Edmonton EXPO 2017
Encyclopedia
The City of Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
, is developing a bid to host an EXPO (Exposition or World's Fair) in 2017.
On October 29, 2008, Edmonton City Council
approved pursuing this next step on the condition of Government of Alberta support and cost-sharing.
On April 15, 2009, City Council voted unanimously to release funding for the project's 2009 phase: building a national bid and business case, which involved conducting feasibility studies and reviews of the viability and costs of holding an EXPO, consulting Edmontonians, evaluating potential sites and financing formulas, and developing a theme.
In spring of 2009, the Government of Canada
's Department of Canadian Heritage, through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
, distributed a request to Canadian cities to express their intent to bid on an EXPO in 2017. By May 29, 2009, Edmonton, Alberta and Calgary
, Alberta formally expressed their intent to submit a national bid on November 30, 2009. Other Canadian cities that had expressed interest earlier did not formally express their intent to the Government of Canada by May 29.
On July 20, 2009, the national bid received funding from the Government of Alberta. "An event like this provides a platform to celebrate the uniqueness and vibrancy of our capital city and province," said Lindsay Blackett
, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit. "I wish the City of Edmonton all the best in its bid preparations."
On November 2, 2009, Calgary withdrew its intent to bid on an EXPO in 2017.
On November 30, 2009, Edmonton submitted its bid to the Government of Alberta and Government of Canada.
On May 13, 2010, Alberta Premier, Ed Stelmach
, announced that the Government of Alberta will support the international bid for EXPO 2017. "We are certainly supporting Edmonton, the business community with its bid. I think it's the kind of energy and optimism that should be supported by the province," said Stelmach. "Should we be successful, there are three levels of government that will be expected to contribute," he added.
On November 22, 2010, news broke that the federal government had declined to issue funds for the Expo, effectively killing the Edmonton EXPO 2017 bid.
for being excessively costly, calling it "a terrible idea.".
However, in a survey conducted in the summer of 2009, 83% of Albertans and Canadians supported an Edmonton bid.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, is developing a bid to host an EXPO (Exposition or World's Fair) in 2017.
Bid Status
In 2007, the City of Edmonton began a high-level assessment of a bid to host an EXPO in 2017 or 2020. A citizen committee comprising 40 community and business leaders participated in developing a conceptual report. The findings of the report suggest that there are sufficient and compelling reasons to proceed with developing a national bid and business plan for an EXPO in 2017.On October 29, 2008, Edmonton City Council
Edmonton City Council
The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. Until 2010, Edmonton was divided in six wards with two councillors representing citizens in each ward...
approved pursuing this next step on the condition of Government of Alberta support and cost-sharing.
On April 15, 2009, City Council voted unanimously to release funding for the project's 2009 phase: building a national bid and business case, which involved conducting feasibility studies and reviews of the viability and costs of holding an EXPO, consulting Edmontonians, evaluating potential sites and financing formulas, and developing a theme.
In spring of 2009, the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
's Department of Canadian Heritage, through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Federation of Canadian Municipalities
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is a civic advocacy group representing many Canadian municipalities. It is an organization with no formal power but significant ability to influence debate and policy, as it is main national lobby group of mayors, councillors and other elected municipal...
, distributed a request to Canadian cities to express their intent to bid on an EXPO in 2017. By May 29, 2009, Edmonton, Alberta and Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta formally expressed their intent to submit a national bid on November 30, 2009. Other Canadian cities that had expressed interest earlier did not formally express their intent to the Government of Canada by May 29.
On July 20, 2009, the national bid received funding from the Government of Alberta. "An event like this provides a platform to celebrate the uniqueness and vibrancy of our capital city and province," said Lindsay Blackett
Lindsay Blackett
Lindsay Blackett is a Canadian politician and current Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the constituency of Calgary-North West as a Progressive Conservative.-Early life:...
, Minister of Culture and Community Spirit. "I wish the City of Edmonton all the best in its bid preparations."
On November 2, 2009, Calgary withdrew its intent to bid on an EXPO in 2017.
On November 30, 2009, Edmonton submitted its bid to the Government of Alberta and Government of Canada.
On May 13, 2010, Alberta Premier, Ed Stelmach
Ed Stelmach
Edward Michael "Ed" Stelmach, MLA is a Canadian politician and served as the 13th Premier of Alberta, Canada, from 2006 to 2011. The grandson of Ukrainian immigrants, Stelmach was born and raised on a farm near Lamont and speaks fluent Ukrainian. He spent his entire pre-political adult life as a...
, announced that the Government of Alberta will support the international bid for EXPO 2017. "We are certainly supporting Edmonton, the business community with its bid. I think it's the kind of energy and optimism that should be supported by the province," said Stelmach. "Should we be successful, there are three levels of government that will be expected to contribute," he added.
On November 22, 2010, news broke that the federal government had declined to issue funds for the Expo, effectively killing the Edmonton EXPO 2017 bid.
Reception
The bid has been criticized by the Canadian Taxpayers FederationCanadian Taxpayers Federation
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is a Canadian federally incorporated, non-profit organization and taxpayers union that claims to have over 70,000 supporters across Canada. The organization advocates lower taxes, and a reduction of what it considers to be waste in government...
for being excessively costly, calling it "a terrible idea.".
However, in a survey conducted in the summer of 2009, 83% of Albertans and Canadians supported an Edmonton bid.
See also
- Expo (exhibition)
- Bureau of International ExpositionsBureau of International ExpositionsThe International Exhibitions Bureau is an intergovernmental organization created to supervise international exhibitions falling under the jurisdiction of the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions....
- Expo 2010Expo 2010Expo 2010, officially Expo 2010 Shanghai China was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai, China, from May 1 to October 31, 2010. It was a major World Expo in the tradition of international fairs and expositions, the first since 1992...
- Expo 2012Expo 2012Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea is an International Exposition recognized by the Bureau of International Expositions to be held in Yeosu, South Korea from May 12 to August 12, 2012...
- Expo 2015Expo 2015Expo 2015 is the next scheduled Universal Exposition after Expo 2010, and will be hosted by Milan, Italy. On November 23, 2010, the event was officially announced by the Bureau of International Expositions, after that the BIE assembly in Paris had decided in favour of the Milanese candidature on...
- Expo 17Expo 17Expo 17 is a Canadian non-profit organization founded in 2005 to promote an international exposition, or world's fair, to celebrate the sesquicentennial of Canada in 2017. In 2007, the organization publicly unveiled a 51-page proposal for a "hybrid" expo, named Expo 17, to be staged on the...
- Expo 2017Expo 2017Expo 2017 is the next scheduled International Exposition after Expo 2015 and will be the first of its type since Expo 2012. The expos in 2010, 2015, 2020 and every 5 years thereafter are considered "universal expos" by the Bureau of International Expositions and the 2017 event will be one of the...