Should Calgary consider bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games?

Olympic fever has heated up more than a few conversations about Calgary’s potential bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in recent weeks. Many Calgarians have entertained the question: Should Calgary consider bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games?

To help bring clarity to the conversation, the University of Calgary’s Graduate College has invited a panel of experts to campus to discuss the potential bid, and the broader implications of hosting Olympic Games in general.

Simon Barrick, a member of the Graduate College, will chair the panel discussion. He says, “Our vision for the event is the panel will engage in a robust discussion about what factors should go into the bid.”

Panel members are:

• Erica Wiebe, 2016 Olympic gold medallist
• Dr. Roger Jackson, professor emeritus, Faculty of Kinesiology
• Dru Farrell, City of Calgary councillor, Ward 7
• Dr. David Legg, professor, Mount Royal University
• Barry Heck, president and  CEO, WinSport

Barrick says the panellists will discuss considerations that are important in designing a bid that enriches communities and the lives of local residents, while also contributing to the areas of civic engagement and pride, economic growth, sustainable development, infrastructure, social well-being, health, and sport participation. The event will include opening statements, discussion within the panel, and questions from the audience.

The University of Calgary’s Graduate College, in its third year of existence, brings together graduate and post-degree professional students from across the University of Calgary into a community of like-minded, interdisciplinary leaders. Its vision is to connect, enrich, and energize the various communities it serves. Read more about the Graduate College.