Own The Podium

The Province will seek approval from the legislature next week
for $10 million to contribute to the Own the Podium program for Canada's
Olympic and Paralympic Athletes, Premier Gordon Campbell announced Saturday.

"Own The Podium is an initiative launched jointly by the Vancouver
Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and
the Canadian Olympic Committee with the support of all Canadian winter sport
federations to help our athletes win gold in 2010," Campbell said. "I
challenge other provinces to also make a contribution to the future success
of Canada's Olympians at Canada's games in 2010.

"We are contributing $5 million to support winter athletes. But Canada also
has many great athletes in the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games as well.
Rowers, swimmers, track and field athletes, field hockey players also carry
our flag in international competition and help us all raise our sights in
search of our own personal bests. So we will designate $5 million to Own the
Podium program for summer athletes as well. That program is expected to be
finalized this fall.

"The federal government has made a major commitment to our athletes, and we
all need to get behind this national effort," Campbell said. " If other
provinces and Canada's corporate communities step up to the mark, I know our
athletes will excel and we will all join in the celebration of their
success."

Own the Podium will approach sport development on two fronts:
Deliver high performance programs by sport organizations in training,
competition, sport science and medicine, to broaden the pool of athletes in
Canada and ultimately increase the number of international-calibre, medal
capable athletes. More than 700 B.C. athletes are currently identified in
the pool of potential elite athletes.
Give high performance athletes the "technological edge" to improve their
success rate. This component includes advanced training methodology,
nutrition, psychology, performance techniques and equipment, among other
items. There are currently over 275 international-level Canadian athletes
who train in B.C. who would benefit from this component of the program.

"This $10-million contribution from B.C. is great news for our athletes,"
said Mike Chambers, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee. "This is
the kind of commitment we had hoped for and I hope other province's will
follow suit. We have great athletes and great facilities across the country.
I know this will raise their spirits and raise their performance levels."

"We want our games here to showcase our country, but we also want it to be
the place where our athletes reach their personal bests and stand at the top
of the podium," said VANOC CEO John Furlong. "Own the Podium will help them
realize their dreams. The provincial and federal governments have been great
partners throughout, and this is another example of how that partnership
benefits all Canadians."

"B.C. is the home and training location for a large share of Canadian
Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and this is great news for them," said John
Les, Minister of Small Business and Economic Development, who is also
responsible for sport in B.C. "We also have a number of training centres
that draw athletes from other parts of the country to our province - they'll
also benefit from this commitment."

"I know all Canadians and all British Columbians are proud that we are
hosting the Olympics," Campbell said. "When the games are here, we want our
athletes to Own the Podium. I hope this $10-million contribution will help
athletes across Canada. It will be great to see our athletes winning gold
in 2010 right here at home."