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Invest Canada-Community Initiatives Announcement by Minister Van Loan at District Hall in North Vancouver
No. 2010/53 - North Vancouver, British Columbia - August 16, 2010
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I’m pleased to be in North Vancouver to talk about how the Government of Canada is working with communities across British Columbia to attract and retain foreign investment.
I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the presence of Acting Mayor Doug Mackay-Dunn, Councillor Mike Little and Member of Parliament Andrew Saxton.
Earlier this year, Canada showed the world its very best during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver.
Today, I am pleased to announce that this year, under the Invest Canada-Community Initiatives program, our government is contributing more than $365,000 to 23 recipients across British Columbia.
This funding will help those organizations to market their communities to the world and create jobs for Canadians.
This funding will build on the success of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, which promoted Canada as one of the best places in the world in which to live, work and invest.
This year, the eyes of the world have been on Canada. As hosts of the Winter Olympics and then the G-8 and G-20 summits in June, we showed the world what Canada has to offer:
- an open and attractive free enterprise environment, ranked by the Economist Intelligence Unit as the best place to do business in the G-7 this year and over the next four years;
- the strongest fiscal position in the G-7;
- low corporate taxes—Canada is on track to having the lowest corporate income tax rate in the G-7 by 2012;
- the fastest predicted economic growth in the G-7 over the next two years, according to both the International Monetary Fund and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development;
- a skilled workforce, with the highest proportion of post-secondary graduates among countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development;
- a vibrant environment for innovation, with one of the most advantageous research and development tax incentive programs in the industrialized world;
- a strong commitment to good governance and the rule of law; and
- an outstanding quality of life.
Our government promoted these key competitive advantages to the world while Canada was at the centre of the world’s attention this year.
And our government will continue to promote Canada’s competitive advantages, investing a total of $3 million this year under the Invest Canada-Community Initiatives program to support local organizations across Canada as they work to attract, retain and expand foreign direct investment in their communities and in our country.
One of this year’s recipients is North Vancouver.
We are proud to support North Vancouver’s efforts to identify and develop ties with potential foreign investors in South Korea who are interested in Vancouver.
North Vancouver understands the significant benefits of foreign investment. This city knows that foreign investment has a positive impact on the Canadian economy—creating jobs and prosperity.
By supporting the efforts of communities in British Columbia and across Canada, our government continues to get the message out about Canada’s key investment advantages in the highly competitive global market.
Thank you.
