Feds kill Edmonton Expo bid
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A request from the City of Edmonton to the federal government for $706 million, excluding security costs, to support a bid for the 2017 World Expo has been denied.
Federal Heritage Minister James Moore rejected the funding request in a letter to Mayor Stephen Mandel.
Moore notes that the $706 million the city wanted from Ottawa didn't take everything into account and the true cost to the federal government could easily have eclipsed $1 billion.
He says that's a risk Ottawa is not prepared to take.
Estimates had pegged the total cost of Expo 2017 at $2.3 billion.
Without funding from the federal government, Premier Stelmach has reportedly said the city's bid for the Expo is dead.
Edmonton's Mayor, Stephen Mandel spoke to reporters on Monday afternoon, and was clearly upset about the announcement.
"This decision is frankly wrong and short-sighted." he said, his voice shaking. Mandel says Ottawa has shown interest and support for Edmonton's bid all along and says he is "flabbergasted" by the decision.
He went on to thank the team at the city who worked on the bid, saying they have done an incredible job.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is applauding the move.
“Citizens of Edmonton and the province of Alberta should be thanking the federal government showing leadership and saying no to a three-month party when governments at all levels are running deficits,” said CTF-Alberta director Scott Hennig in a news release. “The federal government is running up their debt at a rate of $124 million per day, to say yes to helping fund a $2-$3 billion party would have been reckless.”
