Halifax NS — Trade Centre Limited has a diversified business model but a single, driving focus: growing Nova Scotia’s economy by bringing people together for major events.

In the 2007/08 fiscal year, the operations of TCL and its six complementary business units brought in $102.8 million in direct spending, plus an additional $72.4 million in incremental expenditures. The crown corporation welcomed more than 753,700 people to its facilities for 753 events over the last year.

Among these were a record-breaking nine-performance run with Cirque du Soleil, the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, the David Foster Foundation’s black-tie celebrity gala, Crescendo, and the annual conference of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE).

“Nova Scotians crave and support major events, and they look to us to continue bringing the biggest names in entertainment, sports and business to Halifax,” says Fred MacGillivray, President and CEO of Trade Centre Limited. “We are continuing to build on our success in hosting major events, along with focusing on attracting even more of the lucrative national and international visitors who each spend hundreds of dollars per day when they visit Halifax.” The week-long CESSE conference, for example, brought more than 650 international delegates to the World Trade and Convention Centre in July 2007, many of whom extended their visit to experience more of what Nova Scotia has to offer.

Hosting major events brings net economic benefits to the community through the widespread spending that delegates and attendees do, on hotels, restaurants, transportation, entertainment, and heritage and cultural attractions. Over the past decade, visitors to TCL facilities have injected an average of $100 million into our provincial economy every year. It is these expenditures, plus their incremental tax dollars, that create the jobs and generate the revenues that Nova Scotia depends on.

“We’re pleased that the provincial and municipal governments have started the process of planning an expanded convention centre,” Mr. MacGillivray says. “New events infrastructure will lead to greater growth, generating more economic opportunities and bringing the world-class events that Nova Scotians demand.”

Read more about Trade Centre Limited’s business model, financial picture and major events in the organization’s 2007/08 Annual Report, which was released on October 17. Printed copies of the report are available on request, or download a PDF copy here (2.6 MB).

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Media Contact:
Barb Stegemann, Trade Centre Limited
Tel: 421-1302 ext 127
tradecentrelimited.com