Sheila Copps and Denis Coderre Announce Funding for Vancouver Whistler 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games Bid
VANCOUVER, December 20, 2001 -- Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps and Secretary of State (Amateur Sport) Denis Coderre today announced that the Government of Canada will provide $9.1 million in direct funding for the Vancouver Whistler 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games Bid."I am very pleased to announce the Government's support for the Vancouver Whistler Bid," said Minister Copps. "We are strongly committed to Canada's Bid because we believe that Vancouver and Whistler constitute the best location for this important international event. The possibility of hosting the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games will provide many benefits for Canada, through the Bid phase, the staging of the Winter Games and beyond."
Secretary of State Coderre also expressed his support for the Bid. "The Government's support shows our ongoing commitment to sport in Canada. Hosting these Games in Canada would lead to tremendous benefits for the athletes, coaches and thousands of volunteers who form the backbone of our sport system."
The funding for the Bid includes a new commitment of $6.6 million, in addition to the $2.5 million that was previously offered by the Canadian Tourism Commission.
The Minister stated that hosting the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games would give our country an opportunity to showcase itself to the rest of the world. The economic benefits would include job creation, regional development, increased tourism, and sport and infrastructure legacies.
Minister Copps also praised the excellent partnership between the Government of Canada and the other Bid partners, including the Government of British Columbia; the municipalities of Vancouver and Whistler; the Vancouver Whistler 2010 Bid Corporation; the Canadian Olympic Association; the Canadian Paralympic Committee; the Squamish Nation and the Lil'wat Nation.
The Canadian Olympic Association must officially submit Canada's bid to host the 2010 Games by February 4, 2002. The International Olympic Committee will announce its shortlist of official candidate cities in August 2002 and will select the host of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games, in Prague, in July 2003.
Information:
Kerry Edmonds
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of
Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
Nicole Beauchamp
Director of Communications
Office of the Secretary of State
(Amateur Sport)
(819) 994-9909
(613) 850-0141 (cell)
BACKGROUNDER - I
VANCOUVER WHISTLER 2010 BID SECRETARIAT
--The Department of Canadian Heritage has established the Vancouver Whistler 2010 Bid Secretariat to assist the Minister of Canadian Heritage, on behalf of the Government of Canada, in supporting the Vancouver Whistler 2010 Bid Corporation's (VW2010) efforts to promote the Bid for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games.
--The Secretariat is the principal contact for the federal government and the Corporation in matters related to the Candidature of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games.
--More than 26 federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations exercise some jurisdictional mandate over policy areas that impact directly or indirectly on the Corporation and its Bid.
--The Secretariat is primarily responsible for coordinating the activities of federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations that wish to support and promote the Bid.
--It will coordinate, on behalf of the Corporation, the gathering and approval of information required from federal government departments, agencies and Crown corporations to prepare the Bid Book.
--The goal of the Secretariat is to coordinate a coherent federal government response to the Corporation's needs in the most efficient and effective manner possible, while promoting and preserving the federal government's interests.
--The Secretariat will further assist the Corporation in facilitating the cooperation of federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations on related matters, such as input to the Mini-Bid Book, the IOC Evaluation Commission visit, and the provision of services under federal jurisdiction (e.g. entry of Bid-related foreign visitors to Canada during the candidature phase).
BACKGROUNDER - II
SUPPORT FOR VANCOUVER WHISTLER 2010 BID
--The Government of Canada is committed to the success of the Bid and will make a $9.1 million contribution to Vancouver Whistler's 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games Bid.
--$2.5 million dollars has already been committed in direct Bid support by the Canadian Tourism Commission and an additional $6.6 million has been committed for the Bid in the December 10 budget. The province of British Columbia has also invested $9.1 million.
--The Vancouver Whistler 2010 Bid Corporation (VW2010) revised its operating budgets based upon Toronto's experience and other recent developments within the International Olympic Commitee. Total expenditures are now expected to be
$34.1 million.
--Preparing to host the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games is a complex project and the Government of Canada's support will help the Bid define its plans and prepare to make a winning submission to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
--Last month, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he publicly expressed the Government of Canada's support for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games.
--The Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games provide a unique showcase for Canadian athletes, artists and innovators, and present an outstanding opportunity to promote Canada's diversity, technological acumen and cultural achievements to the world.
--Winning the right to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games will increase Canada's international profile, attract investment and pump millions of dollars into the Canadian economy.
--To succeed in obtaining Olympic and Paralympic Games is an ambitious goal. The Government of Canada has traditionally supported bids for events such as Olympic Games and World Expositions and the Government of Canada is similarly pleased to support Vancouver Whistler's Bid.
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