The Olympic Stadium is still years away from hosting any event, but renovations on the roof are at the next level. The new roof is being built 13 metres above the ground to make construction less complicated and weighs roughly the equivalent of 22 blue whales. It is expected to take around a week to raise, and 24 cables will be used to hang it from the tower. Olympic Park officials gave the members of the media a tour of the stadium on Thursday to see the progress of the major construction project. They say the roof renovation will be completed on time by spring 2028 and will not go above its $870 million budget despite the ongoing trade war with the United States. “We have a world-class expertise that was able to identify the risk, identify the different types of alternatives we could have, to avoid the tariffs or minimize the impact of the tariffs,” said Nadir Guenfoud, Olympic Park vice-president. The Olympic Park says it will talk with the incoming provincial government about plans for the interior, which are still being worked out. The Canadian Taxpayers Association would like to see the Parti Québécois (PQ) hold back on spending more for the inside. “We need to prioritize the infrastructure that is actually needed by Quebecers right now, and also to take good care of taxpayers’ money,” said Nicolas Gagnon, the Canadian Taxpayers Association’s Quebec director. Olympic Park officials say the modernized facility will have a big impact on the economy because of its ability to host world tours. “The phone is ringing for sure. A lot of interest from different people, but for us it’s a challenge right now to book,” said François Dumontier, Olympic Park strategies and commercial exploitation vice-president. While the roof will be done in 2028, there is still no date as to when the stadium will be open for business.
