Benefits & Legacies

Community Engagement

EXPO 2017 will result in substantialbenefits and legacies to Edmonton, Alberta and Canada, not to mention the world, with the primary legacy being the legacy of knowledge. Anticipated benefits and legacies are extensive, including developing a site and enhancing transportation systems, city-building and community spirit, sharing knowledge, and increasing the reputation, tourism draw and the image of Edmonton, Alberta, and Canada. These benefits and legacies have been divided into four categories:

Social Benefits and Legacies

Knowledge

Edmonton's EXPO 2017 legacy will uniquely reflect the way the world connects, shares knowledge and then uses it to make change happen. Knowledge about Energy and Our Planet will come from the world's universities, scholars and experts, of course, but will also flow from indigenous cultures, village leaders, artists, and citizens. EXPO 2017 will reflect this in the way we program any number of events and dialogues, all of which will bring as many diverse groups together as possible.

EXPO 2017 will focus on innovation related to the theme; this knowledge will be shared through the internet, new media and a global network of engaged universities. This benefit and legacy will start before EXPO 2017, continue throughout, and will make knowledge accessible for years to come. Our vision is that this knowledge legacy will be delivered in myriad ways:

• Pre-EXPO symposia and forums will gather experts and participating country representatives to address questions and issues on the topic of Energy and Our Planet. Existing research centres and organizations such as Canada's School of Energy and Environment will be engaged. These events will be accessible online around the world.

• Experts, futurists, researchers, community leaders, students, artists, and the public will be engaged in exploring the theme over the next eight years, as well as in post-EXPO programming. Educational exchanges and curriculum development, legacy websites, legacy speakers programs, scholarships, centres of excellence, and research chairs will build new understanding, shift attitudes and change behaviours.

• A legacy fund of $100 million will provide education programs and scholarships related to the theme. These scholarships would be available across a network of universities around the globe.

• The legacy program can also invite problems and issues related to the theme to be brought forward from the grassroots - from villages or local regions globally - and raised with EXPO 2017 expert panels for discussion and solutions.

• A specific and important challenge related to the theme of Energy and Our Planet would be posed to experts and innovators in all BIE countries well in advance of EXPO 2017. The solution or resolution of this specific worldwide challenge would be adjudicated and globally acknowledged at EXPO 2017.

• Engaging diverse opinions and ideas is critical to sharing knowledge. With any theme of global significance, there is bound to be controversy and differences of opinion that will be sparked through EXPO 2017. Similar to Zaragoza's EXPO 2008 approach, EXPO 2017 will create ways to engage such groups so diverse voices can be heard. An example might be a "space for freedom" - a citizens' initiative pavilion. Here, groups will have an opportunity to present their positions together with their solutions.

Putting Edmonton, Alberta, and Canada on the World Map

Edmonton's growth and vision for the future are being realized. A vibrant arts and culture scene, highly regarded post-secondary education institutions and a pioneering medical research community are all indicators of our exciting future. Hosting EXPO 2017 will be a significant step towards putting Edmonton and Alberta on the world stage. We will welcome diplomats, researchers and delegates from up to 100 countries and international organizations over the next eight years (2010 - 2017). Through the Energy and Our Planet theme, EXPO 2017 will help Alberta and Canada position itself internationally as a leader in sustainable energy solutions. Edmonton will be wildy known as a great place to live, work, play, and visit. We are already one of Canada's most diverse and multicultural cities; it's time to share that fact with the world.

Transforming Community Spirit and Pride

Hosting EXPO 2017 will strengthen community spirit, pride, volunteerism, and hosting capacity, with the enthusiasm of 15,000 volunteers, three million-plus visits from Alberta and $100 million in business sponsorship that will transform the community. Current and future generations will look back with pride at EXPO 2017 as a signature event for Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations, generating a level of excitement across the country not seen since Canada's 100th anniversary at EXPO '67.

Creating an Inclusive and Accessible EXPO

We are already developing strategies to support individuals who may have barriers to participation. EXPO 2017 is going to be a celebration from which no one will be, or feel, excluded.

Fostering inclusion is also about the education and enlightenment of our youth and young adults. Our plan is to use the next eight years to develop future leaders, build skills, and change attitudes and behaviours regarding the use of energy and views of sustainability. The "Next Generation" is not a category to be checked off; it's the lifeblood of our future success.

Making EXPO 2017 inclusive also means establishing partnerships with post-secondary institutions, businesses, community and social organizations, multicultural groups, orders of government, and international organizations. These partnerships will help us plan and host activities, ensure we realize the benefits and legacies we anticipate, and help us minimize our risks.

Cultural Benefits and Legacies

Sharing Canadian Culture

We have a unique opportunity to celebrate and enhance Canada's identity during our 150th anniversary. Every visitor will experience the regions, people, natural beauty, and innovations of Canada through a variety of programs, provincial and national pavilions, and virtual experiences. A mosaic of heritage, cultures and traditions will highlight Canada's diverse and inclusive society. We're blessed in Canada to have an Aboriginal past, and all it offers for our present and potential for the future. A collaborative partnership that celebrates the rich Aboriginal cultures and traditions from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples will lead to unprecedented Aboriginal opportunities in the planning, staging, and hosting of EXPO 2017.

Francophone participation will be key to EXPO 2017; the local community will be involved in the development and implementation of an official languages plan, as well as programming that presents the Francophone community and its culture. Promoting Canada's official languages through all our communications and programming will showcase Canada's linguistic duality.

Appreciating Cultural Diversity

Edmonton, like Alberta and Canada, has a rich multicultural society. EXPO will provide a mirror for the world to see what our communities can achieve together.

Each of our nearly 100 international participants will have the opportunity to share their culture and heritage through pavilion displays and programming, all of which can only increase and enhance our appreciation and understanding of other cultures.

Promoting Arts and Culture

Edmonton is a hotbed of talent and creativity in the arts. From stage performances to works of art, EXPO 2017 offers an unprecedented opportunity for the arts and culture sector leading up to and during the three months of EXPO 2017. Visitors will have access to dozens of cultural programming choices on any given day, in addition to the entertainment and pavilions onsite. This focus will boost the artistic careers of many individuals and groups. We can be sure that meetings and collaborations between artists brought together by EXPO 2017 will create an incredible and lasting artistic and cultural legacy. Permanent works of public art will be commissioned by EXPO 2017. Visitors will also attend other festivals around Edmonton and Alberta, promoting tourism sector growth.

Economic Benefits and Legacies

Positive Economic Impact

Spending at and in EXPO 2017 will lead to a huge injection of cash in the local, provincial and national economy, creating a significant positive economic impact. The largest impact will come from capital projects, ranging from new buildings, to EXPO pavilions and exhibitions, to various related entertainment venues, and many other projects. Non-capital spending from operations will create demand for workers, goods and services. Spending by visitors expected at EXPO 2017 will create a multiplier effect on the economy. It is anticipated that 1.9 million unique visitors (nearly half from out of province) will make 5.3 million visits to EXPO 2017. Close to 40,000 person years of employment will be created. The event will boost Canada's gross domestic product by $2.6 billion. Of that amount, $2.3 million will be injected into Alberta's economy, much in the form of tourism spending. Hosting EXPO 2017 will be significant to Edmonton's position on the world stage and it will also directly benefit Alberta at an economic level.

City Building

EXPOs are, by design, catalysts for renewal and development, and spark important transformations in the urban fabric of the host cities. The Eiffel Tower, after all, was constructed for EXPO 1889. Perhaps the most significant city-building initiative of EXPO 2017 will be the development of the site itself. EXPO 2017 will support the University of Alberta's strategic objective of becoming one of the top 20 public universities in the world by 2020. Seamlessly meshing the needs of EXPO 2017 with the South Campus master plan will allow the site, post-EXPO, to become an urban campus with academic and research facilities operated by the University of Alberta. Sustainability principles will be applied to the site's temporary buildings, which will ensure they are designed to be re-used efficiently in communities throughout Alberta. Development of a series of transit hubs, parkand- ride spaces, and the possibility of accelerating LRT extensions are all legacies that will benefit the city long after EXPO 2017 leaves town.

EXPO 2017 will also generate new opportunities to increase the positive impression the city makes upon visitors, such as the construction of a signature bridge over the river to enhance the connection between the southside and downtown. Another is the redevelopment of the Legislature grounds and the West Rossdale area in time to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary. At the regional level, increasing access and enhancement to the river valley park system and using the river as a transportation conduit between downtown and the South Campus site could be lasting legacies for the entire community.

Growing a Tourism and Trade Destination

Hosting EXPO will draw millions of visitors. The estimated 1.9 million unique visitors to EXPO will have a huge multiplier effect on tourism-related locations in Alberta and throughout Canada. It will create a tourism boost to the economy, in much the same way that EXPO '86 did for Vancouver.

EXPO 2017 will also attract thousands of business leaders and emerging industry players to Alberta. The province will be at the centre of discussions around energy and sustainability. These discussions will produce various business development opportunities, including greencollar jobs, a centre of discovery, and forums for innovation and knowledge on the evolution of energy as it relates to economies, technologies, and effects on people and the environment.

Environmental Benefits and Legacies

Leadership in Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability

Sustainable state-of-the-art principles developed through a sustainability framework will guide the planning and hosting of EXPO 2017 and set a new standard for international events. Examples of these principles include a net zero carbon footprint, environmentally friendly building design, state-of-the-art waste management, maximized re-purposing, and transit-oriented approaches.

EXPO 2017 will increase the range of greencollar career opportunities. In the lead-up to EXPO 2017 we want to ensure that businesses across Canada participate in green technology development and commercialization, and that these are embraced as the norm in our post- EXPO landscape.

Creating Global Change

Hosting EXPO 2017 is a chance to affect global change. Leading up to 2017 and beyond, campaigns will be implemented to encourage individuals, communities, organizations, and businesses to make more conscious decisions regarding their role in creating sustainable communities. EXPO 2017 will create an atmosphere for international decision-makers to develop appropriate policies and establish effective ways to implement such policies around energy and sustainability.

Our theme, Energy and Our Planet, revolves around the intersection of energy and our planet's health. This is our moment, our chance, to say to the world that we are ready to play a major part, not just in hoping to change things, but in getting it done.