Sudbury awaits Canada Games decision

Today is judgement day for a group trying to bring the Canada Games to Greater Sudbury in 2021.

Sudbury is up against Waterloo, Ottawa and Niagara to host the next edition of the summer event. And if the local bid is successful, it will end a decades-long losing streak when it comes to the Canada Games.

• 2021 Canada Summer Games: Sudbury councillors ponder risks, benefits of bid
• Sudbury to bid for 2021 Canada Games, despite council concerns about costs

The winning city will be announced in Toronto just past noon today.

'We are all very happy with absolutely everything we put into this'

There have been concerns expressed by the public, and some Sudbury city councillors about the price tag for the games.

Coun. Gerry Montpellier was one of four to vote against the bid and its plan to spend millions on sports infrastructure.

"And I just could not see all those millions spent on not a road," Montpellier said.

But committee co-chair Amanda Schweinbenz says they haven't gone after the games at all costs.

"We are going to do what's best for the City of Greater Sudbury," Schweinbenz said. "We're not here to blow money, we're not here to rack into debt. We're here to host an efficient, well-thought out and planned games that is financially responsible."

"We are all very happy with absolutely everything we put into this."

Third time the charm?

Sudbury also bid on the Canada Summer Games the last two times it came to Ontario.

When bidding for the 1981 games in the late 1970s, Sudbury was seen as a sentimental favourite, having just gone through crippling layofffs at Inco and Falconbridge that saw thousands of jobs leave the city.

The minister of sport was even quoted saying she favoured Sudbury as the host city.

City council was behind the bid, but Mayor Jim Gordon was not.

"There are needs and then there are wants. And if your community is hard hit, I think you have to be willing to bite the bullet," Gordon said.

Days before the host city was to be named, Gordon called the sport minister and requested the federal government cover more of the costs for the games and told her Sudbury wasn't interested if she couldn't come through with the money.

The 1981 games were awarded to Thunder Bay and Gordon was criticized for unilaterally acting against the will of council and was censured.

After a stint as MPP, Gordon was mayor again the late 1990s when Sudbury was bidding along with North Bay for the 2001 Canada Games.

He didn't support that bid either and those games went to London.

But Gordon says if Sudbury lands the 2021 Canada Games he'll be watching from the bleachers.

Montpellier too said despite his budget worries, he too is rooting for the city to land the games today.

"Anybody whose ever met knows I'm the biggest cheerleader for Sudbury," he said.

"So yes, it's coming out both sides of my mouth."