Taxpayer concerns rise as FIFA World Cup costs hundreds of millions with limited benefits beyond Vancouver

Binda says the millions of dollars planned for the games should be spent on those in need instead.

“Folks living in the North, living in the Okanagan, living on the island, are going to be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on these games without seeing any benefit to them or their communities.”

Carson Binda

Canadian Taxpayers federation

Longtime MLA Shirly Bond is concerned the government lacks transparency and would like to see legacies from the World Cup in communities outside of Vancouver.

We reached out for a response from Victoria, but they refused an interview. Instead, we recived the following statement from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport:

Hosting the FIFA World Cup 26 – the world’s largest single sport event – is an amazing opportunity to support businesses, create jobs, and generate long-lasting benefits for people in our tourism sector and B.C.’s economy.

The FIFA World Cup 26 matches are more than just about going to the stadium to watch matches. These matches are expected to attract more than 350,000 soccer fans during the tournament and generate over $1 billion in visitor spending for B.C.’s economy from 2026 through 2031.

The awarding of an additional two matches represents a significant win for B.C. as it means more opportunity for increasing international visitation and economic benefits that will last for years after the event is over. This tournament provides an incredible opportunity to showcase our province to the world and attract more visitors to communities throughout B.C. Destination BC will be marketing all the Province has to offer to international audiences in the lead up to the FIFA World Cup.

We expect communities throughout the province will want to set up local celebrations and watch parties so there will be opportunities for people to participate outside of Vancouver.

The Province is committed to maximizing the economic benefits of these matches and making sure people in all regions of B.C. share in the benefits of hosting. We are currently working with our partners on our plan to create lasting legacies in communities throughout the province.

In 2022, approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide watched the FIFA World Cup final.

Email: Dave.Branco@pattisonmedia.com

TikTok: @DaveBrancoVJ

by Dave Branco

Taxpayer concerns rise as FIFA World Cup costs hundreds of millions with limited benefits beyond Vancouver

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