Bell Canada and VANOC support Vancouver Agreement plan for economic revitalization

The Vancouver Agreement and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), today announced a new partnership with Bell Canada that will benefit Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Bell Canada and VANOC revealed plans to invest $2 million in the economic revitalization of the Downtown Eastside.

Funds will be provided over the next four years to support the Vancouver Agreement Economic Revitalization Plan for the Downtown Eastside. The investment is part of Bell Canada's Premier National Partnership with VANOC, and supports efforts by VANOC and the Vancouver Agreement to ensure those in Vancouver's inner-city communities receive opportunities to benefit from hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

"Bell Canada's support for the Vancouver Agreement demonstrates the important role that the business community will play in revitalizing the Downtown Eastside," said the Honourable Stephen Owen, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport). "This unique partnership will inspire more businesses to get involved and help make the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games the most inclusive Olympics ever held ."

Bell Canada is the first corporate partner to support VANOC and Vancouver Agreement plans to revitalize the Downtown Eastside's economy.

"At Bell Canada, we believe that strong, vibrant economies are the key to Canada's continued growth and prosperity," said Stephen Wetmore, Group President of National Markets for Bell Canada. "Connecting with communities like the Downtown Eastside by supporting its economic development is a top priority for Bell. When our communities enjoy strong economies we all benefit, so we're pleased to partner with VANOC and the Vancouver Agreement to help the Downtown Eastside succeed."

Corporate, government, and community commitments to the Downtown Eastside economy will benefit local residents and businesses, and have a positive impact on the city's and provincial economy.

" With the provincial economy showing its strongest job growth in a decade, we want to ensure residents, businesses and community groups of the Downtown Eastside benefit from the opportunities available in the lead up to 2010," said Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Women's Services Murray Coell. " Collaboration among a range of partners - governments, corporations and community agencies - means enhanced potential for people in the Downtown Eastside, and communities across B.C."

Ensuring Vancouver's inner-city communities are involved in and benefit from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is part of VANOC's vision, said Jack Poole, chairman of VANOC's Board of Directors.

"The inclusive approach we used during Vancouver's Bid for the 2010 Winter Games was one of the keys to our success, " said Jack Poole. "As we move forward with the development of our Games plan, we are continuing to implement the commitments made on behalf of our host communities. Our partnership with Bell Canada is an example of how the Games can be a catalyst for new investment and positive benefits. "

Bell Canada's generous investment will help make Vancouver's 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games a great success, as well as supporting and promoting economic revitalization in the city's historic heart, said Vancouver Deputy Mayor Anne Roberts.

"This exemplary corporate contribution by Bell Canada reinforces how effective partnerships can be in supporting economic, social and urban development. It also illustrates the potential of what the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games can bring to our city and to our citizens, " said Deputy Mayor Roberts.

The investment will help foster economic development such as business opportunities to fill vacant Downtown Eastside commercial space, and jobs for local residents.

"This is an important commitment to invest in the economic revitalization of our community by Bell and the Organizing Committee," said Ken Lyotier, executive director of the non-profit organization United We Can. "It is a demonstration in practice of the spirit of inclusiveness and sustainability that underpins all the planning done through the Vancouver Agreement and will become a ‘light on a hill' by 2010."

About the Vancouver Agreement

The Vancouver Agreement is an urban development initiative of the Governments of Canada, British Columbia, and Vancouver that promotes partnerships between the three levels of government, community organizations and business to make Vancouver a healthy, safe, and sustainable place to live, work and visit. A major priority is sustainable economic and social development to increase local business investment and to provide jobs for local residents. For more information, please visit http://www.vancouveragreement.ca/

About Bell Canada

Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, local and long distance phone services, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions and satellite television services. Bell Canada is wholly-owned by BCE Inc. For more information, please visit http://www.bell.ca/.

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 Nominating Entities of the VANOC Board of Directors are the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and the Lil'wat and Squamish First Nations.

For additional information, contact:

Sam Corea
VANOC Communications
604.806.1019
mailto:sam_corea@vancouver2010.com

Jean Kavanagh
Vancouver Agreement
604.802.5729
mailto:jean.kavanagh@vancouver.ca

Gina Gottenberg
Bell Canada
604.340.6192
mailto:gina.gottenberg@bell.ca