A report on money from the provincial government shows nearly $30 million of the promised $97 million to host six FIFA World Cup games has been eaten by fees for everything from security to ‘beautification’ of transit stations.
To host six World Cup games in Toronto the cost is $380 million. $97 million is supposed to come from the province, but a new report on hosting the games says the service costs, which are still being negotiated, have eaten a third of the promised funding.
“We’ll have to find 40 million dollars of cuts to the whole FIFA budget unless someone can give us the 40 million, it’s almost 1% of property tax increase which I don’t want to do,” said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.
Some of those service costs include the Ontario Provincial Police, and security which are budgeted for $14 million. Another $15 million is budgeted for hospitals, paramedics, and public health. $6.6 million is going to transportation services, management of highways, expanded service of GO trains and the beautification of GO transit stations.
“How does cleaning the GO station have anything to do with the World Cup?” said Chow.
Olivia Chow has been critical of the deal former Mayor John Tory struck to host the games but says in the end it will be worth it.
Defenders of the event point to reports that say there will be $1.3 billion in economic spin-offs for the province of Ontario.
