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Public Safety Canada deferred to comments made by Minister of Sport Kirsty Duncan when asked over the weekend whether potential security cost overruns of a 2026 Olympics in Calgary would be the responsibility of the federal or municipal government.

On Friday, Duncan told reporters the federal government is “not responsible for cost overruns” under the government’s policy for hosting international sporting events. A spokesperson from the ministry of sport further told Postmedia that overruns related to security costs — as opposed to capital costs — would not be covered under the federal policy.

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“Minister Duncan’s office is best placed to answer the question,” a Public Safety Canada spokesperson said in an e-mail Sunday morning, after it was asked to clarify whose responsibility those costs would be.

But Calgary 2026 said Saturday it believed Public Safety Canada, the federal department responsible for ensuring the safety of Canadians, would pick up the tab on any potential security cost overruns. Spokesperson James Millar insisted comments made by Duncan only apply to capital costs, not any additional security overruns.