Canadian tourists excited for Olympic Games, but locals see little difference

Marla Forth of the Chestermere Curling Association on Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant taking the ice in Italy and previews their match against Czechia.

MILAN, Italy — A constant rain is drenching the city of Milan, turning popular landmarks into a sea of umbrellas. The downpour meant heavy snow in the northern mountain regions, where it could prove to be beneficial for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

The conditions are expected to ease just in time for the global event drawing fans from around the world, including the Grandillo family from Montreal. Angelica Grandillo said the trip is a “bucket-list item” for her and her family.

“The opening ceremonies are on my birthday – my 30th birthday – and being Italian, it just seemed like the most fitting event,” she excitedly beamed as she stood under the protection of an umbrella in front of the Duomo di Milano.

Her family is thrilled to be in Italy, though they’re surprised they haven’t seen more Olympic flair throughout the city.

“To be honest, it’s not in your face. We do see it here and there on the corners, but we haven’t really captured that vibe yet,” said Terry Sivilla. “I’m sure it’s coming, though. I’m sure people are anxious and going to be arriving and it’s going to be awesome.”

He said the family is here to see Friday’s opening ceremony, along with hockey and snowboarding.

With the games spread across Northern Italy, Milan will only see part of the action. At the moment, some locals are unphased by the Olympics, saying they’ve yet to see a change in traffic.

“No momentum, no,” said one shop keeper, although more traffic is expected.

Organizers say all competition venues are fully operational, however construction at the hockey rink still isn’t complete. The venue is a proud symbol of the Games for Milan, as it is among the few facilities that was constructed from scratch. Organizers feel the incomplete parts of the venue won’t matter.

“Do we have every single space in that venue finished? No. And is it absolutely needed for the games? No. So no one’s experience will be tainted by anything that needs to be painted or carpeted after the games,” Christophe Dubi, executive director of the Olympic Games, said earlier this week.

The organizing committee is pointing to the torch relay as a driver for national excitement with huge crowds coming to events across the country, a momentum they say is reflected in demand from spectators. According to organizers, roughly 1.2 million event tickets have already been sold and only a limited number remain for the opening ceremony.