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Calgary 2026 Olympic Games bid survives city council vote on plebiscite

The estimated cost of hosting the 2026 Games was reduced by $125 million
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Mayor Naheed Nenshi instructs Calgary City council on motions to kill the 2026 Winter Olympic bid and cancel a Nov. 13 plebiscite on whether it should proceed, in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

A potential Calgary bid for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games survived a city council vote Wednesday, when a motion leading to the cancellation of an upcoming plebiscite did not pass.

Ten votes out of 15 on council were required to abandon the Nov. 13 plebiscite asking Calgarians if they want to host the games or not. Eight voted in favour of reconsidering the plebiscite.

It appeared the possibility of a bid was headed for the ditch Tuesday when a councillor said there wasn’t a financial agreement between the federal and provincial governments and the city to fund the games.

RELATED: Ottawa, Alberta reach agreement on funding proposal for Calgary 2026 Olympic bid

But the bid corporation Calgary 2026 presented a revised financial plan, which the Canadian and Alberta governments agree to in principle, to council Wednesday.

The estimated cost of hosting the 2026 Games was reduced by $125 million to a total of $5.075 billion.

RELATED: Calgary city council to vote on killing bid for 2026 Winter Games

Mail-in ballots for the plebiscite were mailed out earlier in the week. Advance voting is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Canadian Press

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