Press release
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal welcomes
the news that Montreal will host the F1 Grand Prix of Canada
Montreal, November 18, 2003 On behalf of its some 7,000 members, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal welcomes today's announcement that Montreal will host the F1 Grand Prix of Canada for the next three years.
The Grand Prix of Canada is Montreal's most powerful international drawing card. For the past 25 years, this spectacular sports event, and one of the best Formula One circuits, has given Montreal exceptional international reach and visibility and allowed the city to promote itself as a festive and welcoming destination. The economic spinoffs of such an eventestimated at over $75 million annuallyare invaluable for the economy of our urban agglomeration and of Quebec as a whole, declared Benoit Labonté, president of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Given the economic importance of this annual event for the Montreal region, the president of the Board of Trade joined the coalition to ensure the event's survival as soon as it was announced that the Montreal Grand Prix could be removed from the Formula One calendar and made many private and public representations in a bid to save the event. All our hard work has paid off! The Board of Trade believes this is wonderful news for the entire Montreal region and a strategic decision by all the parties involved, concluded Mr. Labonté.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the leading group representing the interests of the Greater Montreal business community. Its objectives are to maintain, at all times, relevance to its membership, credibility towards the public and influence towards government and decision-makers. The Board of Trade relies on its three service branches - Info entreprises, the Electronic Commerce Institute, and the World Trade Centre Montréal - to offer specialized services to the greater business community. -30-
Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
spaquette@ccmm.qc.ca