Item - 2026.EX30.5

The Executive Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the Executive Director, FIFA World Cup 2026, Toronto Secretariat, in consultation the Chief Procurement Officer, and in accordance with Section 195-7.1(E) of the Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195, to negotiate and execute a non-competitive agreement with The Fifth Social Club Inc. DBA Rendezvous w/ Candice & Alison Inc. and One Twenty Eight Inc., Loft Entertainment Inc., & Paquin Entertainment Group (FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto Vendor), in an amount not to exceed $9.0 million net of all applicable taxes and charges, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, FIFA World Cup 2026, Toronto Secretariat and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

2. City Council increase the 2026 Operating Budget for City Manager Services by $7.1 million gross and $0 net, fully funded by third party contributions and FIFA Fan Festival™ revenues.  

3.  City Council direct the Executive Director, FIFA World Cup 2026, Toronto Secretariat to create a free general admission ticket category for FanFest.

4.  City Council direct the Executive Director, FIFA World Cup 2026, Toronto Secretariat to seek out private sponsorship to offset any costs incurred in expanding free access to FanFest.

The Executive Committee requested the Executive Director, FIFA World Cup 2026, Toronto Secretariat to report directly to the April 22, 23 and 24, 2026 meeting of City Council with details on the planned free community access to FanFest including the approximately 11,000 free tickets being provided to community groups.

The purpose of this report is to seek authority to negotiate and execute a non-competitive agreement with The Fifth Social Club Inc. DBA Rendezvous w/ Candice & Alison Inc., and One Twenty Eight Inc., Loft Entertainment Inc., & Paquin Entertainment Group (FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto Vendor) for the provision of additional services, which will have no net financial impact to the City and will result in an improved visitor experience at FIFA Fan Festival™.

In December 2025, the FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto Vendor was awarded a contract, valued at $16.0 million, to manage and deliver site production and programming of FIFA Fan Festival™ in Toronto. Subsequent to the awarding of this contract, the City and the Province executed the Provincial Contribution Agreement in February 2026, which allowed for the allocation of funds from both the Provincial and Federal Governments to primarily cover the costs of FIFA Fan Festival™. Further to this, the City has been in discussions with FIFA related to the delivery of an additional FIFA-led activation at FIFA Fan Festival™. To improve the fan experience and bolster safety and security at the event, authority is being sought to enter into a non-competitive contract by an incremental value of $9.0 million with the FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto Vendor. All incremental operating costs associated with the non-competitive procurement (NCP) are either fully revenue‑supported or accommodated through internal reallocations.  There is no net financial impact to the City, and no change to the $380.0 million FIFA World Cup 2026 budget. Execution of the proposed additional services will start immediately upon approval to ensure completion before the FIFA World Cup begins in June 2026. The FIFA Fan Festival™ Toronto Vendor contract, valued at $16.0 million was previously competitively procured and included within the $380.0 million FIFA World Cup 2026 budget. Approval of the non-competitive contract would bring the total cost of FIFA Fan Festival to $25.0 million.

Non-competitive procurements may be undertaken where both the proposed procurement and supplier can be justified in good faith based on an exception set out in Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195, Procurement. This non-competitive procurement will be proceeding under the exception code related to additional deliveries of services that were not included in the original procurement, but a change of supplier cannot be made for economic and technical reasons. The City has determined in good faith that both the proposed procurement and the selected supplier, along with the terms and conditions of the contract, are beneficial to the City (Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 195, Procurement, Section 7.1E.).

Pursuant to City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195, Procurement, Section 195-7.3 (D), Standing Committee and Council approval is required for all non-competitive procurements valued up to or over $500,000, or where the term of the contract exceeds five (5) years or exceeds the projected capital funding for the project as approved by Council. Approval is also required under City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71, Financial Control, Section 71-11A., as the procurement value exceeds the threshold of $500,000 net of HST allowed under staff authority.

Adopting the recommendations in this report will have no impact on the $380.0 million overall budget for the FWC26 Toronto Secretariat.

The Executive Director, FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto Secretariat (FWC26 Toronto Secretariat) will be submitting a supplementary report to the Executive Committee before its meeting on April 15, 2026 that seeks authority to make an amendment to a previously awarded contract with respect to FIFA Fan Festival™.