so that might be one thing," Moran said.

A report tabled at the City Council just days before the IOC Session voted to award Milan-Cortina the 2026 Games showed Calgary's failed bid had cost CAD$16.3 million (£9.4 million/$13.1 million/€11 million).

Calgary's referendum defeat marked a considerable blow to the IOC, which has since initiated widespread changes to its bidding process for the Summer and Winter Olympics.

The Canadian city was the last to withdraw from the 2026 race, blighted by plebiscite losses and candidates pulling out of the running.

Calgary had also announced plans to bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games but was turned down as Canada's preferred candidate in favour of Hamilton.

To read a copy of the bid book click here.