Highlights of the Year
Tourism and Resorts
Resort Development
Our province's 700 resorts and lodges employ 26,000 people and generate more than $2 billion in direct and indirect spending each year across B.C. With time, those figures will only grow higher. Across B.C. 44 alpine ski resorts are projecting new capital investments of more than $1 billion over the next two to five years. Expansion includes everything from new lifts and runs to developing hotels, residential developments and golf courses.
On top of that, new projects worth more than $4.5 billion in estimated capital investment are currently under review. These new proposals include all-season ski resorts, golf and residential developments, spas, marina resorts and agri-tourism destinations.
In addition, the ministry has updated the province's Commercial Alpine Ski Policy and developed a new All Seasons Resort Policy framework. New Guidelines to Resort Development and a new Master Development Agreement template have been developed in consultation with industry to promote clarity and consistency for developers across the province.
Approved Destination Status
In January 2005, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Chinese and Canadian dignitaries — a first step in achieving Approved Destination Status for Canada, which will allow people to travel to Canada for recreational purposes. Currently, Chinese citizens are only granted permission to travel to Canada for business. The ministry continues to work with federal partners to achieve Approved Destination Status, and a final agreement is expected to be signed within the next two years.
In 2005, total overnight visitation of Chinese visitors to B.C. was just over 83,000. Tourism Vancouver anticipates Vancouver alone could receive as many as 500,000 visitors from China by 2015.
Destination Marketing
As the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games approach, B.C. has an unparalleled opportunity to demonstrate that B.C. is the best place on earth for a vacation. To promote our province domestically, nationally and internationally, the provincial government has doubled Tourism BC's allocation, from $25 million to $50 million per year. A one-time investment of $25 million to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) in support of the Community Tourism Program along with $12 million in one-time funding to B.C.'s six tourism regions are helping to attract visitors to B.C. and ensure they extend their travels from the major centres to explore all B.C. has to offer.
Aboriginal Tourism
In December 2005 the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC (ATBC) launched the Aboriginal Cultural Tourism Blueprint Strategy, with support from the provincial government. An interim grant of $150,000 has been provided by the province to ATBC to undertake further planning toward full implementation of the strategy.
Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project
The provincial government has committed $272.5 million to the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project, which will triple the capacity of the existing facility. This project will deliver substantial economic benefits to the city of Vancouver, as well as the entire province, by attracting more conventions, visitors and investments. The Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre will also be used as the broadcasting headquarters during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Arts, Culture and Heritage
Supporting Arts, Culture and Heritage
The government of B.C. recognizes that the arts, culture and heritage sectors are crucial to the spirit, vitality and health of our communities. In 2004/05 the province established the $25 million BC Arts Renaissance Fund through a one-time grant to the Vancouver Foundation to build a permanent endowment fund by matching private sector grants. As of March 2006, the Vancouver Foundation has provided more than $5 million in funding to B.C. arts organizations through that fund. In addition, the province increased the BC Arts Council program budget by $3 million to almost $14 million, which provided more than 900 awards to B.C. arts groups. A further $592,000 in awards was distributed through the Olympic Arts Fund.
Film Continues to Grow
This year film and television production in B.C. increased more than 50 per cent from 2004, with more than 200 productions being completed in B.C. including 63 major feature films. B.C. is North America's third-largest service film production centre after Los Angeles and New York, with production contributing about $1.2 billion to our provincial economy.
In 2005/06, the province provided $200,000 through the BC Film Commission to regional film commissions across the province, and continues to support production activity through its regional tax incentive, aimed at stimulating production in areas of the province outside the Lower Mainland. This year the film tax was extended until 2008, to help ensure B.C.'s film industry remains strong and competitive with other jurisdictions.
Sport
Major Sport Event Hosting
Sport hosting plays a vital role as the province prepares for 2010. Not only does sport hosting showcase all that B.C. has to offer to the world, but it also creates legacies in tourism, volunteerism and sport development that benefit all British Columbians.
In 2005, B.C. hosted 23 national and international sport events, which generated millions of dollars for the host communities and the province. To name only a few examples, the Grey Cup generated an estimated $35 million for the Vancouver economy, the World Cup Nordic Championships at Sovereign Lake generated an estimated $6.5 million for the Vernon area, and the World Curling Championships is estimated to have generated more than $20 million for Victoria.
In 2005/06, the ministry launched an innovative new promotional tool to encourage and attract sport events to the province. The BC Sport Event Hosting and Resort Guide is a new online tool (available at http://www.hostingbc.ca) that catalogues B.C.'s sport facilities and resorts. It provides extensive information about the capacities and features of facilities, resorts and communities, as well as key contacts for each. Response from international sport decision-makers has been overwhelmingly positive.
Supporting Amateur Sport
British Columbia has a long-standing tradition of sport excellence and is a national leader in physical activity. To help meet government's goal of being the most physically active jurisdiction in the world, the ministry allotted a total of $13.2 million in 2005/06 to support sport, recreation and volunteers. The ministry has also been exploring innovative new partnerships to make more resources available to our amateur sport system.
Through Sport BC, Pacific Sport and other province-wide sport organizations, funds are being dramatically expanded for KidSport, sport travel assistance programs, support for coaches and coaching, and other supports to give our most competitive young athletes a winning edge.
