Although Canadians are very proud of the country’s accomplishments in the Olympics, most don’t want to see Canada host the Games again, new data from the Angus Reid Institute shows.
Canada has had an undeniably successful summer games, earning an impressive 23 medals thus far with more to come. Canada’s top achievements in the Paris 2024 Olympics include swimmer Summer McIntosh’s three gold medals and the matching gold medals earned by Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers in the men’s and women’s hammer throws.
Nine in 10 (87 per cent) of Canadians are proud to watch the Olympics, with about half (52 per cent) reporting they are interested in watching the games.
But only 31 per cent would want to see the closest major city to them bid to host the Games, with 69 per cent against hosting.
Why? Most Canadians (79 per cent) say that the financial cost outweighs the benefits, and it would not be worth it.
The Paris Olympics will reportedly cost more than $10 billion USD to host. Similarly, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics cost between $7 and $9 billion CAD.
Interestingly, 69 per cent of respondents said that the Olympics “have become more about corporate sponsorships and commercialism than the athletes and competitions themselves.”
This is underlined by the women’s soccer scandal, in which the team was discovered using drones to spy on an opposing team.
Canada Soccer received a six-point penalty. Head Coach Bev Priestman, assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi were sent home by the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Canadians are divided on whether this punishment was fitting, with 33 per cent deeming it fair, 30 per cent labelling it “a little too harsh” and 20 per cent reporting the punishment “way too harsh.”
Some 78 per cent of respondents agree that scandals like this have taken attention away from athletic achievements at the Olympics. Most Canadians have heard about this scandal.
The players have denied involvement in the spying scandal, and Canadians agree, with 53 per cent blaming the coaching staff and 43 per cent blaming Priestman specifically.
