Government of Canada and City of Vancouver Fund Vancouver Police Move to New Facility

Investment will create jobs and expand public safety facilities

Vancouver, British Columbia, January 18, 2010 – The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, today announced joint funding of up to $15 million for the relocation of the City of Vancouver’s Main Street Police Station. The Government of Canada will provide $5 million in funding, while the City of Vancouver will provide $10 million. Vancouver Police Chief Constable Jim Chu also attended today’s announcement.

“The consolidation of the operations support and investigative functions into a new police station will create jobs in the short term, while increasing the safety and security of Vancouverites over the long term,” said Minister Day. “As we enter the second phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our priority will be to continue its rapid implementation with projects such as this. At the same time, we will also look ahead at future challenges, which include restoring balanced budgets once our economy is fully recovered and building a strong foundation for our economic future.”

"By partnering with the federal government to invest in a new station for the VPD, we're ensuring that Police Department facilities keep up with the needs of our City, the department and its officers," said Mayor Robertson. "The new VPD facility will allow our police to consolidate their resources and improve their ability to fight crime, making Vancouver a safer, more livable city for everyone."

“This move has been long anticipated and we are very pleased that the timing was such that our new building will be a valuable and cost efficient legacy of the 2010 Winter Games,” said VPD Chief Constable Jim Chu.

The current building at 312 Main Street is now beyond capacity and life span. The new facility will provide sufficient space for the Vancouver Police Department to consolidate dispersed departmental operations, and allow for the reconfiguration of remaining facilities to further improve operations.

The new federal $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund provides support to provincial, territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure projects that can be completed by March 31, 2011.

Including today’s announcement, almost $67 million in federal funding has been announced for 34 projects in the City of Vancouver under the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. Province-wide, 379 projects have received a total federal investment of almost $480 million under that same fund.

For more information on the Economic Action Plan, please visit: www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Contacts:

Corporate Communications
City of Vancouver
604-871-6336

Constable Lindsey Houghton
Vancouver Police Department
Public Affairs
604-717-3679

Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148