Science World, B.C.’s tourism sector get major funding boost

B.C.’s tourism sector is about to get a boost from the government.

Science World will receive $20 million to fix the HVAC and electrical system in the dome, which is also currently leaking, leaving the theatre underneath unusable.

The money will also go toward infrastructure repairs and improvements to the dome and other parts of the building, including new electrical, energy efficiencies and other critical infrastructure upgrades.

“If you live in B.C., you have a couple of special places you love to visit with family and friends. For my family, Science World is one of those spots,” B.C. Premier David Eby said in a 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.”

1:04 Canadian government pledges $10 million to Science World

Science World shut down on March 13, 2020, as the province rolled out strict COVID-19 social distancing measures.

It was closed for months before being able to reopen again with reduced capacity and social distancing measures in place.

The attraction was at risk of closing its doors forever due to being hit hard by the pandemic and the shutdown.

“This funding will allow us to continue to make critical infrastructure updates to the iconic dome,” Tracy Redies, CEO of Science World, said in a release.

1:51 B.C. government injects $50M to support tourism industry

The province is also providing an additional $30 million to fund new projects, including new tourism attractions, campground developments, incorporating Indigenous culture and language, accessibility improvements, and climate change adaptions.

Examples of these projects include the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association’s provincewide project to improve visitor responsibility on mountain bike trails and collect data on visitor use to assist with trail maintenance; the City of Delta’s project Barns to Beaches Bike Route, supporting agri-tourism and encouraging active transportation; and the Tāłtān Central Government’s signage project, supporting the implementation of a signage masterplan that includes Tāłtān language, oral history, storytelling and worldview.