Overview

The 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games will be the largest multi-sport event ever held in Canada, spanning 5,300 square kilometres and 15 host municipalities.

There will be more than twice as many athletes in Toronto than participated in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics. The Games will showcase Toronto and Ontario to an international audience, attracting tourists, jobs and new business investments.

Beyond 2015, the Games will provide housing, transportation, educational and recreational legacies for decades to come.

More than 10,000 athletes, coaches and delegates from the Caribbean and Central, South and North America will compete in 51 sports at more than 40 venues, spread across several municipalities of the Greater Golden Horseshoe Region.

Scheduled every four years — one year before the Summer Olympic Games — the Pan/Parapan American Games present high performance splendour, excitement and sportsmanship, flavoured by the spirit of the Americas.

Ontario’s vision

Hosting the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games in Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe is cause for all of us to celebrate, but it’s more than just fun and games.

The Games are also important to Ontario — and for all Canadians.

The Games mean opportunity — for our hard working athletes, for our kids and families, for healthy communities, for visitors and for potential new investors who will see Ontario at its best.

The Games are a showcase — Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe Region will host more than 10,000 athletes, coaches and delegates from 41 countries, and up to 250,000 tourists who come to cheer them on.

Cultural diversity

We already know that Ontario celebrates diversity and is one of the most multicultural places in the world. Now our visitors will know it too.

Accessibility for people with disabilities

All Games venues will meet or exceed provincial accessibility standards. Once the Athletes’ Village is converted in affordable housing units after the Games, 10% of them will be accessible.

The Games also represent an opportunity to:

  • champion industry-led initiatives that help tourists identify accessible attractions, accommodations, events and facilities
  • increase awareness and access to sport and parasport through kids programs that has the potential to reach over 4,000 elementary schools, 450 After School Program sites and PPA Kids Summer Camps
  • train 20,000 Games volunteers on accessibility
  • provide the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO) special funding for para-athlete development (the CSIO facility at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus will also be the new home for Wheelchair Basketball Canada’s National academy)

Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Accessibility Plan 2013-2014

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

Inspiration for healthy living

The Games are also important because they can engage us in pursuing healthier, more active lifestyles. Watching our own great athletes train and perform gives us the sense that goals are in reach - losing those few extra pounds; taking that morning walk; eating healthy, local food; hitting the gym, local trails, the rink or the pool.

A province where whole communities are eating right, getting fit, and pursuing more active lifestyles is more productive and puts less strain on health care. And let’s face it — it feels great!

Creating jobs

Playing host means creating 26,000 jobs for Ontarians, from organizing, building, operating and managing facilities and systems to providing hospitality.

With venues spread across several municipalities and three universities, direct jobs are being created all throughout the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Work is also underway to revitalize Union Station, expand transit and make sure Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe look their best in time for the Games. With all eyes on the region, major events like the Games can spur this kind of development and help ensure that it gets done on time.

Attracting tourists

When people come to the Games, they will stay in our hotels, see our great shows and attractions, dine in our fine restaurants and shop in our stores. People will simply have a great time — and they’ll tell others. And they’ll return.

Perhaps the nicest thing about playing host is that it gives us the chance to impress our visitors while reminding ourselves about all the great things you can do in Ontario.

Investments in Ontarians

Ontario has a $42 million Promotion, Celebration and Legacy Strategy to ensure everyone across the province benefits from the Games. The City of Toronto also has invested $20 million toward promotion, celebration and legacy initiatives. Host jurisdictions provided similar funding for the 2010 Vancouver and 2012 London Olympic Games.

Provincial investments will help:

  • develop province-wide volunteer supports, employment supports and business initiatives that use the Games to open doors to new skills, jobs and growth opportunities; this includes OSAP relief to Games volunteers and pre-apprenticeship training opportunities at venue construction sites
  • get kids active in schools and community-based programs while promoting healthy active lifestyles and leadership through the Pan Am/Parapan Am Kids program; currently over 500 sites have registered to participate in the program increased investment in high performance sport through direct funding to athletes and para-athletes and enhanced training facilities and access to sport science experts at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario
  • invest in our trail network to help complete 250 kilometres of key sections of the Trans Canada Trail across Ontario
  • support for a business forum during the Games to encourage business development opportunities for Ontario companies with the 41 countries in the Caribbean and North, Central and South America
  • support for live music, celebrations and festivals across Ontario, including the IGNITE Ontario program

Partners

The Games are stimulating an investment of more than $700 million toward new and upgraded sports and recreation facilities and a Legacy Fund. That’s another reason why the Games have the support of the following five partners:

Waterfront Toronto, in partnership with Infrastructure Ontario, is also developing a section of the West Don Lands for the Games.

And the Games are being staged thanks to the commitment and co-operation of an important network of municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe region, three universities and the support of provincial sport and multi-sport organizations.

Thanks to this investment, our best athletes will be able to train and compete at home. And there’s a legacy fund to ensure that investment in our future athletes and coaching continues beyond 2015.

Hosting the Games will also showcase Ontario to foreign businesses as an ideal location to invest in. It will create opportunities to forge new relationships in trade and tourism that will contribute to Ontario’s economic growth.

Budget

How much it costs

Toronto 2015’s budget is forecast at $1.4B.

This is shared between the province, federal, municipal and university partners.

Ontario’s contribution

Ontario is contributing $500M in operating funding towards TO2015’s Games Budget of $1.4B for planning and delivery of the Games.

Total funding from partners

($ millions)

 OntarioCanadaTorontoOther
municipalities/
universities
Toronto 2015
revenue

Forecasts
(Sept 2014)

Operating37249  172593
Contingency reserve10    10
New investment74    74
Security0    0
Post-games venue support565   70
Capital (venues)038666174 625
Total461500661741721,372

* TO2015 operating budget includes initial $113M security budget committed during bid. Total security cost is estimated at $239M.

Changes to budget forecast

($ millions)

 

Forecasts
(Mar 2014)

Forecasts
(Sept 2014)

Variance

Operating53059362
Contingency reserve5410(44)
New investment 7474
Security1130(113)
Post-games venue support7070 
Capital (venues)625625 
Total1,3921,372(20)

Additional costs

Like other host jurisdictions, we are making additional significant investments that will serve the Games for a short time but will serve Ontarians for decades.

This includes capital investments for provincial priority projects including the Athletes’ Village, which will revitalize the eastern Toronto port lands, the Hamilton Stadium and the Goldring Centre.

Costs ($ millions)

 OntarioTorontoOther municipalities/
universities
Forecasts
(Mar/2014)
Forecast
(Sept/14)
Changes
Athletes' Village709  709709 
Hamilton Stadium22.5  22.522.5 
Goldring Centre22.5  22.522.5 
Pan/Parapan Am Games Secretariat45  49454
Legacy Strategy20  22202
Celebration/
promotion
2020 4040 
Markham Pan Am Centre  3134313
Transportation61  906129
Security ISU239  126239113
Municipal Services15  351520
Health0  00 
Satellite Villages0  606
Total1,15420311,1561,20549