The Province has committed $50 million to B.C.’s tourism industry and one of Vancouver’s most iconic attractions is receiving a massive chunk of the change.
According to a recent press release, “critical systems” housed in Science World's geodesic dome “are at the end of their life,” including heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), and electricals.
The dome is also reportedly leaking, rendering the Imax Theatre (the best part of any field trip) unusable.
Last fall, Vancouver locals noticed that the lights at Science World went inexplicably dark. In December, the venue announced that they wouldn’t be back on until late spring 2023.
At the time, a spokesperson for Science World told V.I.A. the centre received $10 million in government funding, which was used to help fix the dome lights "among other critical infrastructure updates” such as restoring key exhibits but that more funding was needed “to meet all the requirements to rejuvenate and repair the iconic dome."
Now, the B.C. government has allocated $20 million of the $50 million investment to Science World “to support priority infrastructure repairs and improvements to its dome and other parts of the building” such as electrical energy efficiencies.
Science World was built for Expo 86 and was never meant to be permanent and yet it’s welcomed more than 860,000 visitors each year (pre-pandemic).
"If you live in B.C., you have a couple special places you love to visit with family and friends. For my family, Science World is one of those spots," says Premier David Eby in the press release. "If you're visiting B.C. you know how much there is to see - but all this doesn't happen by accident. That's why we're building a strong tourism sector where visitors can experience all our province has to offer and British Columbians can enjoy their favourite places as well as the benefits of a strong, diverse economy."
Where is the other $30 million going?
The remaining $30 million is being used to enhance other existing tourism infrastructure in B.C. through new attractions, campground developments, climate change adaptations, accessibility improvements, and incorporating Indigenous culture and language.
It is meant to build upon the $15 million previously allocated in 2023.
In addition, the B.C. government has issued $60 million in funding for 1,855 festivals, fairs, and events, of which nearly $3 million will go to Vancouver organizations.
Further, the Province has awarded approximately $8 million in relief to Indigenous Tourism BC for Indigenous tourism businesses and pledged over $80 million for community-based tourism infrastructure and destination development.
