Nearly six years after a push for Expo 2015 fell apart, there’s a movement afoot for Toronto to consider bidding for the World’s Fair in 2025. 

“It’s very early in exploration.  The conversations are very casual.  It’s information-gathering,” said Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam. 

Wong-Tam (Ward 27, Toronto Centre-Rosedale) said she is speaking to business leaders and trade unions, among others, to see if there is an appetite to mount a bid for the international exposition that showcases technology, architecture and culture from around the world. 

“So far the reaction has been very warm to enthusiastic,” she said. 

In 2006, city council, lead by then-mayor David Miller, was firmly behind Toronto making a bid.  The federal government pledged to contribute $600 million to cover infrastructure, security and other costs. 

But Ottawa and the province were unable to reach a deal on who would pick up a projected deficit for Expo 2015, estimated at $700 million to $2.2 billion. 

The final preparations fell apart and no bid was submitted to the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE). 

The fair was awarded to Milan. 

Wong-Tam, who was not on council for the last attempt, plans to table a motion in June that would ask for a report from the city’s economic development and culture office on the estimated costs, benefits and environmental impact. 

In 2006, a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers estimated the event would generate up to $600 million for the municipal sector, with $300 million of that going into city coffers, as well as $2 billion for the province and $2.7 billion for the federal government, Wong-Tam said. 

Another study estimated the cost at about $2.8 billion, and that the event would generate about $13.5 billion in new GDP, create 215,000 jobs and $8.4 billion in wages and salaries. 

Benefits to the city would include employment and a renewed waterfront. 

Then-city councillor Rob Ford supported the push for a 2006 bid, Wong-Tam noted. 

“Obviously the public would have to be broadly engaged.  These are Toronto, provincial and federal tax dollars so we would have to know it’s something they can support,” Wong-Tam said. 

Montreal hosted the World’s Fair in 1967, and Vancouver did so in 1986. 

The deadline to make a bid for Expo 2025 would be in 2016. 

“From a tourism perspective and an economic development perspective, I think it’s a sure-fire winner,” said Steven Del Duca, director of public affairs for the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario. 

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“Some would argue the City of Toronto and two other levels of government shouldn’t take on such a large project.  The advantage of 2025 is we’re then living in a world where, according to provincial and federal projections, there won’t be the fiscal constraints that we have now,” said Del Duca, who said he is aware of the renewed interest in an Expo bid. 

The BIE is said to be keen on a bid from a Canadian city because it could flag interest from the U.S. The events usually last from three weeks to six months. 

“I think the BIE would love to come to North America, given how close Toronto is to a massive marketplace,” said Del Duca. “ We would have a great opportunity if we did bid.”