Article

From the Prime Minister's Web Site (http://www.pm.gc.ca/)

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Backgrounder: Vancouver Aquarium expansion and revitalization

August 9, 2010
Vancouver, British Columbia

The proposed upgrades will help the Vancouver Aquarium in its efforts to conserve aquatic life, provide educational programs, and conduct scientific research. The Vancouver Aquarium has a unique mandate in this respect, one that is not shared by any other such facility in Canada.

The upgrades include the revitalization of aging infrastructure and the expansion of the Aquarium. These structural elements must be addressed to ensure the viability of the facility and the well-being of the 70,000 animals that are currently housed there.

The Aquarium employs 350 people, and has more than 900 volunteers.

The Government of Canada is supporting the infrastructure work through the Building Canada Fund's Major Infrastructure Component, which funds public infrastructure that has a national and regional impact. The Building Canada Fund was designed to promote a stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and better communities, while addressing local and regional infrastructure needs.

The Government of Canada is contributing up to $15 million towards upgrading the Vancouver Aquarium's infrastructure. Federal funding is conditional upon the project meeting applicable federal eligibility requirements with respect to the Building Canada Fund and the signing of a contribution agreement.

Across British Columbia, the Government of Canada is investing in numerous projects to help the regional economy get back on track.

Across all of its funds, Infrastructure Canada has now committed close to $10.2 billion towards over 6,100 infrastructure projects as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan. When combined with the contributions of our funding partners, close to $30.5 billion is committed to infrastructure projects across the country.

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The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
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