Pilgrim passes, video sales help cover $80-million bill

By CHRISTINE BOYD, Globe and Mail Update

Organizers now expect to register 350,000 participants for the late July event - far short of the 750,000 originally expected to attend, but enough to help them reach their break-even mark of $80-million.

Although the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said in early July that the country's churches might have to help make up a $25-million shortfall, World Youth Day organizers are more confident - but stress that the bottom-line for organizers isn't financial.

"It's never been a question of making a profit, World Youth Day is not a profit-making endeavour," said Paul Kilbertus, the event's director of communications. "The Church has decided that it's worth the risk...For the church, it's seen as an investment in the Catholic young people of Canada and the young people of the world."

Mr. Kilbertus said organizers won't be able to determine whether they face a deficit until the event ends.

"We'll know then the number of people who come to register the day of the event," he said. "That's the big unknown and we're hoping it will be substantial."

The World Youth Day national office carries the bulk of World Youth Day costs, an estimated $80-million that covers most direct services for participants such as meals, accommodation, transportation and staging.

More than half - about $50-million - is expected to come from registration fees, which range from $60 weekend package with no meals to a $240 deluxe package that comes with emergency health insurance, a transit pass, food, accommodation and a pass to all events.

About $16-million was raised through sponsorshop from individuals, corporations and foundations.

The event also received $4.9-million in government funding, including a $1-million interest-free loan from the City of Toronto and a $1-million grant from the federal government. The Province of Ontario provided a $1-million grant, $1.4-million for staff salaries and $500,000 for volunteer training and recruitment through the Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Ministry of Culture.

World Youth Day merchandise, ranging from T-shirts, pins and jackets to prayer books, videos and mugs, are expected to raise another $2.7-million. More than $1-million in merchandise was sold on-line before the official store opened its doors in Toronto.