Taxpayers Federations Calls on Toronto Executive Committee to Reject Calls for Bid on Expo 2025

TORONTO, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the City of Toronto Executive Committee to reject making a bid Expo 2025 at their meeting today. Mayor John Tory has not yet endorsed the bid, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed support.

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The last time Canada hosted an Expo event was in Vancouver in 1986. That event ran a $311 million deficit, and its original budget expanded more than ten-fold from $78 million to $802 million. Meanwhile, a report from the City Manager has painted a grim picture of Toronto’s finances. The city’s expenses have been rising faster than revenues, and the City Manager has proposed reduced spending in a number of departments. “In the same meeting that the Toronto Executive Committee will be discussing selling assets and the possibility of new fees and taxes, they are also discussing spending hundreds of millions of dollars to host a party that loses money. It makes no sense to consider a bid on the Expo. No wonder the city’s finances are a hot mess,” said CTF Ontario Director, Christine Van Geyn. The Expo has been promoted by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, who argues that the Expo would spur infrastructure spending from the provincial and federal government. “Infrastructure priorities should be based on need, not a single party like Expo. Responsible infrastructure spending means building essentials like roads, bridges and transit, not big bang events for the purpose of political legacy building. It might not be as flashy, but it makes a lot more sense than throwing $10 to $15 million away just to put together a losing Expo bid,” continued Van Geyn. Private industry has also offered to pay for a business plan looking at what is required to pursue a bid. “We don’t need vested interests paying for a business plan on what is needed to bid on the Expo. We already have the report from the City Manager that tells us everything we need to know: Toronto can’t afford to bid on or host the Expo,” concluded Van Geyn. Christine Van Geyn, CTF Ontario Director    

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