VANCOUVER, B.C. (February 18, 2022) – As it prepares to close, B.C. Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), the Vancouver Convention Centre and Vancouver Coastal Health are celebrating more than 600,000 COVID-19 vaccines administered at the mass immunization clinic located in the Convention Centre’s East Building – one of the many successful pandemic response collaborations at the venue. 

“B.C. Pavilion Corporation (PavCo) and the Vancouver Convention Centre are pivotal community partners for Vancouver Coastal Health and the Province’s pandemic response,” said Dr. Penny Ballem, Chair for Vancouver Coastal Health and executive lead of B.C.’s COVID-19 Immunization Program. “Since the onset of the pandemic, they have supported our efforts by providing not only the space necessary for the vaccination clinic but also their expertise in event logistics, which was invaluable in assisting in the design of immunization clinics throughout the province.”

Starting in March 2021, the Vancouver Convention Centre hosted one of the province’s large-scale immunization clinics. The clinic temporarily closed in August 2021 after most British Columbians received their second dose and reopened in January 2022 to support the Province’s booster shot program. The clinic will be closing on February 20, 2022 following an announcement by the Minister of Health on February 17, 2022.

“We are extremely grateful to all the healthcare workers, volunteers and community partners who supported the mass immunization clinic at the Vancouver Convention Centre,” said Dr. Gwendolyn Point, Chair of the Vancouver Convention Centre and PavCo’s Board of Directors. “We know that the Province’s immunization program is an important step towards the recovery of the economy and the tourism industry in B.C., and PavCo is proud to contribute to its success.”

The Vancouver Convention Centre, in cooperation with Vancouver Coastal Health, was also prepared to serve as an Alternate Care Site from April 2020 to July 2021. Fortunately, the Alternate Care Site did not have to be operationalized but provided another layer of support for the healthcare system with 271-beds.

The Vancouver Convention Centre continues to collaborate with the Provincial Health Services Authority to host their COVID-19 Rapid Response Team for contact tracing and relaying test results, and the B.C. Centre for Disease Control as a site for test-processing. These activities have been operating inside the Vancouver Convention Centre’s East building since October 2020.

PavCo and the Vancouver Convention Centre would like to thank all of the health care workers that made this possible, as well as the following community partners and suppliers for their support:

• B.C. Ministry of Health

• Vancouver Coastal Health

• Provincial Health Services Authority

• Vancouver Fraser Port Authority

• Ceres Terminals Canada

• Bell Canada

• BEST Service Pros

• Genesis Security

• Sodexo Live!

• Warrington PCI

-30-

About the Vancouver Convention Centre

Located on Vancouver’s downtown waterfront with a dramatic mountain backdrop, the world’s first double LEED® Platinum certified convention centre offers one of the most beautiful settings in the world. The award-winning Vancouver Convention Centre features two connected buildings with a combined total of 466,500 ft2 (43,340 m2) of flexible meeting, exhibition, ballroom and plenary space. The facility is committed to environmental sustainability as well as unparalleled service, technology offerings and culinary excellence.

The Vancouver Convention Centre is a part of BC Pavilion Corporation (PavCo), a Provincial Crown Corporation of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport.