Briefly: FIFA confidentiality took precedence over taxpayers for 2026 bid.
Bob Mackin
Civic bureaucrats in Vancouver got cold feet in spring 2022 and nixed a public meeting about the city’s bid to host FIFA World Cup 26 matches.An affidavit by a city hall manager, opposing theBreaker.news appeal to the Information and Privacy Commissioner, said secrecy was paramount.
“Staff contemplated a public meeting on March 30, 2022 but this meeting did not go ahead as planned due to concerns about disclosure of highly sensitive and confidential information and particulars pertaining to the agreements with FIFA and the participation agreement with the province,” said the affidavit, sworn Oct. 11 by Michelle Collens, the senior director of the Sport Hosting Vancouver office.
Taunya Geelhoed (left) and Michelle Collens of Sport Hosting Vancouver at B.C. Place Stadium in 2022. (taunyag/x)
The Collens affidavit said the city was in possession of “proprietary and technical information with commercial or financial value” during bid negotiations with FIFA, the Canadian Soccer Association, B.C. NDP government, B.C. Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) and Vancouver International Airport Authority.
In her affidavit, Collens revealed the existence of three, key closed-door meetings (and corresponding secret reports) on March 7, 2022 by the Park Board and March 10 and 29, 2022 by city council.
“In particular, the deliberations of the Park Board included matters relating to the training sites that are within the Park Board’s jurisdiction,” Collens swore.
At the March 7 meeting, park commissioners also discussed budgetary concerns, financial and legal obligations, impacts to park users and training site rental fees.
The March 10 closed-door city council meeting included talk about implications of being a host city, roles and responsibilities, financial analysis and security planning. Almost three weeks later, council members discussed approval of a participation agreement with the province, which controls B.C. Place Stadium through PavCo.
FIFA named Vancouver one of the 16 North American host cities in June 2022 and last February it announced seven matches at B.C. Place Stadium between June 13 and July 7, 2026. Despite the blanket confidentiality clause in FIFA’s host city agreement and stadium use agreement, there is a broad exception for when “disclosure is required by relevant laws or court orders.” One of those laws is B.C.’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
In July, the city announced that it chose — without any public consultation — Memorial South and Killarney parks to host training in June and July 2026 for teams drawn to play at B.C. Place. Large portions of both parks are scheduled to close to the public from January 2025 to fall 2026.
Staff recommend commissioners vote Dec. 9 to hire Canadian Turner Construction Co. Ltd. on two contracts totalling $25 million for early works at the parks in 2025.
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