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Montreal 1976 Legacy

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Montreal 1976 Legacy - https://olympics.com/ioc/legacy/living-legacy/montreal-1974

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Since staging the Olympic Games, Montreal has become an international sports hub, thanks to the development of athlete support programmes, the continuing use of Olympic venues and training sites, and the staging of several international sporting events.

Montreal 1976: Canada’s first Olympic city becomes an international sports hub

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The Olympic Basin was the venue for the rowing and canoeing competitions at the Montreal Games and has since become an integral part of the city’s sporting infrastructure.

Olympic Basin

The Claude Robillard Centre is an example of early legacy planning by the Organising Committee for the Montreal Olympic Games and is still being used by athletes of all levels 50 years on.

Claude Robillard Centre

Built especially for the Olympic Games Montreal 1976, the Olympic Stadium remains in use all year round. A central part of the Olympic Park complex, it is one of three Canadian stadiums that will be used at the FIFA World Cup United 2026.

Olympic Stadium

Completed shortly before the start of the Olympic Games Montreal 1976, the Olympic Park is home to the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Velodrome, Olympic Pool and the Olympic Village, all of which were purpose built for the event.

Olympic Park

A total of 24 sporting venues were used at the Olympic Games Montreal 1976: seven of them were new, 15 existing and two temporary.

Montreal 1976: Venues overview

Despite fears of international terrorism, the Olympic Games Montreal 1976 passed off without any incidents of note. The large-scale security operation mounted by the Canadian authorities generated learnings that were used for subsequent Games.

A New Approach to Olympic Games Security

Les Jeux de Montréal (Montreal Games) have given more than half a million local young athletes their very first taste of sporting competition at some of the city’s finest facilities. Building on the momentum provided by Montreal 1976, Les Jeux were set up two years later as a celebratory annual multi-sports event for children aged 6 to 12.

Les Jeux de Montréal

The Montreal Games provided a focal point for the development of funding programmes supporting Canadian athletes.

Lasting Support for Canada’s Athletes

Since 1976, sports organisations have relied on and the local know-how and organisational support to stage international events in Montreal.

An International Sporting Stage

The Olympic Games Montreal 1976 totalled CAD 606 million in revenue, CAD 383 million in operating expenses (hosting the Games) and CAD 1.21 billion in capital expenditure (i.e., investment in venue construction). This resulted in a debt, split between the city of Montreal (CAD 200 million) and the Province of Quebec (CAD 790 million).

The Economics of Montreal 1976

Montreal 1976 faced two diplomatic controversies, both of which impacted on the Olympic Games itself and on diplomatic relations and international sport.

Diplomatic Controversies

Montreal continues to celebrate the staging of the 1976 Games every 10 years. First held in 1986, these decennial celebrations have grown in size as the years have passed.

Olympic Anniversary Celebrations

Located at the building which also hosts the offices of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), the Canadian Olympic Experience celebrates the country’s long association with the Games and was created in honour of its athletes.

The Canadian Olympic Experience

From attracting international investment to accelerating inner-city development, the centennial Olympic Games Atlanta 1996 played a significant role in transforming the city into a truly global destination.

Legacies

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The Olympic Games are all about their legacies. The benefits that the Games create – from increased sports participation and educational programmes to a boosted economy and an improved urban environment – are numerous.

Montreal 1976 Legacy

Montreal 1976: Canada’s first Olympic city becomes an international sports hub

Legacies

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