Province supports EXPO 2017 bid

Posted May 13, 2010, Updated May 13, 2010

The Province has thrown its support behind the bid to bring EXPO 2017 to Edmonton. In a speech on Thursday, May 13 in Edmonton, Premier Ed Stelmach said:

"As Albertans look confidently toward the future we do so with knowledge that we have the energy, food and fiber that global markets will need in the 21st Century. We have a great story to tell of how we care for our environment, and how we develop our resources responsibly. So let us invite the world here to Alberta to learn about us and who we are as a people, our values - and what it means to be Albertan and Canadian.

Let's also show the world how we've used the proceeds of the blessings of energy, agriculture and forestry to create a quality of life that's second to none - where education and health care lead the nation. We should be proud to show how our investments in health sciences, engineering, life science research are benefiting Albertans, Canadians and in fact people around the world.

In seven years Canada will celebrate our 150th anniversary of the birth of our country. It would be most fitting if the centre of that celebration reflected the optimism of the New West Partnership that I mentioned earlier. That's why my government will support a bid to bring the 2017 EXPO to Alberta's Capital City - Edmonton.

We saw the profile that Vancouver and British Columbia, and Canada received through hosting the Olympics - and it's time that we seize opportunities that present themselves. Just as Calgary presented itself to the world when that city seized the opportunity to host the Olympics in '88. There is a long way to go - and the EXPO Committee has much to do but all of Alberta stands to benefit and we must support Alberta's visionaries and leaders when they are prepared to think big."

The EXPO 2017 bid committee will continue its work on the bid, and looks forward to continuing to partner with various key stakeholders, including the Government of Alberta, in gaining support to represent Canada in the bid to host EXPO 2017.