Many Canadian leaders are already clamoring to host a new global defense bank. All of these actions would help to considerably strengthen the corresponding local economies and raise the national profiles of their respective regions. Quebec Premier François Legault Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada Making the case for Montreal At the same time, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is making the case that Ottawa and Gatineau are a top pair, too. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has placed Toronto in the lead position. At the same time, British Columbia Premier David Eby is fighting for his province, promoting its strong financial sector and advantageous location on the Pacific.
The initiative gained traction during a recent meeting in London, where representatives from 37 countries, including G7 and NATO members, discussed the bank’s potential impact. The development team responsible for this effort has released a statement. They called a public meeting, and the stakes of selecting a tournament host city couldn’t have been higher.
In his speech, Torstar notes that Ford underscored Toronto’s deservingness. He added that if Canada hopes to be chosen to host the event, Toronto is the only option that can realistically land the bid. He pointed to the blessings of the city’s diversity, and that’s what we’re known for all over the world, as being one of the most welcoming and politically stable places,” he noted, “with more than 110 different nationalities and almost 200 different languages spoken in the region right here.
Eby originally wrote to federal government putting British Columbia’s name forward as a candidacy. He pointed to the province’s burgeoning financial sector and geographic location as strong arguments for its picking.
“If we want Canada to be selected as the host, we need to put forward the strongest possible candidate, and that candidate is Toronto.” – Doug Ford
So far, the Canadian government has expressed the most interest in hosting the bank. Prime Minister Mark Carney has already promised the Canadian government five per cent of defence spending by 2035. In the past, he repeatedly claimed the government would hit an earlier target of two per cent this year.
Montreal has been pushing itself as a serious competitor for the bank as well. Mayor Ferrada has pointed out the city’s robust infrastructure and vibrant business climate as strong assets in this competitive process. At the same time, Sutcliffe emphasized that Ottawa and Gatineau together make up an “unbeatable host” for this international initiative.
Follow along as the deliberations go on, it looks like all the challengers are giving every possible argument their best shot. These ambitious efforts promise the greatest potential economic return. The allure of the title is not just prestige, though—for one thing, winning hosts can expect billions in visitor-inducing infrastructure spending.
