While the city has not committed to an Olympic bid just yet, a recent poll suggests that the majority of Torontonians would support hosting the 2024 Games.
A new Forum Research poll, which surveyed 755 Toronto voters, found that 61 per cent are in favour of hosting the Olympics while 30 per cent oppose the bid. Nine per cent said they did not have an opinion either way.
Support for the Olympic bid is most common among Toronto voters under the age of 35 and least common among those over 65.
“There’s a warm halo emanating from the Pan Am Games right now, and it would appear citizens no longer fear the potential congestion and cost of an Olympics,” Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research, said in a news release accompanying the poll.
“The young remember Vancouver as being a big party, so they aren’t afraid of the impact, either. It’s the oldest citizens who are the least reluctant to embrace the idea."
Ontario PC supporters polled were also less likely to be in favour of hosting the Olympics (46 per cent) than those who identified as Liberal (62 per cent) or NDP (58 per cent).
The poll also suggests that the majority of respondents would cast a ballot for a city councillor who supports an Olympic bid (52 per cent) versus 26 per cent who said they would not vote for a councillor who was in favour of the idea.
The telephone survey, which was conducted on July 26, is considered accurate plus or minus 4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
While Toronto residents may support a bid, Mayor John Tory said Monday that a decision won’t be made without “broad consultation” with members of the public and other levels of government.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Tory said the city will need to “let the dust settle” from the Pan Am Games before deciding whether to launch a bid.
“They say it is not a good time to go grocery shopping when you’re hungry and in the euphoria of what were a tremendously successful games… this is a serious, rational decision that has to be made,” he added.
