By Canadian Press

WADA to renegotiate deal to keep headquarters in Montreal: ministers

Sep 24, 2017 | 9:15 AM

PARIS — The World Anti-Doping Agency has agreed to renegotiate its existing deal with Canadian authorities in order to keep its headquarters in Montreal, Canadian officials said Sunday.

Transport Minister Marc Garneau and Quebec International Relations Minister Christine St-Pierre said WADA has decided not to hold an open bidding process to select a new host city after its agreement with Montreal runs out in 2021.

Garneau and St-Pierre, along with municipal representatives, travelled to Paris over the weekend to make the case for keeping the headquarters in Montreal until at least 2031.

The delegation made a 45-minute presentation to WADA’s executive committee on Sunday morning.

Following that presentation, the committee agreed to negotiate an extension of the current deal on the condition that it be improved, Garneau and St-Pierre confirmed.

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The parties have until the end of November to reach a new deal, which would then have to be approved by WADA’s 38-member decision-making body.

On Sunday afternoon, WADA said in a statement that three of its members had been mandated to negotiate with the Montreal representatives.

It specified that WADA management had been asked earlier this year to “assess the cost and impact” of an open bidding process to find a new host city, but did not say whether that option has now been ruled out.

In separate phone interviews, both Garneau and St-Pierre said they were pleased with the outcome.

“The agency is recognized across the world for its excellent work,” Garneau said. “The city of Montreal is perfectly located because it has a university milieu that is rich in research.”

“We came in with a very factual attitude,” said St-Pierre, who added that her team had been working on the file for six months leading up to the Paris meeting.

WADA’s decision means the agency won’t be taking submissions from other cities, making it likely the headquarters will remain in Montreal.

St-Pierre would not discuss what issues could come up in the negotiations, but expressed confidence that a deal would be reached.

“There is a lot of good will on both sides,” she said.

Montreal was first chosen as the site of WADA’s headquarters in 2001.

In 2009, the federal and provincial governments extended the agreement with WADA for the 2011 to 2021 period, the Quebec government said at the time.

St-Pierre has said the Montreal office employs about 85 people.

The Canadian Press