With questions about the final price tag for Vancouver’s FIFA World Cup games still unanswered, the federal government at least clarified its contribution on Tuesday as part of its spring financial update. It will contribute $146 million toward security costs in Vancouver and Toronto, though how that will be divided was not immediately clear. When reporters in Victoria asked B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey on Tuesday, she promised an announcement is expected soon. Given the tournament is roughly a month and a half away, B.C. Conservative critic for economic development Gavin Dew appeared unimpressed by the continuing lack of specifics. “We’re still waiting, 44 days from kickoff, to get an actual announcement around FIFA funding,” Dew said at the legislature. Beyond security, the final price tag is still a big question. The last official estimate projected expenses of up to $624 million. That figure was provided in June of last year, and some argue the public should have been given updates on a more frequent basis. “The province hasn’t provided us updated cost numbers since last summer,” noted Carson Binda, B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Taxpayers who are being left with the bill deserve to know exactly how much these soccer games will cost.” The City of Vancouver told CTV News in a statement that the next estimate will be provided in early June.
