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A Message from Colin Hansen, Minister of Economic Development
 In less than two years, British Columbia will be showcased across the globe as the jewel we all know it to be. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be the platform to launch BC as an international destination for business, leisure and travel. To capitalize on this opportunity to make BC one of the world’s most desired tourism destinations, we’ll start with the British Columbia Canada Pavilion at the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games.
Based at the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall near Tiananmen Square, the Pavilion will highlight the beauty of B.C. to a global audience. Tourists will get a true taste of what our province has to offer. Visitors to the Pavilion will even have the authentic experience of being in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, as they are greeted by a massive hollowed-out cedar tree that came down during the 2006 wind storms. With the success of British Columbia-Canada Place at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, we are confident that our presence in Beijing will help to raise awareness of BC’s unique tourism and cultural opportunities.
From Beijing to Robson Street, we are bringing the success of the BC Canada Place Pavilion back home. In taking every chance to inform the world of our dynamic province, the BC Showcase and Hosting spaces at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver will promote BC’s businesses, communities and programs. The BC Showcase will act as an interactive video centre highlighting the unique BC Stories on high-definition screens, while the Hosting space will be a key point for business to business networking, corporate hosting and protocol events. Overall, these facilities will play a critical role in creating an international business image for the province as the world comes to British Columbia for the Games. They are expected to be open for use later this year through 2010 and beyond.
Another chance to leverage the strength of our province as an international destination is the BC Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat’s 2010 Commerce Centre. The Commerce Centre informs, educates and connects businesses to Games-related opportunities. Recent events include workshops with Tourism Vancouver and the 2010 Business Summit featuring Olympic and Paralympic sponsors and major buyers for 2010 sharing their needs with our business community. Ongoing and future events include the 2010 Business Opportunities Workshop, the Think Asia - China 2008 Workshop and International Development Days, a 3-day seminar on how Canadian businesses can benefit from the multitude of international opportunities available.
Through the website – www.2010CommerceCentre.com – or at the Robson Square location, the 2010 Commerce Centre is a key resource initiating and maintaining lasting economic benefits for British Columbia.
Among all this action, the BC Winter Games Secretariat continues working hard to ensure British Columbia’s 2010 vision is achieved. Providing strategic leadership, coordination and oversight, the BC Secretariat plays a pivotal role in ensuring the numerous opportunities associated with hosting the Games are met and maintained, and a lasting legacy follows the success of the 2010 Winter Games.
We’re excited and I hope you are too.
Colin Hansen
Minister
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