Future MLS Expansion to Canada?

As stated in MLS Commissioner Don Garber's annual State of the League address on Friday, the MLS is looking to expand the league to 18 teams by 2010 or 2011. With the success of Toronto FC, the MLS has begun to take a more serious look at viable markets in Canada, namely Montreal and Vancouver.

Current expansion side's San Jose (2008) and Seattle (2009) would bring the MLS Franchise count up to 15. News reports and rumors suggest the next 2 cities to win franchise expansion are St.Louis and Philadelphia, hence; bringing the count up to 17. Therefore, if the MLS were to expand to Canada by 2011, only one of Montreal or Vancouver could be awarded a franchise and would have to have serious stadium plan's in the works. Lets take a look at them individually.

Montreal - "A market MLS has looked at since the league's inception, Montreal would provide a potential Canada rivalry with Toronto that could give the league added flavor." Garber explained. Current construction on Stade Saputo has nearly complete. It will hold 13,500 french screaming soccer fans, as opposed to Toronto FC's BMO Field which holds 20,000. Not bad for Montreal, but can 13,500 be enough to satisfy the demands of MLS top dogs? San Jose's temporary university grounds will only hold 12,000 until a Soccer Specific Stadium (SSS) is built there.... and it could also be argued that Stade Saputo could be expanded to accommodate larger crowds, or an MLS side could even begin play in the decaying titanic that is Le Stade Olympique.
Pictures of Stade Saputo can be viewed here: http://www.boutiquemeteo.com/saputo/stadesaputo.htm

Vancouver - Garber said "Greg Kerfoot, owner of the Vancouver Whitecaps, is trying to arrange for the building of a stadium on the waterfront in downtown Vancouver. The concept is for a privately financed stadium. Kerfoot just needs approval to put the stadium at that proposed site." With this in mind and with approval to go ahead and build, it would seem Vancouver would be the next logical choice for MLS expansion. It would also create a perfect Northwest rivalry for the 2009 MLS expansion team in Seattle. Vancouver's waterfront stadium is a must in this case, though as Burnaby's Swanguard stadium holds a meager 6,868 for the Whitecaps.
Pictures of Vancouver's Waterfront Stadium proposal can be viewed here: http://www.whitecapsnewstadium.com/home.cfm

Even with all of this in mind, Vancouver and Montreal would have to beat out rival bids from competing cities such as Atlanta, Las Vegas, Miami, New York (a second club), and Portland. Of these cities, Portland would appear to be the front runner with the recent success of the Portland Timbers of the USL. Should Portland be awarded a team, Vancouver's chances could be seriously crippled for the near future being in the same geographical region should MLS want to balance the conferences.

Cheers,

D.