“One of Canada’s most cherished symbols is the maple leaf. We put it on our flag, our uniforms and even our backpacks when we travel around the world. It sums up who we are — our shared history, values and goals as a country,” said Nathalie Lambert, Canada’s chef de mission for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. “That’s why it’s fitting to have the maple leaf on the official posters of Canada’s Games. With this modern, youthful and spirited take on our national symbol, we will welcome the world as hosts of the 2010 Winter Games in just 228 days time!”

Lambert, a three-time Olympic medallist in short track speed skating, unveiled the posters with Jean Labonté, a 2006 Paralympic gold medallist in ice sledge hockey; and John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer.

One of the most coveted collectors’ keepsakes of the Games, the official posters of the Games — the 21st produced for an Olympic Winter Games — will have a place in history alongside past Games posters, and are sure to grace bedroom walls, boardrooms and sports facilities around the world. The posters go on sale today at www.vancouver2010.com/store and at The Olympic Stores located at Vancouver International Airport and in Whistler, BC, starting at $15 CAD.

The complementary posters, which reflect the signature look of the 2010 Winter Games, have a bold, contemporary design and feature a cropped maple leaf composed of a vibrant palette of blues and greens found in the natural landscape of Vancouver and the Sea to Sky corridor, the Games Host Region. When the Olympic and Paralympic posters are displayed together, the two halves of the maple leaf join to create a whole, a concept that is a first for an organizing committee. The Official Emblems of the Games, and the Games motto With Glowing Hearts/Des plus brillants exploits, are also on the posters. All poster elements are artfully displayed on a white wood grain textured background.

“As one of the most visible and collectible items of the Games, we’re proud to offer Canadians and supporters around the world official posters that truly illustrate the spirit of Canada’s Games,” said Furlong. “The poster features the traditional maple leaf rendered in a new way that is symbolic of a country that is young at heart, diverse, dynamic and fun. The unique pairing of these posters reflect our integrated approach to celebrating the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as one event for Canada.” The posters were designed in-house by a member of the same design team that developed the Games’ graphic identity in 2007.

This same signature “look” will also be found at Games time in 2010 — on tickets, banners, venue signage and buildings — giving the entire Host Region a seamless, festive atmosphere as it welcomes the world. 

The posters, produced by VANOC licensee Canadian Art Prints of Richmond, BC, start at $15 for an 18 x 27-inch offset lithography print (available today) to a limited edition 20 x 28-inch Giclee print for $150 (pre-orders start today). Limited-edition versions of the posters will also be sold together; these include embossing, a story on how the posters were designed and a certificate of authenticity signed by VANOC CEO John Furlong and designer Ben Hulse.

In the coming months, the official posters and other Vancouver 2010 posters will be available for sale, including the sport illustrations featured on highly sought Games tickets, including ice hockey, figure skating and alpine skiing. All 2010 Winter Games posters will be available for purchase at www.vancouver2010.com/store; The Olympic Stores in Whistler, Vancouver and at the Vancouver International Airport; select Zellers and The Bay stores; and select retailers across Canada and internationally.

Note to Photo Editors:
Images of the official posters of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be made available to media in a high-resolution downloadable format at www.vancouver2010.com as a link within the feature story on the website homepage.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

]]>http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/news/news-releases/-/68780/32566/3eyr1g/the-vancouver-2010-paralympic.htmlVancouver, BC — Three days after the Olympic Flame is extinguished on the West Coast, a new flame will light in Ottawa — in the heart of Canada’s national capital — sparking the official start of the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay on March 3, 2010. The 10-day inspirational journey will illuminate the extraordinary achievements of Paralympians and celebrate the endless possibilities of the human spirit through sharing the message of courage and determination embodied by the flame.

The relay, supported by the Government of Canada, will involve an estimated 600 torchbearers and visit several celebration sites, which the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is actively working on and will announce at a later date. The Paralympic Flame will travel to BC Place in downtown Vancouver for the opening of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games on March 12, marking the first time Canada has hosted a Paralympic Winter Games. Tickets for all Paralympic events are on sale now at www.vancouver2010.com.

“The Paralympic Games are about celebrating unbelievable athletic performances and triumphing repeatedly over adversity. The flame — and the Paralympic Torch Relay — is a powerful physical reminder of this, of how a dream can spark a personal and emotional transformation in the pursuit of excellence,” said Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), who participated in today’s announcement with a host of dignitaries. “I know in 2010, Canadians will give a warm welcome to the flame wherever it visits, and be great hosts to the world’s finest Paralympians.”

As well, for the first time the Paralympic Torch Relay will have its own unique emblem. The 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay emblem — “Spark Becomes Flame” — shows a human figure with its arms raised and joined, much like a candle’s flame. Contained within the arms is the glow of the fire within everyone, symbolizing the moment when imaginations are ignited and dreams are born. The design was created by Vancouver 2010’s in-house design team.

“We felt it was important for the Paralympic Torch Relay to have its own emblem because of its special ability to shine its own light and reveal amazing stories of courage and perseverance in our communities and at the Games,” said John Furlong, VANOC’s Chief Executive Officer. “To honour the remarkable achievements of Paralympic athletes, we are planning extraordinary relay events that will inspire and garner attention for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games and the Paralympic Movement.”

The March 3 lighting ceremony in Ottawa will have a uniquely Canadian flair; the Paralympic Flame has no ancestral home, hence each Organizing Committee has the freedom to choose a lighting method and celebration significant to the Host Country. The details of the ceremony will be revealed this fall by VANOC, along with the torchbearer selection process and the relay celebration stops en route from Ottawa to Vancouver.

“The Government of Canada is proud to present the Paralympic Torch Relay, and we encourage all Canadians to follow the flame from the relay’s start in Ottawa to its exciting homecoming in Vancouver,” said the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport). “The Paralympic Torch Relay will spread the Paralympic spirit from coast to coast to coast and celebrate the talents and achievements of our great Paralympic athletes, who are an inspiration to us all.”

Over 1,300 athletes and officials from more than 40 countries will take part in five sports (alpine and cross-country skiing, ice sledge hockey, wheelchair curling and biathlon) during the 10-day 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler next March. The big international sporting event comes just 12 days after the region hosts the Olympic Winter Games.

“The Paralympic Torch Relay will bring the spirit of competition and triumph that our Paralympic athletes personify to communities across British Columbia and Canada,” said the Honourable Gordon Campbell, Premier of BC. “We’ve already witnessed how truly incredible these athletes are and how fierce the competition is when we hosted several Paralympic sport events at the 2010 venues earlier this year. British Columbians are excited to host Canada’s first-ever Paralympic Winter Games and to share in seeing the dreams of our athletes come true right here in their home.”

At the news conference today with Sir Philip, VANOC also unveiled the torch and uniform design for the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. Brad Lennea of Whistler, BC, a retired member of Canada’sPara-Alpine Ski Team and a Paralympic Torchbearer in Beijing, and fellow skier Karolina Wisniewska of Vancouver, BC, carried the distinctive steel blue torch, inspired by the Canadian winter landscape and the lines etched on ice by winter sports.

The one-metre-long torch, designed by Bombardier, has an ergonomic, curved and modern design and features the emblem of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, a red maple leaf air intake cut-out and an engraving of the Games motto With Glowing Hearts/Des plus brillants exploits. It also has robust technology created by Bombardier’s aerospace and transportation design teams to weather the extremes of the Canadian winter. The torch can be operated in temperatures ranging from -50 C to over 40 C, through rain, sleet, snow and wind.

The Paralympic Torchbearer uniform, which seamlessly blends in with the torch design, is steel blue in colour and accented with bright bursts of blue and green on the jacket’s left arm. The uniform, designed and produced by the Hudson’s Bay Company, consists of a jacket, pullover pants, toque and knitted red mittens. The uniform is a commemorative keepsake for torchbearers.

The uniform also features the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay emblem on the chest and the IPC symbol, known as agitos, on the back. Silver reflective elements, including “Vancouver 2010” on the right jacket sleeve and right back pant leg, have been added for prominence and visibility.

Further information on the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay, including photos of the torch and torchbearer uniforms, is available online at www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelay.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com for more information.

About IPC
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and coordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to developing sport opportunities for persons with a disability, from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

About the Government of Canada
The Government of Canada is proud to make 2010 a celebration for all Canadians. Through strategic investments in programming and funding, the spirit and excitement will be felt far and wide and leave lasting legacies for future generations. Through the Olympic Torch Relay and Paralympic Torch Relay, the Government of Canada is supporting citizen and community participation, as well as the inclusion of Aboriginal, ethnocultural and official language communities.  For more information on the Government of Canada’s contribution to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, visit www.Canada2010.gc.ca.

About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2008, were $17.5 billion US, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). Bombardier is listed as an index component to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America indexes. News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.

About the Hudson’s Bay Company
The Hudson’s Bay Company is a Premier National Partner and the General Retail Merchant of the 2010 Winter Games. In partnership with VANOC, the company is designing and manufacturing the official uniforms for the 30,000-person Games-time workforce; it will also be outfitting the athletes' Villages, in both Vancouver and Whistler, with quality products to make the athletes comfortable in 2010. The Hudson’s Bay Company 500-store network currently sells the largest assortment of authentic Vancouver 2010 licensed merchandise.

Background
The torch’s large size (over 94 centimetres long) represents the vastness of the second largest country in the world and the limitless potential of its land and people. When lit, the brilliant orange glow of the Paralympic Flame will unfurl like a flag fluttering in the wind from the torch’s unique 30-centimetre-long vertical flame outlet. The flame will burn for at least 12 minutes. A red maple leaf air intake cut-out will feed the flame with enough oxygen to ensure it burns brightly for all to see, and a dual burner system will ensure it never falters.

The torch (with fuel) weighs about 1.6 kilograms and contains stainless steel, aluminum and a sheet-moulding compound. Ninety-five per cent of the Paralympic Torch is composed of materials and technology made or designed in Canada. Approximately 600 torches will be manufactured — one for every torchbearer taking part in the Paralympic Torch Relay.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

]]>http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/news/news-releases/-/68554/32566/lmmo80/canadas-top-ballet-companies-i.htmlVancouver, BC – The inspiring story of Rick Hansen, whose Man In Motion World Tour is legendary, will take audiences back to the beginning of this remarkable man’s story and make its world premiere as a multi-media stage production — just one of 35 new projects announced today as part of Cultural Olympiad 2010, presented by Bell.

Hailing from Canada and around the world, the new projects, from cutting-edge contemporary works to ancient traditions with a bold new twist, are part of the third and final edition of the Cultural Olympiad festivals. The first 20 projects were announced earlier this spring and many shows have tickets on sale now at www.vancouver2010.com/culturalolympiad.

The extensive program, which starts on January 22, 2010 and runs throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to March 21, 2010 will include more than 600 ticketed and free performances and exhibitions in 50 venues in Metro Vancouver and British Columbia’s Sea to Sky corridor.

Audiences are in for a treat. The works run the gamut from Canadian greats, such as The National Ballet of Canada and Royal Winnipeg Ballet performing on the same stage for the first time in two decades in a thrilling once-in-a-lifetime Olympic gala, to Ahke Theatre, the darlings of the Russian avant-garde arts scene who will bring their darkly comic White Cabin to Canada for the first time.

“These latest projects demonstrate the full range of what the Cultural Olympiad has to offer,” said David Guscott, executive vice president, celebrations and partnerships for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).  “This fall, we’ll announce the remainder of the program, which is presented with the support of the Government of Canada, the home provinces and territories of the performers, as well as arts organizations and festivals large and small.”

Other highlights include a new stage production called Spine from British Columbia’s Realwheels, the deliciously cheesy trio The Lost Fingers from Quebec and a theatrical picture story pitting a modern-day Métis journalist against a famed photographer of Aboriginal peoples in The Edward Curtis Project. The program also includes an exhibit of 12 Canadian and international artists exploring new ways of understanding culture in the 21st century as part of the grand reopening of the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology.

“For the last three years, our team has scoured stages, concert halls and galleries here at home and internationally for the most exciting established and emerging artists to showcase here in 2010,” explained Burke Taylor, VANOC’s vice-president, culture and celebrations. “The theatre troupes, dance companies, artists and musicians we’re bringing here in seven months stand out because they offer something different, stretching beyond the traditions and boundaries of their discipline to create something entirely new.”

“These projects will inspire audiences and challenge their perceptions of what constitutes classical music, what age means, or even what love is, and we’re excited to share them with you,” he added.

The 35 projects, featuring dancers, musicians, playwrights, new media and visual artists are:

Rick: The Rick Hansen Story
The inspiring story of Rick Hansen, whose Man In Motion World Tour changed the lives of millions, makes its world premiere in a multimedia production from playwright Dennis Foon. Presented with Manitoba Theatre for Young People in partnership with Rotary Okanagan International Children’s Festival and the Rick Hansen Foundation. Commissioned by Arts Partners in Creative Development.

Dance Canada Dance
Take two of Canada’s finest ballet companies and create a once-in-a-lifetime Olympic gala. Presented with The National Ballet of Canada and Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

White Cabin
A surreal and darkly comic work from Russia’s Akhe Theatre, White Cabin is filled with absurd and often touching “events.” The result is a chaotic variety show of fantastic images. Presented with the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. 

Spine
While travelling the online universe, inhabiting various virtual realities and identities, a man discovers the intriguing possibility of reinventing his physical body through cutting-edge technologies and ethically questionable experiments. A Realwheels Society/University of Alberta co-production presented with Simon Fraser University. Co-commissioned by Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. 

The Lost Fingers
This acoustic trio from Quebec City plays the pop hits of the ’80s in a swinging gypsy jazz style inspired by their musical hero, legendary ‘30s guitarist Django Reinhardt. Presented with the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society and Winterruption on Granville Island. 

The Edward Curtis Project
A theatrical picture story that creates an unlikely dialogue between a controversial photographer of Aboriginal peoples in North America and a modern-day Métis journalist. Presented with Presentation House Theatre and commissioned by Arts Partners in Creative Development.

Boundary and Translation: New Art Across Cultures
From video installations to traditional community-based art practices, this exhibition of international contemporary art explores new and unexpected ways of understanding culture and its translations in the 21st century. Presented with the UBC Museum of Anthropology. 

Adrian Anantawan with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
At age 24, violinist Adrian Anantawan has become one of Canada’s most sought-after young violinists. His extraordinary musicianship has been rewarded with invitations to join the finest orchestras all over the world. Presented with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

An Invitation to an Infiltration
Reflecting on the nature of competitions, An Invitation to an Infiltration makes explicit the rivalry inherent to group exhibitions, showing how it can be a productive state of engagement. Presented with Vancouver’s Contemporary Art Gallery.

Anthony Braxton 12+1 Tet
With his extraordinary 12-piece ensemble, revolutionary American jazz composer Anthony Braxton moves freely between compositions and improvisations, solos and ensemble playing, weaving musical textures full of magic and passionate sparks. Presented with the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society. 

Anthony Braxton’s Sonic Genome Project
An interactive spectacle by musical visionary Anthony Braxton featuring more than 60 instrumentalists, including international improvisers and local high school students, exploring the sonic universe over eight hours through ensembles that break apart and reform like human cells or societies. Presented with the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society. 

At Nightfall
Auguste, a shoemaker, discovers a magical water forest in this visually breathtaking dance performance for families by Sursaut Dance Company/Sursaut compagnie de danse. Presented with Surrey Arts Centre and Centennial Theatre. 

BASH’d – A Gay Rap Opera
Irreverent rapping troubadours Feminem and T-Bag tell the tale of star-crossed lovers Jack and Dillon in this “Romeo meets Romeo” tale of revenge gone wrong, by Edmonton-based playwrights and performers Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckow. Presented with The Cultch. 

Best Before
Using 200 wireless joysticks connected to one giant screen, the audience will create its own unique virtual city with Germany’s Rimini Protokoll. No two cities/performances will be alike. Presented with The Cultch and PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. Commissioned by Arts Partners in Creative Development. 

Body & Soul
Fourteen extraordinary women from all across Canada, who auditioned by writing a letter to their bodies, share stories about life after 45 in this thought-provoking play by award-winning Canadian playwright Judith Thompson.

China
Part social documentary, part personal observation, photographer-storyteller William Yang’s China is an unforgettable journey of reflection on the meaning of culture and belonging. Presented with the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and Theatre at UBC. 

CrystalMagnets
Longtime friends and musical explorers Andy Milne (Canada) and Benoît Delbecq (France) reunite to perform Crystal Magnets, their sublime new jazz project for two acoustic pianos. Presented with the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society and Winterruption on Granville Island. 

Dance Marathon
Amateurs, bring your dancing shoes and enter this endurance contest/staged performance event where you’ll go head-to-head with the dancing pros of bluemouth inc. and celebrities to see who can outwit, outlast and out-dance the competition. Presented with Boca del Lupo, a Harbourfront Centre commission. 

DBR with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Reminiscent of Lenny Kravitz, Daniel Bernard Roumain, or DBR, does for amplified violin what Jimi Hendrix did for the electric guitar with his rock and hip hop arrangements of classical music. Presented with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

The Drowning Girls
Opening with a splash, three breathless brides emerge gasping from watery graves — their bathtubs — to relive the tale of serial Edwardian bigamist and murderer George Joseph Smith and how he literally “took their breath away.” Presented with Gateway Theatre/A Bent Out of Shape production. 

The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan
The ghost of the infamous Spanish seducer Don Juan comes back from hell to harangue the audience in the name of cosmic love. Is he a sinner or a saint? With puppets! Presented with Alberta’s Old Trout Puppet Workshop and the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. 

FlorenceK
Quebec-born jazz-pop chanteuse and pianist Florence K dazzles the audience with her vocal and songwriting abilities in many languages, including French, English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Presented with the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society and Winterruption on Granville Island. 

High Performance: Evolution and Innovation in Canadian Design
Featuring the work of Canadian designers from across the country, this exhibition focuses on products for work and play inspired by our environment and lifestyle. Presented with Charles H. Scott Gallery.

KAMP
In KAMP, Dutch theatre company Hotel Modern blends theatre, puppetry and film in an attempt to imagine the unimaginable: the greatest mass murder in history, committed in the purpose-built camp of Auschwitz. Presented with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. 

Monster
Nightmare landscapes on acrylic, child-like drawings of ghost figures and beautiful carvings of mythological spirits are part of Monster, an exhibition exploring monstrous sensibilities in contemporary culture. Be afraid. Presented with West Vancouver Museum. 

The Passion of Joan of Arc
Vancouver’s innovative Eye of Newt Ensemble perform a newly commissioned score to accompany Carl Dreyer’s 1928 silent film masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc, France’s most famous martyr. Presented with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. 

Poetics: a ballet brut
This is do-it-yourself theatre at its most mischievous by the Nature Theater of Oklahoma. Common gestures and movements are taken to hilarious new heights unhampered by the performers’ complete lack of formal dance training. Presented with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.

Quilt of Belonging
Appliquéd butterfly wings, beaded silk, African mud cloth and Salish weaving are a few of the materials and techniques used to make this 36-metre tapestry a masterpiece of textile artistry. Presented with Surrey Art Gallery. 

Son of Chamber Symphony
One night, three intimate chamber symphonies, including Canadian and world premiere performances, played by Vancouver’s Turning Point Ensemble. The pieces include challenging harmonic works by composers Arnold Schoenberg of Austria, American John Adams and Vancouver-born John Oliver. Mr. Oliver’s composition commissioned by Arts Partners in Creative Development. 

Sound of the Ocean
U Theatre, Taiwan’s Tao masters of martial arts and percussion, enchant audiences worldwide with a mesmerizing feast of music and movement that traces a drop of water on its journey from the sky to the vast ocean. Presented with the Asian-Canadian Special Events Association. 

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
The rollicking enduring spirit of L’Acadie fused with the swampy southern heat of Louisiana fuel the sweet folk ballads and dancehall beats of nouveau Cajun musicians Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Presented with the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society and Winterruption on Granville Island. 

TAO
TAO’s performance isn’t just another Japanese taiko show. It’s an explosive experience with overwhelming power that stimulates the senses through its pounding drum beats. It’s energetic, muscular, artistic, alluring and spectacular! Presented with Global Arts Concerts. 

Tono
Thundering hooves and shamanic visions are conjured by dynamic percussion and the haunting lilt of the morin khuur as leaping dancers take centre stage in Tono. An original production by Red Sky Performance. 

Underneath the Lintel
An uptight Dutch librarian takes off on a globe-trotting pursuit of the anonymous person who audaciously drops an overdue library book into his return slot — 113 years late! Presented with Chutzpah! The Lisa Nemetz International Showcase of Jewish Performing Arts and The Cultch. 

La valse d’Angèle/Because She Hoped: French Canadian Folk Tales
Traditional French-Canadian folk songs, dancing and storytelling fondly revisited and magnificently transformed for the 21st century by a hand-picked ensemble of Canada’s leading creative musicians under the direction of François Houle. Presented with the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society and Winterruption on Granville Island. 

The full slate of Cultural Olympiad 2010 events, along with ticket information, will be available online at www.vancouver2010.com/culturalolympiad as soon as events are announced. 

Background

About the Cultural Olympiad
The Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, presented by Bell, is a series of multidisciplinary festivals and digital programs showcasing the best in Canadian and international arts and popular culture. Launched in 2008, the program culminates in the 60-day Cultural Olympiad 2010 (January 22 to March 21, 2010), which begins before and continues throughout the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. 

Partnerships

Bell
Bell is proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Telecommunications Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and the presenting sponsor for the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers and business with solutions to all their communications needs, including Bell Home phone local and long distance services, Bell Mobility and Solo Mobile wireless, high-speed Bell Internet, Bell TV direct-to-home satellite and VDSL television, IP-broadband services and information and communications technology (ICT) services. Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For information on Bell's products and services, please visit www.bell.ca. For corporate information on BCE, please visit www.bce.ca. 

Government
The Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad is grateful for the support of the Government of Canada and the governments of all of Canada’s provinces and territories and their respective cultural agencies: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon. In addition to the Cultural Olympiad’s government and corporate partners, CODE is proudly supported by the Canada Council for the Arts and the National Film Board of Canada. New Media BC and Wavefront Innovation Society are also both active participants in the project. The National Presentation and Touring Program is generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. 

Arts Partners in Creative Development
Arts Partners in Creative Development (APCD) is a strategic investment partnership to assist BC arts and cultural organizations create and develop new works or further develop existing works, with the intent of producing, presenting or exhibiting them at the highest standard. Organizations can apply for funding to create, commission and develop original work in the performing, visual, media or literary arts. With an initial investment of $6.5 million over three years, APCD facilitates the creation and development of new work to showcase both locally and worldwide. APCD funding partners include VANOC, the Province of British Columbia, 2010 Legacies Now, the City of Vancouver, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Vancouver Foundation.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

]]>http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/news/news-releases/-/68394/32566/t7jpid/works-of-art-by-more-than-90-a.htmlVancouver, BC– An airy stream of metal salmon shimmering overhead, five intricately carved spindle whorls inspired by curling rocks and three long-limbed wolves howling in unison on the Prairies are among the beautiful works of art by more than 90 Aboriginal artists that will grace the 2010 Winter Games venues as part of the Vancouver 2010 Venues’ Aboriginal Art Program.

The names of the respected and emerging Aboriginal artists taking part in the program were announced today by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) in partnership with the Four Host First Nations.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists participating in the program are from every province and territory in Canada and include Brendalynn Trennert of Hay River, NWT; Alan Syliboy of Millbrook, NS; Stephen Peltonen of Hearst, ON; Brent Sparrow and Kevin McKenzie of Vancouver, BC; and Jason Baerg of Toronto, ON. A complete list of participants is available at www.vancouver2010.com.

“These works of art by some of Canada’s most established and up-and-comingAboriginal artists will be front and centre in our 15 Olympic and Paralympic venues and will remain there as a permanent legacy of the Games beyond 2010,” said Dan Doyle, VANOC’s executive vice president responsible for Aboriginal participation. “In some cases, these beautiful artworks are seamlessly integrated into the structure of the venue itself.”

The variety of artwork is staggering. Textiles, copper, steel, concrete, yellow cedar, glass and caribou tufting are among the mediums used and the subject matter features Aboriginal symbols, such as the raven, bear, salmon, sun and canoe in traditional and contemporary styles.

In addition to leaving a physical legacy of artwork, the program is helping create an educational and cultural legacy by pairing established artists with several at-risk young people in urban and rural areas from across Canada to create three original sculptures for showcasing in 2010.

“Mentors, such as Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, are opening up a new world of opportunity for inner-city Aboriginal youth,” said Tewanee Joseph, chief executive officer of the Four Host First Nations. “This type of programming allows us to celebrate the strength and innovation of our youth.”

More than 140 individual pieces of original artwork will be produced as part of the more than $2-million Venues’ Aboriginal Art Program, with over 40 becoming part of the Games permanent legacy at the venues. Sixteen Four Host First Nations works will have pride of place in areas such as entrances and gateways at venues like Pacific Coliseum and the Olympic and Paralympic Villages in Whistler and Vancouver. This means the first thing visitors will see as they enter is a welcoming work by a hosting Aboriginal artist. This program is part of VANOC’s venue construction budget.

"This program offers an unprecedented opportunity to create a once-in-a-lifetime contemporary collection of art from First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples for all the world to marvel at and enjoy during Canada’s Games in 2010," said Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians. "Through these more than 90 sculptors, tufters, weavers and painters, we’re celebrating the rich cultural diversity of our country and honouring Aboriginal peoples across Canada."

“Canada is experiencing a renaissance in Aboriginal art from First Nations, Inuit and Métis and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will showcase this incredible talent to the world,” said BC Premier Gordon Campbell. “Their works will inspire everyone — from the world’s best athletes to visitors alike — as they act as a permanent cultural and artistic legacy of the Games.”

The Aboriginal works of art displayed in the venues will also be featured in O Siyam:Celebrating Aboriginal Art through the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, published by John Wiley & Sons Canada Ltd. The full-colour coffee-table book will be available in stores this fall.

For images of selected artworks from Aboriginal artists participating in the Vancouver 2010 Venues’ Aboriginal Art Program, visit www.vancouver2010.com.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com for more information.

About the Four Host First Nations Society
The Four Host First Nations Society is a not-for-profit organization that has been established to coordinate the participation in the 2010 Winter Games by the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. To learn more about the Four Host First Nations Society, visit www.fourhostfirstnations.com.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

]]>http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/news/news-releases/-/68300/32566/1059vq5/vanocs-positive-cash-position.htmlVancouver, BC — The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) today released its report for the third quarter of the fiscal year, which includes a positive cash position of $127 million, largely due to the timing of payments received and expenditures made while operating in the most challenging economic conditions in recent history. The report includes a management discussion and analysis, and interim financial statements for the period ending April 30, 2009. VANOC's quarterly report is available at www.vancouver2010.com.

“We are pleased with our positive cash position for the quarter, which is almost entirely due to the timing of payments from various partners and ticket sales revenue. However, as we’ve said before, we are not immune to the issues and challenges posed by the economic downturn so the final eight months will be very challenging with the biggest spending quarters ahead of us,” said Dave Cobb, executive vice president and deputy chief executive officer. “Like all companies, we continue to carefully review revenues and costs and apply rigorous scrutiny to every decision that has any kind of financial ramification.”    

John McLaughlin, VANOC’s chief financial officer added, “We are actively in the market procuring a wide range of goods and services required for the Games. The busiest procurement period is ahead of us with 62 per cent of our overall spending to come. While many potential suppliers are cautious or simply unable to get involved with us due to the prevailing economic conditions, many companies see the compelling opportunity provided by the Games. We’re very pleased with the quality of suppliers and contractors who are engaging. We negotiate every contract carefully, balancing costs and service levels against our commitments to athletes, spectators and partners.”

The management discussion and analysis portion of this report includes a detailed discussion and analysis of financial results, venue development activities and financial position. In summary:  

• Deferred operating revenues exceeded deferred operating expenses by $128.9 million for the quarter, compared to $145.9 million in the previous quarter ending January 31, 2009. On a project-to-date basis, there is an excess of deferred operating revenues over deferred operating expenses of $182.3 million.

• The Organizing Committee’s net deferred operating revenue for this quarter was $234.8 million and was comprised mainly of contributions from the IOC ($92.6 million), ticket sales ($52.9 million), international and domestic sponsorship ($36.3 million), Paralympic contributions ($24.7 million), licensing and merchandising ($2.2 million) and other revenue ($38.5 million).On a project-to-date basis, deferred operating revenues were $847.4 million.This represents approximately 48.3 per cent of budgeted operating revenues for the project.

• VANOC’s net deferred operating expenses in the quarter were $105.8 million. Excluding the impact of the net foreign exchange gain, deferred operating expenses were $106.1 million. On a project-to-date basis, deferred operating expenditures totalled $665.1 million, or about 37.9 per cent of the project budget. In accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles, all revenues and expenses are deferred prior to Games time.

• VANOC’s total venue construction expenditures for the quarter were $10.6 million. Project-to-date venue construction expenditures now total $543.7 million, which represents 91.9 per cent of the venue construction budget. In addition, an $8.3-million central contingency draw for BC Place has been approved by the Organizing Committee’s board of directors, reducing the contingency balance from $9.6 million to $1.3 million.

The quarterly report contains the updated Games operating budget, approved by VANOC’s board of directors in January, as well as a summary of the Organizing Committee’s operating budget, current and project-to-date revenues and expenditures. VANOC continues to refine and update its forecast of the Games operating budget on an ongoing basis.

The next financial report will be released in October 2009 and will include the audited financial statements for the year ending July 31, 2009.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

]]>http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/news/news-releases/-/68278/32566/1bqz2sg/district-of-squamish-partners.htmlSquamish, BC – The District of Squamish and the Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) are partnering to ensure successful Winter Games in 2010 through cooperation and support on services and operational requirements for the Games. In recognition for the support and as an enduring legacy of the 2010 Winter Games, the District of Squamish and VANOC have created a $750,000 trust fund in support of community sport and recreation facilities in the district. Squamish mayor Greg Gardner and VANOC’s Dan Doyle, executive vice president of construction, made the announcement today at the Squamish Rocks 2010 community celebration at the Squamish Adventure Centre.

“We’re thrilled VANOC is recognizing the citizens of Squamish and the important role we’re committed to playing in the lead up to and during the 2010 Winter Games,” said Gardner. “The $750,000 Squamish sport legacy trust, which will be disbursed by the district, will be a great legacy of the Games—one that can be used to provide opportunities for youngsters and adults alike in our district to play together and lead active, healthy lives.”

Squamish is ideally located between Vancouver and Whistler to provide important services and to benefit from the 2010 Winter Games. The District of Squamish played a key role in the successful staging of numerous sport events at Games venues over the past winter season. Since January 2006, more than 80 businesses in Squamish have received contracts from VANOC totalling $15.6 million overall. These businesses include accommodation, construction, food and beverage, entertainment and service providers. Leading up to and during Games time, Squamish will continue to be a key accommodation hub for VANOC, its partners and service providers, including housing as many as 600 out-of-town Games-time volunteers in local homes through the Homestay Volunteer Program. The District is also working with VANOC to find areas suitable for parking space and support for shore operations should cruise ships be used for accommodation.

“Squamish is a critical community to the staging of the Games. This partnership solidifies our commitment to work closely with Squamish to ensure the Games are of benefit to the community and that residents and businesses can make a real contribution to the Games’ success,” said Dan Doyle. “The Squamish sport legacy trust recognizes the past, current and future support, time and resources that Squamish is providing to us in the Sea to Sky region. This year, hundreds of Squamish residents have volunteered their time in hosting international sport events at Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park and other venues, gaining crucial experience and knowledge that will make them extremely valuable members of our team when we host the Games in just eight months time. Also, dozens more residents are opening their homes to take in volunteers from across Canada and around the world so they can be close to the venues they’ll be working at in 2010.”

“The Sport Legacy Trust Fund is also an investment in the future health of this community and an opportunity to build on its growing reputation as the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada,” he concluded.

About the District of Squamish

Squamish is a vibrant seaside community located in the Coast Mountain Range of British Columbia, at the head of Howe Sound. Home to over 14,949 people, Squamish is a young town with 60 per cent of the population under the age of 40. Squamish offers a high-quality lifestyle, entrepreneurial opportunities, two universities and a community that prides itself as the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.”

About VANOC

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Please visit www.vancouver2010.com for more information.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

 “I would like to extend congratulations on behalf of our board of directors and entire team at VANOC to Mary McNeil on her appointment to this exciting portfolio,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer. “With her experience in hosting large international events she brings a strong depth of knowledge to the project. As the MLA for the new riding of Vancouver-False Creek, she lives in and represents the heart of the Games region and Host City, a riding that will host ice hockey, ceremonies, the Olympic and Paralympic Village Vancouver and many other key Games activity areas.  

Added Furlong, “The Province of British Columbia is a key partner in staging outstanding Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2010 and we’re delighted Minister McNeil is assuming responsibility of this partnership in the home stretch before British Columbia hosts one of the world’s premier sporting events.”

“We extend our thanks to Finance Minister Colin Hansen for his outstanding work and unwavering support while handling the Olympic portfolio for the last four years,” continued Furlong. “We offer him our best wishes in his additional responsibilities as deputy premier.”

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

Vancouver, BC –It took mere minutes for Canadians dreaming of attending the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games to purchase the more than 1,000 tickets to the men’s gold-medal hockey game made available this morning, reported the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). 

Demand remained strong throughout the first part of the day, as Canadians submitted orders from every province and territory for their dream Olympic tickets in record numbers, with more than 22,000 orders for 130,000 tickets processed in the first four hours. Gold-medal hockey tickets to the men’s competition, along with Opening Ceremony tickets, speed skating and figure skating were among the first tickets to be purchased this morning. However great tickets to preliminary ice hockey, curling and victory ceremonies are still available along with limited inventory for other sports. Customers are also now able to gain immediate access to the purchasing site, as organizers were able to turn off the virtual waiting room by 12:30 today.

“We anticipated demand would be high for tickets, and the level of interest we saw today was very exciting and, once again, a testament to the pride and support Canadians continue to show in being part of Canada’s Games in 2010,” said Caley Denton, VANOC vice president, ticketing and consumer marketing. “Thanks to the incredible work by our partner tickets.com, our system performed as planned on the technical side. After 10 am today, our www.vancouver2010.com website experienced traffic of more than 1,300 hits per second and by noon had set a record for page views at more than 5 million.” Added Denton “The virtual waiting room system worked well and helped manage traffic demand on our site effectively while keeping the process fair for consumers.”

VANOC is also continuing to develop an authorized ticket resale program, for launch later this year, where ticket buyers will be able to offer their tickets for sale to other Games enthusiasts — who will be able to buy such tickets with confidence knowing they are legitimate.

VANOC will also launch a third, smaller phase of ticket sales this fall.

Ticket sales to the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, temporarily unavailable for purchase during Phase 2 of Olympic ticket sales, will be reopened in the coming days to the Canadian public at www.vancouver2010.com.

Once again, the Organizing Committee is cautioning those who missed out on tickets in Phase 2 to be wary of tickets offered for sale through unofficial channels. The only official sources for Canadians to purchase tickets to the 2010 Winter Games are www.vancouver2010.com and official 2010 Winter Games hospitality partners Jet Set Sports and CoSport. 

Background

Phase 1 of Olympic ticket sales took place in late 2008 when the Canadian public was invited to submit requests for tickets to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Within a month, Canadian residents had submitted requests for more than $345 million in tickets. This overwhelming response was 4.5 times greater than the first phase of ticketing sales for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games ($75 million over nine weeks), the most recent Olympic Games held in North America. As a result, approximately 120 of 170 ticketed sessions for the 2010 Winter Games were allocated by lottery.

On December 12, 2008, remaining tickets from this first-phase allotment were re-released for sale exclusively to ticket buyers who had participated in the initial ticket-request period; the remaining inventory was sold that day. The VANOC business plan, update on January 30, 2009, projects revenues from all ticket sales to be $260 million.

On June 3, 2009, four of the first Olympic ticket designs were unveiled. An image of Steve Yzerman, Hockey Canada’s executive director for the Vancouver 2010 men’s ice hockey team, is available via Canada Newswire at www.newswire.ca.  
Last month, VANOC opened the sale of tickets to the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. Strong demand saw all available inventory of gold-medal ice sledge hockey game tickets sold on the first day.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com
For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

The first four Olympic ticket designs — for the Opening Ceremony, ice hockey, cross-country skiing and curling — were unveiled today by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) after months of design and security work. More than a million tickets will be printed and used at the Games in eight months time; ticket buyers will receive them in late 2009 when they are delivered securely by Purolator Courier.

Eager fans may still purchase Olympic tickets, including over one thousand highly sought after gold medal ice hockey tickets, organizers confirmed today. This Saturday, June 6 at 10:00 am (Pacific Time), VANOC will release more than 150,000 tickets for sale to the public at www.vancouver2010.com. Tickets for every sporting event, as well as the Opening, Closing and nightly Victory Ceremonies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The colourful tickets reflect the graphic identity of the Games, with its dynamic palette of blues and greens found in the natural landscape of Vancouver and the Sea to Sky region. This “look” will also be found at Games time in 2010 — on banners, venue signage and buildings — giving the entire Host Region a seamless, festive atmosphere as it welcomes the world.

To protect ticket buyers, a number of security features have been added to the souvenir-sized tickets, features that make the tickets similar to currency in their ability to foil counterfeiters. A bar code is the most obvious high-tech deterrent. VANOC has undertaken significant consumer education and protection initiatives, including a new “Buy Real” print advertising campaign — focused on tickets — that will run this Friday in selected markets.

“We’ve worked hard to make these tickets as secure as possible to protect consumers, while at the same time making them attractive as they are often a treasured souvenir,” explained Caley Denton, VANOC’s vice president, ticketing and consumer marketing. “For example, with our bar code, when a spectator arrives at one of our venues and we scan their ticket, we can tell where that ticket came from, how it was purchased and if it’s been invalidated because it’s been reported stolen or lost. We’ll also be able to spot counterfeit tickets and confiscate them.”

“Again, we want to remind people the only way to have peace of mind about the ticket they’ve purchased is to buy directly from www.vancouver2010.com, or through our official hospitality partners Jet Set Sports and CoSport,” Denton said.

The tickets will prominently display Vancouver 2010 pictograms and sport illustrations, as well as the venues. The sport illustrations — an Olympic and Paralympic Games first — were inspired by photography and give the athletes a heroic feel through a dynamic close-up view of their emotional facial expressions, intensity and athleticism. The entire lineup of pictograms and sport illustrations may be viewed at www.vancouver2010.com.

Additionally, the organizers created entirely new illustrations for ceremonies tickets. For the Opening Ceremony image, a dark-haired female torchbearer approaches BC Place in downtown Vancouver in anticipation of the awe-inspiring lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, in front of a live crowd of 55,000 people and billions more watching around the world.

The remaining ticket designs will be released in the coming months.

The new ticket designs were unveiled to media this morning at the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC) 2010 Winter Games Dome. The dome is helping to spread the excitement of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to communities throughout British Columbia, while offering visitors an opportunity to experience unique interactive sport experiences and a place to celebrate the 2010 Winter Games.

Note to Photo Editors:
An image of the Vancouver 2010 ice hockey ticket design with Steve Yzerman, executive director of Team Canada for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, will be made available to media via Canada Newswire.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com

]]>http://www.vancouver2010.com/en/news/news-releases/-/67826/32566/1lyxk96/offsetters-named-official-carb.htmlVancouver, BC– To help deliver a carbon neutral Games, Vancouver 2010 is partnering with Offsetters, a leading BC-based carbon asset management company and supplier of high-quality carbon offsets. The announcement was made today during Canadian Environment Week 2009 and to coincide with the Organizing Committee’s participation in the 2009 Commuter Challenge.

Under the agreement, Offsetters will provide the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) with a portfolio of offset projects created through local expertise in new, clean energy technologies. The projects will reduce a minimum of 110,000 tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, thereby offsetting direct emissions from the Games by the same amount. VANOC and Offsetters will also work together with interested Games partners, sponsors and participants to offset an additional estimated 190,000 tonnes of indirect carbon emissions from the Games caused by activities such as air travel.

In turn, Offsetters will receive sponsorship rights in the carbon offsets Official Supplier category for the 2010 Winter Games and for the Canadian Olympic Team competing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“We’re proud to partner with the 2010 Winter Games to establish a portfolio of carbon offset projects that will showcase the province’s leadership in the clean technology sector and will continue as a living environmental legacy of the Games long after the athletes and spectators have returned home,” explained Dr. James Tansey, president of Offsetters. “Working with leading BC Clean Technology companies — including Nexterra, Sempa Power, Lignol Innovations, Ballard Power and Powertech — we will create and verify a portfolio of clean technology offset projects that will neutralize direct emissions from the Games and contribute towards offsetting indirect emissions from air travel.”

This unique sponsorship makes the 2010 Winter Games the first in Games history to have an Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets and is “a crucial step forward to meeting our goal to make the 2010 Winter Games as environmentally responsible as possible,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer.

“In March, we announced to the world our target to neutralize up to 300,000 tonnes of CO₂ from the Games. Today, we’re delighted to say a British Columbian company with a growing national reputation as a leader in this field will be supporting our efforts to offset our carbon footprint from the Games through clean technology projects using BC know-how,” he added.

The 2010 carbon offset portfolio will invest in clean technology projects that improve energy efficiency or produce renewable energy. Some of the proposed offset projects include fuel cell technology in transit buses, energy efficiency systems, as well as biomass gasification and hydrogen fuelling stations to reduce industrial use of gasoline and electricity.

All projects in the 2010 portfolio will be high-quality offsets consistent with the standards applied by new BC provincial greenhouse gas regulations, and have been designed to meet or exceed the highest international standard for carbon accounting and offsetting.

“This unique sponsorship will allow the Games to obtain emission offsets while demonstrating innovation on climate solutions that generate jobs and other economic opportunities as a lasting legacy,” said BC Premier Gordon Campbell. “VANOC’s actions demonstrate what forward looking organizations can do to help reach B.C.’s target of a 33 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. I want to thank VANOC for their commitment to clean, green carbon neutral Games.”

In its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, VANOC and its partners have incorporated sustainability principles in their venue and operational plans since being awarded the Games in 2003, including: strategic venue site selection; innovative approaches to energy management; and an emphasis on travelling smart with expanded public transit during the Games to reduce fuel use and carbon emissions.

About Offsetters
Offsetters is Canada’s premier provider of high-quality carbon offsets and carbon asset management advice. Co-founded in 2005 by Dr. James Tansey (president of Offsetters and associate professor at the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia), Offsetters works with individuals, businesses and organizations to calculate, track, reduce, and finally offset their greenhouse gas emissions. Offsetters’ funds are invested in renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects that achieve tangible reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and that would not have taken place without its involvement.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit vancouver2010.com.

VANOC's marketing program is focused on securing mutually rewarding partnerships with shared values to generate sufficient revenue to host successful Winter Games in 2010 and to leave a financial legacy for sport. VANOC’s Worldwide TOP Partners include Coca-Cola, ACER, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa. VANOC's National Partners are Bell Canada, Hudson's Bay Company, RBC Financial Group, GM Canada, Petro-Canada and RONA.

VANOC’s Official Supporters include Air Canada, BC Hydro, Bombardier Inc., the British Columbia Lottery Corp., Canadian Pacific, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Jet Set Sports, Ricoh Canada Inc., the Royal Canadian Mint and Teck Resources. VANOC’s Official Suppliers are 3M, Acklands-Grainger, Aggreko, Aquilini Investment Group, Birks, Britco, Canada Post, Canwest Publishing Inc., COLD-FX, Deloitte, Dow Canada, EPCOR, Garrett Metal Detectors, General Mills, Hain Celestial Canada, Haworth Canada, Karl’s Global Events Inc., La Presse, Millennium Development Corp., Molson, Nortel, Offsetters, Port Metro Vancouver, Purolator, Saputo, Sleep Country Canada, Sun Microsystems of Canada, The Globe and Mail, Tickets.com, TransCanada, Vancouver Airport Authority, Vincor Canada, Weston Bakeries, Workopolis, and Wrigley Canada.

Contact
If you are a member of the media, please contact mediarelations@vancouver2010.com

For all other inquiries, please contact info@vancouver2010.com