Commonwealth Games Canada reveal support for Toronto 2024 after Mayor John Tory opts not to enter race

Commonwealth Games Canada claimed they supported Toronto's bid to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games ©CGC

Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) has revealed it supported Toronto’s potential bid to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games while stressing hosting the event is not essential to the sporting development of the nation.

The Canadian city were considering entering an intriguing race for the 2024 Games before Toronto Mayor John Tory confirmed they wouldn’t throw their hat into the ring due to dimming enthusiasm and concerns over costs.

Tory claimed he was “not saying no to the Olympics in Toronto - I'm saying not in 2024”, and his announcement followed speculation that the city would not bid, which surfaced on Monday evening (September 14).

Excitement in the region had risen due to its successful hosting of the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games, prompting CGC to claim that “you don't have to look to the Olympic Games when looking to positively impact a community in terms of civic pride, showcasing Canada's best athletes, infrastructure improvements and sporting legacies”.

Budapest, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome are the five cities in the race for the 2024 Games.

“Commonwealth Games Canada followed with interest the debate on the City of Toronto's potential bid for the 2024 Olympic Games,” a statement responding to Tory’s decision read.

“We supported the idea of bringing these Games to Toronto, as we continue to support Canada as a host for major international sporting events.”

CGC also reiterated their desire to host the Commonwealth Games in the future following Edmonton’s withdrawal from the race to stage the 2022 event, leaving eventual victor Durban as the sole candidate, due to concerns over oil prices in February.

Toronto was expected to be a candidate for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics before Mayor John Tory announced the city would not bid ©Toronto2024

The South African city was officially confirmed as the host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games at the recent Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly in Auckland.

Canada are also one of four countries interested in staging the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games with Edmonton, set to be a candidate for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the city put forward by the CGC.

Scotland, the Bahamas and Botswana are also keen on the event after original host St Lucia pulled out at the CGF General Assembly, largely due to the lack of an established athletics track.

“Canada, as the first host of the Commonwealth Games in 1930 (then known as the British Empire Games) has also hosted three other editions of the Games in 1954, 1978 and 1994, and we look forward to hosting the Commonwealth Games once again in the near future,” the statement added.