had vancouver wanted to bid for the 2008 summer olympics before
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February 06, 2026
Yes,
did consider bidding for the 2008 Summer Olympics, but the idea never progressed into a formal international bid.Instead, the city pivoted to focus on what would eventually become the successful 2010 Winter Olympics.
Key Details of the Potential 2008 Bid
- The Joint Vancouver-Seattle Proposal: In the early 1990s, business leaders from Vancouver and Seattle explored a unique "two-city" cross-border bid for the 2008 Games.
- Rejection by Officials: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) informed organizers that a cross-border concept was not viable at that time. Additionally, Tourism Vancouver declined to support it, fearing a Summer Games would overwhelm the city's infrastructure.
- Domestic Competition: Vancouver briefly considered competing against Toronto for the right to be Canada's official applicant city. However, city leaders ultimately decided to pursue the "more realistic" Winter Games instead.
- Toronto’s Role: Toronto eventually became Canada’s candidate for 2008, finishing second in the final voting to Beijing. Ironically, Toronto's loss paved the way for Vancouver's 2010 win, as the IOC was unlikely to award back-to-back Olympics to the same country.
Recent Olympic Interest
Vancouver has more recently explored a potential bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics, led by an Indigenous-led initiative including the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. However, the British Columbia provincial government declined to fund the bid in late 2022, effectively ending the campaign.
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