Why does the MLS commish love the Big Owe but not B.C. Place?

Breadcrumb Trail Links

Don Garber says Whitecaps can’t stay at B.C. Place, but the future of CF Montreal is apparently Olympic Stadium. It’s all head-spinning.

Get the latest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox Sign Up

Published Jun 05, 2026 • 3 minute read

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

garber MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Photo by Hannah Foslien /Getty ImagesArticle content

We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.

In its long, expensive history, Montreal’s Olympic Stadium has had few friends.

Advertisement 2

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.

SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.

THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account

Article content

But somehow it seems MLS Commissioner Don Garber, not normally a fan of large stadiums, is apparently not just a friend of the Big Owe, but indeed an advocate.

Article content

The North American professional soccer supremo was in the city of smoked meat on Thursday to heap praise on an apparent plan for CF Montreal — one of Major League Soccer’s weakest organizations, by the way — to move out of its cramped home at Stade Saputo and into the monstrosity that remains too big to knock down.

Desperate for a primary tenant, the billion-dollar boondoggle has apparently approached Montreal’s MLS club about moving in permanently. Somehow, Garber has come to the conclusion that not only is this a good plan, but it’s a great plan, one that’s better than whatever might happen for the Whitecaps and B.C. Place.

On the Whitecaps front, he has said there is no progress here, which in the public sense is true. The team is keeping mum.

But the province and other local leaders do have a better sense of what the Whitecaps want. TSN’s Farhan Lalji has suggested that the Whitecaps are after about $10 million per season from B.C. Place — the current revised lease they signed with the province for this season gets them about $3.5 million per year.

Canucks Report

Thanks for signing up!

Article content

Advertisement 3

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

So there’s a gap to be bridged.

There is also the long-term story, which again makes this whole Big Owe proposal a head-scratcher. B.C. Place, despite its excellent renovations over the past decade-plus, is somehow too big to be a long-term viable solution for Major League Soccer. But that’s not the case in Montreal?

The Whitecaps still want to build a soccer-specific stadium somewhere in Vancouver. They have had meetings with the city already about locations beyond just the proposal at Hastings Park. Could they find a way to propose a stadium as part of a parcel of land that is still in the planning stages, like MST’s plan for the Jericho Lands? What about the city-owned lands that abut the southeastern corner of Main and Terminal? That multi-block parcel was actually originally offered to the Whitecaps 20 years ago, but then was pulled off the table by the city.

The current plan for that parcel is an “innovation hub”, but as one government source told me, what municipality doesn’t love having a “tech hub?” It’s land that could easily be used for another purpose.

In other words, there are things being discussed, but nothing has yet been locked down. It’s understandable that Garber would be frustrated at the pace of discussion. The Whitecaps have been looking for new investment and a new stadium plan since late-2024. Garber came to town eight months ago to try to ring the alarm bells.

Advertisement 4

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

It took the threat of relocation to get people to finally pay some attention to the problem. Whether that leads to a solution remains to be seen.

But no matter how much gloss Garber tries to put on Montreal’s stadium, or how much he talks down B.C. Place, there are viability questions about two Canadian teams that he brought into the league. That is surely disconcerting for him. He’s nearing the end of his time in charge. He wants teams to remain where they were put.

For now, it seems the future of Major League Soccer in Canada apparently rests with two large, often unloved stadiums.

What a world.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

World Cup: As Canada takes over UBC, Whitecaps decamp to St. George’s

Save the Caps meeting was ‘very positive,’ may lead to stadium deal

Article content

Share this article in your social network

Tags: