News Release

December 4, 2002

HALF-BILLION DOLLARS FOR CONVENTION CENTRE EXPANSION

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, with Allan Rock, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Infrastructure, Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Natural Resources Canada and Minister Responsible for British Columbia, and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell today confirmed their respective government’s contribution to the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre project.

"The Governments of Canada and British Columbia have agreed that the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre is their top joint infrastructure priority in this province," said Prime Minister Chrétien. "The Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion shows what we can accomplish with strong cooperation between our two governments. This project will have positive impacts on tourism and the local economy, but will also contribute to the long term economic growth of British Columbia."

"We are very appreciative of Canada’s contribution to economic development in British Columbia through this important project," said Premier Gordon Campbell. "A good working partnership between our governments will ensure that British Columbia continues its economic growth, and we look forward to continued partnership with Canada on future investments throughout our province."

The Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre project includes the construction of new facilities on the Burrard Landing Site, west of Canada Place; the renovation of existing leased facilities within Canada Place; and the linking of the two sites to form an integrated convention and exhibition centre.

The project is targeted at $495 million. The tourism sector will contribute $90 million. The federal and provincial governments will contribute the remainder, on a matching, cost-shared basis. The federal contribution will be made through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.

Prime Minister Chrétien and Premier Campbell also announced that their governments would sign a formal agreement confirming this commitment within the next six months.

Through the $2-billion Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Canada is working with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as with the private sector, to respond to strategic infrastructure needs throughout the country. These investments are directed to large-scale projects of major national and regional significance, in areas that are vital to sustaining economic growth and supporting an enhanced quality of life for Canadians.

Working with provinces and municipalities, the Government of Canada committed in the last Speech from the Throne to put in place a ten-year program for infrastructure to accommodate long-term strategic initiatives essential to competitiveness and sustainable growth.

Contacts:

PMO Press Office
(613) 957-5555

Mike Morton
Press Secretary
Office of the Premier of British Columbia
(250) 213-8218

Backgrounder

Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre and Federal Infrastructure Investments in British Columbia

Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre

The Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre project is targeted at $495 million. The tourism sector will contribute $90 million. The federal and provincial governments will contribute the remainder, on a matching, cost-shared basis. The Government of Canada's contribution will be made through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund. This represents the first contribution from the fund in Western Canada.

Expansion of the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre (VCEC) involves:

• Constructing new facilities on Burrard Landing to the west of Canada Place;
• Renovating the existing leased convention facilities at Canada Place; and
• Linking the two sites to form an integrated convention and exhibition centre.

The existing convention centre is located in the Canada Place development, which is owned by the Canada Place Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Vancouver Port Authority. Both the Vancouver Port Authority and Canada Place Corporation are corporations, but also act as federal Crown agents in specific instances as outlined in the Canada Marine Act.

Canada Place Corporation leases space for the convention centre to the provincial government. In turn, the provincial government currently sub-leases the existing convention centre to the BC Pavillion Corporation, a crown corporation of the provincial government (commonly known as PavCo).

Since 1995, there has been continued industry support for an expanded convention centre. As a result, the VCEC Task Force was formed in October, 1999. It is comprised of PavCo, Tourism Vancouver, The Vancouver Board of Trade and the Vancouver Hotel Association.

The project is expected to generate over $1.5 billion in economic benefit to industry and all levels of government, as well as over 6,700 person-years of employment during construction and 7,500 full-time jobs throughout the province once the expanded facility is operational, thus maintaining Canada Place as Canada's west coast icon.

Other Government of Canada Support to the Province of British Columbia for Infrastructure

The Government of Canada's involvement in support of infrastructure development in British Columbia is significant. Under the Canada-British Columbia Infrastructure Program (CBCIP), a component of the national Infrastructure Canada Program, the Government of Canada has set aside $268.5 million, which is expected to generate over $800 million in infrastructure investment for the province. To date, $87 million of the $268.5 million has been committed to projects throughout the province.

So far, 102 projects, most of which fall under the green municipal infrastructure component of the CBCIP, have been approved in British Columbia. These projects include: water treatment and distribution systems or wastewater collection and sewage treatment facilities. These projects represent a total investment of $83.2 million in infrastructure.

In addition, under the $600 million Strategic Highways Infrastructure Program (SHIP), there is an agreement to provide by 2006, $61.2 million in federal funding for national highway system improvement projects in British Columbia. So far, the Government of Canada has announced investments totaling about $60 million for two intelligent transportation systems projects, eleven border crossing projects, and seven highway projects throughout British Columbia.

Moreover, the Government of Canada announced in Budget 2001 the $680-million Affordable Housing Program. Under this program, the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia will each invest $88.7 million over the next five years to help increase the supply of affordable housing in British Columbia.

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