Olympic volunteers (have I offended a trademark?) apparently don’t come cheap. One estimate puts the new bill to provincial taxpayers at $28 million. Consider that when the hospital postpones your father’s heart bypass surgery, your mother’s hip replacement or your child’s school terminates special-ed teachers.

Laila Yuile has the news with links to Miro Cernetig’s Vancouver Sun story.

The Globe and Mail’s correspondent Frances Bula checks in with related news. She reports that about 800 City of Vancouver employees and most of Whistler’s 300 staff will assigned for extended periods to help run Olympic events and facilities. Municipal employees at West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond and Surrey will also assist preparation and conduct of events. The Organizing Committee was expected to pay at least part of the civic government costs but that is now uncertain and negotiations are underway.

Ms. Bula states the 2010 Games are suffering severe budget problems. VANOC says because of a very difficult economic climate, they seek new and additional resources and solutions to overcome financial challenges. That is modern speak for “Watch out, a man can have a baby!”