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Calgary will have to hold a public vote to qualify for provincial funding in the next step toward a possible bid for the 2026 Winter Games.

The federal and provincial governments are promising Calgary $20.5 million for the creation of a bid corporation. Ottawa will kick in $10.5 million, with the province adding $10 million.

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The province’s share of the funding is conditional upon the city engaging with residents of Calgary, including a plebiscite, on the Olympic process. It also depends on engaging with Indigenous communities, said Culture and Tourism Minister Ricardo Miranda.

“The plebiscite that needs to happen is one that we see as a form of the consultation that needs to take place,” Miranda said. “It shouldn’t just be the plebiscite. It should be ongoing consultation with Calgarians.”

The first $5-million instalment of provincial funding for the BidCo would flow in the coming weeks, he said, while the latter half would come through next year’s budget once the province is satisfied its conditions have been met.