Press Release October 19, 2016 Scarborough, ON – A room filled with local business owners, residents, and community groups gathered yesterday for a public presentation on Expo 2025 Canada hosted by Moy Wong-Tam Executive Director of the Centre for Immigrant & Community. Councillor Chin Lee of Ward 41 Scarborough Rouge-River, Councillor Shelley Carroll Ward 33 Don Valley East, Maggie Chi, Constituency Assistant to Councillor Chin Lee and Jacqueline Menezes (Expo 2025 Canada Steering Committee/ Feasibility Study Team) presented the findings of a study examining the feasibility of hosting Expo 2025 in Toronto.
The presentation, in English and Mandarin, included an overview of the opportunities Expo 2025 can bring including economic and social gains for the city. Research showed that Expo 2025 has the potential of creating over 50,000 person years of employment and raise the GDP by $4.37B. “Nation Days” will showcase the various cultures that make up the city, bringing Canada’s multicultural mosaic to light while promoting global investment and trade agreements. Expo 2025 aligns with the Mayor’s Smart City vision by including social and technology innovation, which improves housing and transportation. Councillor Shelley Carroll stated that during her visit to Shanghai as part of the Mayor’s trade mission, she witnessed the after effects of Expo: “a clean and developable site,” which can be the Port Lands.
Scarborough residents captivated by the discussion asked about transportation and capacity building to move people in and out of the site. Councillor Lee explained, “Expo 2025 will further the need to improve transportation which benefits the city for years after. This is an opportunity for the city and for the Country”.
“Canada has successfully hosted Expo ’67 and ’86. This is Toronto’s “moment in time” to showcase that “Canada’s back” on the global stage, ready and open to collaboration, innovation and business,” explained Menezes. Another community member stood up to address the crowd stating that “Toronto is the city to do this and it’s an opportunity for us. It’s the most diverse city in the world.”
More information on Expo 2025 Canada is available at: www.expo2025canada.ca
Media contact: Maggie Chi – [email protected], Councillor Lee’s office, 416-392- 1375 (office)/647-234-2735 (cell)