Francophonie Games organizers defend $130M cost estimate

Several more details about the estimated $130 million cost to host the 2021 Francophonie Games trickled out Monday. 

Organizers said in a news conference late in the afternoon that its budget submitted to the province, federal and municipal governments included $84 million in operations costs, $36 million on infrastructure and $10 million for event security. 

The committee has come under pressure to explain the jump in the budget to $130 million from $17 million just two years ago when Dieppe and Moncton were picked to host the international event. 

The Games are expected to draw more than 4,000 athletes and artists to the host cities.

Éric Mathieu Doucet, president of the organizing committee's board of directors, told reporters the current committee shouldn't be blamed for the skyrocketing cost. 

"We were not responsible for the budget," he said, saying the the decision was made in 2015 by an earlier bid committee created by the province with civil servants and community volunteers. Those volunteers included Doucet and Éric Larocque, who now is the organizing committee's executive director. 

"We were not the ones responsible for writing the budget," Doucet repeated. 

"I can say it's the former government that submitted a bid for the Francophonie Games," Doucet said when asked if the former Gallant government was responsible for the lower bid.

Larocque said last week the $17-million bid was based on a suggested financial framework in the International Organization of the Francophonie Games guide. The $130-million price tag, he explained, is the full business plan, which the committee wasn't required to submit as part of its bid.

The actual business plan submitted to the federal, provincial and host city municipal governments on March 30, 2018 has yet to be released.

The federal government also hired an independent consultant to review the plans. That report was delivered to the province and federal governments a week before the Sept. 24 provincial election, the committee members said Monday. 

Province won't release report

CBC requested the report from the province, which said late Monday afternoon it would not release it because it is a federal document.

Of the infrastructure spending, Doucet said $24 million is considered essential. That's despite previous statements that said the "beauty" of the bid was that the Games would use existing infrastructure.

The committee in submitting its request for funding, put items in one of three columns: "essential for holding the Games," "desirable," and "useful and enjoyable."

Laraquoe said the essential spending includes money for new soccer fields, resurfacing the tennis courts in Moncton's Centennial Park, and repairs to the track at the University of Moncton stadium.

Moncton's capital budget for 2019 includes $5.1 million for artificial fields at the CN Sportsplex with the city hoping to get $3.7 million paid for by other levels of government.

Doucet said the spending rose after the bid was submitted. 

"When the bid was done, we went on the information we had," Doucet said. He said since then, officials from FIFA and other sports organizations have evaluated the facilities.

Yet again on Monday, Robert Gauvin, the province's deputy premier, reiterated New Brunswick won't spend more than $10 million on the Games.

"We have to find ways to bring the cost of the Games down," he said. 

The federal government has said it will stick to its commitment to cover half the cost.

The president of the board of directors wouldn't comment on whether the Games could still be held at a lower cost. 

Pulling out not considered

The province has not signed a contract to host the Games. A provincial spokesperson, Stéphanie Bilodeau, said it is still possible to pull out of hosting. 

"However, this is not an option the government is considering at this point," he said.