Feds announce funding for Vancouver’s World Police and Fire Games

Western Economic Diversification, a government department that promotes the economic development of Western Canada, today announced that the federal government will help fund the 2009 World Police and Fire Games (WPFG), taking place in Vancouver and Burnaby from July 31 to August 9 this summer.

In a press release issued this morning, the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, anticipated that the WPFG—the third largest sporting event in the world—will “see $50 million injected into British Columbia’s economy” and will help stimulate local tourism.

News of the government’s decision to support the WPFG follows an announcement released by the Liberal Party on March 18 that criticized the Conservatives for failing “to offer substantial support for the 2009 World Police and Fire Games.” Approximately 19,000 police, fire, and customs and border personnel are expected to attend the event.

“Canada has hosted the World Police and Fire Games a number of times, and never has the federal funding commitment been so inadequate,” said Liberal Western Economic Diversification Critic Sukh Dhaliwal in the Liberals’ press release. “Why isn’t Western Economic Diversification Minister Lynne Yelich pressing the government to provide the requested $1.5 million for an event expected to draw thousands of participants to Vancouver and give a boost to the local economy?”

The last time Canada hosted the WPFG in 2005, the Games received $1.6 million in funding from the government. Today, the feds committed $2.3 million to the 2009 Games.

According to the WPFG Web site, “the World Police & Fire Games are a spectacular international sporting event, offering police officers, firefighters, customs, and correction officers from around the world an opportunity to showcase their athletic excellence.” The event offers typical sporting fare, like basketball, curling, and golf, as well as karate, wrestling, pistol police combat, and the Super SWAT Competition, featuring an obstacle course and hostage and citizen rescue components.

Despite a recent slew of lawsuits and criticisms of the VPD and RCMP–specifically relating to their training, use of force, response to increased gang violence, and a statement today implying that only media members have the right to photograph the actions of the police—Stuart Ballantyne, CEO of the WPFG, was quoted in today’s release as saying that the funding will allow the Games to showcase “the caliber of people and facilities our country, our province, and the region boast”.