Another major sporting event could be coming to Greater Moncton after city council voted to support a bid for the 2021 Francophone Games.
Moncton Stadium, which recently hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup, would be the centerpiece for the Francophone Games if Moncton were selected to host the event in 2021.
“There would be a lot of facilities in play, but certainly having the infrastructure available to us to host these Games would be a great advantage,” says Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc.
The province is fronting the bid, with Moncton and Dieppe being host cities. The only group not yet officially on board is the federal government.
“Well, I believe the federal government would probably play a financial component in that,” says local MP Robert Goguen.
Moncton City Council has also decided to move ahead with its application to the Capital Borrowing Board for the $95.4 million needed to build an arena downtown – a venue that would play an important role in the games.
“Yes, it was a very important step, and frankly, if the motion had not passed today, then that would have been the end of the project,” says LeBlanc.
If the bid is successful, local businesses can bank on receiving some of the $22 million in economic spinoffs from the event.
“I think this is what encourages development, additional development in our downtown, so it’s very important to know the figures,” says Ann Poirier Basque of Downtown Moncton Centre-ville.
The Games are always held the summer following the Olympics. The first Francophone Games were held in Morocco in 1989, while the next Games will be held in Cote d’Ivoire.
Around 3,000 athletes from 60 countries will participate in the event. The Games were last held in Canada in 2001, when Ottawa and Gatineau played host.
The selection committee will choose between three cities bidding for the 2021 Games. Their decision is expected in the fall of 2016.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jonathan MacInnis
