Getting the Best from the Bid

Learning how to plan for and maximize the benefits of hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be the focus of a meeting with key organizers of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

A small contingent from various sectors in Nova Scotia will meet with the organizers from Tuesday, Oct. 3 to Friday, Oct. 6.

The group, led by Barry Barnet, Minister of Health Promotion and Protection, will include representation from several provincial departments such as the Office of Economic Development, the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, and the Department of Health Promotion and Protection. Representatives from the Halifax Regional Municipality, Greater Halifax Partnership and the Halifax Chamber of Commerce will also attend.

"The intelligence and insights we will gather on this trip will greatly inform our overall economic benefits strategy for the 2014 Commonwealth Games," said Mr. Barnet. "I am eager to meet with colleagues in British Columbia and to learn from their experiences and challenges."

The provincial government remains committed to supporting the bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and to ensuring the event improves the health of Nova Scotians over the long term. The economic, social, sporting and environmental benefits that will be enjoyed, as a direct and indirect result of the Games must also be maximized.

"We have a responsibility to ensure the Games leave a lasting legacy across the province," said Mr. Barnet. "I am confident this mission will assist the province and our partners in achieving that goal."

The Commonwealth Games are the third largest athletic gathering of their kind in the world. They include 10 days of sport and cultural events featuring 6,000 athletes and officials from more than 70 countries. The Games will attract more than 625,000 spectators including 10,000 international visitors and a television viewing audience in excess of 1 billion people.