Show me the the 2025 World Expo

Let’s be real. If I ask you a question like “Should Toronto bid to host the World Expo in 2025?” you’d probably respond by saying something like, “World Expo? They still do those?”

They do, apparently. And recently, in a notable display of bipartisanship, Mayor Rob Ford teamed up with pro-Expo downtown Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking that the federal government not close the door on a potential Toronto bid.

And as much as I’m not sure the World Expo is a particularly relevant event these days, and as much as I worry about cost overruns and all the logistical headaches that come with hosting large events, I think Harper should grant that request.

Toronto should at least consider bidding for and hosting the World Expo in 2025.

We shouldn’t do it for civic pride reasons. I rarely buy into the kind of gooey sentimental arguments supporters of these things tend to make. I’m no fan of the international stage talk or the phrase “world class city.”

For me, the argument in favour of this city hosting something like an Expo (even the Olympics) is a lot simpler, and more than a little cynical. We should host because hosting big events seems to be the only way Canadian cities reliably receive significant federal funding for needed infrastructure projects.

It’s about the money.

It shouldn’t work this way, of course. Infrastructure projects like expanded transit, new public spaces and waterfront development should be recognized as smart investments. But we’ve seen over and over again that — especially at the federal level, where most of our tax dollars go — there’s a huge reluctance to spend money on municipal infrastructure.

But call in a world event and suddenly governments get in gear. Money flows. Timelines move up. There were a lot of reasons to oppose Vancouver’s hosting of the 2010 Winter Olympics, but it’s hard to argue with the 19.2 kilometres of public transit built in advance of the games.

And closer to home, while it’s easy (and fun) to scoff about Toronto hosting the seemingly small potatoes event that is the 2015 Pan Am Games, it’s worth looking at the new parks, developments and affordable housing rapidly going up in the West Don Lands, site of the planned athletes village. All of that would be nothing more than an artist’s rendering today if not for the games coming our way.

I’m not defending this reality, but it’s important to be aware of it.

Under different governments, things would be better. But until then, if it takes inviting the world to Toronto to get waterfront revitalization, then sure, bring on the Expo.