Capitalizing our unique "Olympic advantage"

In 10 months, over three billion people around the world will watch us host the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It’s the biggest show on earth, and the largest tourism marketing opportunity on the planet. It will launch both BC and Canada into a 21st century world of opportunity. We will use that unique advantage to leverage new tourism, investment, trade and jobs.

The Olympics has already been a major driver of private sector investment, economic growth and job creation in BC. They are giving our economy a boost. This year VANOC alone is spending between $3 million and $4 million a day. The Games and related activity are estimated to create 244,000 jobs. Just the Games themselves will generate an estimated $4 billion worth of direct economic benefit that is creating and sustaining jobs in every region.

We will build on this incredible strategic advantage, in partnership with the 95 Spirit Committees that have been established, representing over 266 communities across BC. The Torch Relay alone will travel to 266 communities all across BC. It is estimated that about 92 per cent of all British Columbians will be within a one hour drive of the torch relay’s route. That 106-day journey across Canada will start in Victoria, on October 30th. Host communities in every region of the province will get to celebrate that Torch Relay’s visit. We will all benefit from Olympic related economic activity before, during and long after the Games.

Together, British Columbians will showcase their talent, their communities, their culture and their province to the world. We will use this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to forge new global awareness of our amazing tourist attractions, of our worldclass amenities and institutions, our diverse population and of our burgeoning role as Canada’s Pacific Gateway.