UMVA has learned that Canada is set to shell out a staggering $1.066 billion to host 13 World Cup games in Vancouver and Toronto, a hefty bill that has left taxpayers reeling.
The federal government will foot the largest chunk of the bill, coughing up $473.2 million, while other levels of government will cover the remaining costs. This works out to a mind-boggling $82 million per game, a figure that has raised eyebrows among critics.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the costs associated with hosting the World Cup games are roughly in line with what was spent per game on previous tournaments. For comparison, Russia shelled out $79.6 million per game to host in 2018, while Brazil spent $90.9 million per game in 2014.
The federal government will allocate approximately $79 million for security costs, with a breakdown of $3.4 million for security screening at airports, $4.3 million for border security, and $3.6 million in preparation for the tournament. These numbers have sparked concerns about the financial burden on taxpayers.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the City of Toronto has earmarked $380 million for its six games, with operating costs totaling $236.4 million and capital costs coming in at $143.6 million. This includes funding for essential services like the Toronto Police Services, Toronto Emergency Management, Toronto Paramedic Service, and Toronto Fire Services.
The City of Vancouver, meanwhile, will spend a whopping $578 million on its seven games, a figure that has left some residents questioning the wisdom of hosting the tournament. As the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Mexico City, Canadians are bracing themselves for the financial fallout.
