The latest Baton Relay started with Victoria's Mayor Lisa Helps, who rode her bike with the baton having been attached to the front.

“We look forward to welcoming the baton back for 2022,” Helps was quoted as saying by the Times Colonist.

Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) President Rick Powers claimed last month Victoria had necessary political support, but admitted official backing has been held up by the recent deadlock within the British Columbian Provincial Government.

Officials have previously said Victoria, located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast, would seek help from the rest of British Columbia as part of their bid.

The New Democrat Party (NDP) finally took office in British Columbia, the capital of which is Victoria, following months of uncertainty in the region, with John Horgan sworn in as Premier earlier this week.

They reached an agreement with the three Green members of the legislature elected on May 9, giving them a one-seat advantage over the Liberal Party of Canada.

The Liberals had initially won 43 of the 87 seats, but were defeated in a vote of confidence in June, meaning there was no ruling party within the Provincial Government.

Bid chairman David Black, a businessman and owner of Canada's largest private publisher Black Press, has reportedly claimed funding announcements could be made next week.

Ravi Kahlon, a former international field hockey player, has been confirmed as the Parliamentary Secretary for Sport and Multiculturalism in the new Provincial Government.

He told the Times Colonist that financing was being assessed by the Provincial Government, but admitted deadlines were tight.

“We are going through the numbers right now,” the two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games athlete said.

“There are no answers, yet.

“We are certainly going to look at it, but the timelines are tight.

“We are going through the due process to make sure that financially, and in terms of timelines, we can make this happen.”

Canada has not hosted the Commonwealth Games since Victoria staged the 1994 edition and has pulled out of two recent bid races.

Halifax mounted a bid for the 2014 event but withdrew seven months before the vote in November 2007, where Glasgow beat Abuja in Nigeria.

Edmonton was originally in the running for 2022 but falling oil prices in early 2015 forced them to pull the plug, leaving Durban as the only candidate.

Further details, including venues, are expected to be revealed later this month with Victoria promising a “scaled down” version of the Games.

Birmingham and Liverpool are vying to be England’s candidate for the Games, while Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia have expressed an interest in hosting the Games.

The Queen’s Baton Relay included a visit of Government House and City Hall in Victoria, with a series of Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games athletes taking part.

It included former marathon runner Bruce Deacon and Suzanne Weckend, who competed for Canada in swimming and triathlon at Victoria 1994 and Melbourne 2006 respectively.

The Baton contains a message from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II that calls the Commonwealth’s athletes to come together in a peaceful and friendly competition.

The Relay began at Buckingham Palace in London at the start of March and began to make its way to Australia.

The message will be taken from the Baton and read at the Opening Ceremony of Gold Coast 2018 on April 4.

Prince Charles will officially open the Games in place of The Queen, it was confirmed last week.

Before Canada, the Baton toured Caribbean countries.