Well, a tale of one city under two very different administrations.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” cries the first line of Dickens’ classic A Tale of Two Cities.
Depending on your point of view, Vancouver could currently fit into either of those two descriptions, particularly with very difficult budget restraints just around the corner.
That being said, I want to point out the different approaches taken by two different civic administrations to two different civic crises.
This summary of the Green Technology Industry Leaders Roundtable that the VEDC hosted back in June seems to be launching pad for Mayor Gregor Robertson’s address to the Board of Trade today. And in consideration of who sat around that table, I’d say that it’s a pretty solid foundation of ideas to build upon.
The roof of the new convention centre is a symbolic green landing strip for the world. Vancouver is officially open for business.
As mentioned in an earlier post, today’s speech and the ensuing economic development branding/strategy will be the first for Vancouver in over two decades, which is shocking considering the growth that the city has experienced over that time frame.
“Costs overruns and the Olympics also go hand in hand. The city of Vancouver, which will host the 2010 Winter Olympics, is $6 billion in debt, a tab that will be picked up by taxpayers. And the 2012 Summer Olympics in London are four times more expensive than the initial budgeted figure–with a total cost running currently at $20 billion, nearly three years ahead of the opening ceremonies.” – Bob Quellos, Co-founder of No Games Chicago
Former British Prime MinisterTony Blair, who Surrey will be hosting for the Regional Economic Summit, is apparently the current global king of speaking engagements, earning approximately $150,000 per appearance (this does not include add-ons like the photos being charged to patrons at $300 a pop)
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More than 221,000 people have taken the second Amtrak evening train to Vancouver since the service began last August. It had a record month in July with nearly 25,000 passengers. Ridership on the morning train has also increased 21% in the past year.
“Economic power is [dependent] on how fast you move people and goods around. You see China growing right now very rapidly in this direction. This is the direction North America must go.” – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
