Whistler – Since April 16, 2005, the 2010 Winter Games Whistler Nordic
venue, site of biathlon, ski jumping, Nordic combined and cross country
ski events in 2010, has become an active construction zone as site
preparation work continues on schedule. The on-time start earlier this
year supports VANOC’s commitment of early venue completion to allow
time for testing and to provide Canadian athletes with two years of
training time to help them prepare for the 2010 Games.

Construction
of the Nordic venue is moving ahead following a rigorous review
involving consultation with the public, stakeholder groups and First
Nations. British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Office deemed that
the project presents no significant adverse environmental, economic,
social, heritage and health effects. The project also underwent a
screening review by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The
review was completed in April 2005. For more details see the attached
backgrounder.

Phase 1 (May/June 2005) Site access preparation

Resource
Business Ventures Limited Partnership, a Mount Currie-based First
Nations company, is nearing completion of a contract to prepare the
site access at the Nordic competition venue. This contract represents a
fulfillment of a Vancouver 2010 Bid commitment made in the Shared
Legacies Agreement to offer “significant contracts in the Callaghan
Valley to be undertaken directly by the [Squamish and Lil'wat First]
Nations.”

Phase 2 (July to October 2005) Site Preparation

Phase
two at the Nordic competition venue involves clearing, grubbing and
rough grading for the compound areas to support the temporary
requirements for the 2010 Winter Games and road building. This work
will be awarded in July. Four British Columbia firms have pre-qualified
for this phase of work, work that represents approximately 10 per cent
of the total Vancouver 2010 Bid Book budget for the Nordic venue of
C$102 million.

Public Safety

As
part of VANOC’s comprehensive plan to achieve the highest standard of
safety, signs have been installed around the site and trail access is
limited in the Callaghan Valley as follows: mid flank trail and
lowerline road will be closed through the construction zone with
alternate access routes around the site currently being developed.

The Whistler Nordic Venue

The
new Whistler Nordic venue is part of a C$620 million investment for
2010 Winter Games venues funded equally by the Governments of Canada
and British Columbia.

The 250-hectare project involves
competition trails, ski jumps, a biathlon facility, three temporary
stadiums each with spectator capacity of 12,000, sewer/water/power
services, access roads and internal roads, parking lots, a lodge and
other related infrastructure facilities in the Callaghan Valley, south
west of the Whistler Resort. The competition venue design reflects the
best elements of similar facilities designed for previous Olympic
Winter Games.

Post-Games, the Nordic facilities will serve as a
legacy for the enjoyment of local residents, visitors and athletes in a
variety of ways from recreational uses to high performance sport.

An
additional 50-75 kilometres of recreational trails are proposed around
the Nordic competition site. Designs are being developed by VANOC and
will be assessed under an environmental review process involving the
Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations and federal and provincial agencies.

VANOC
VANOC
is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of
the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler
from February 12 to 28, 2010. Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter
Games from March 12 to 21, 2010

-2010-

June 8, 2005
For Immediate Release

Preliminary site preparation begins on schedule at the Whistler Sliding Centre following environmental screening approval

Whistler
- The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and
Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is commencing the first phase of
construction this week of the Whistler Sliding Centre, the venue for
the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions during the 2010 Olympic
Winter Games. This on-time start supports VANOC’s commitment of early
venue completion to allow time for testing and to provide Canadian
athletes with two years of training time to help them prepare for the
2010 Games.

A comprehensive environmental screening process was
conducted under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and approval
was granted by federal authorities on June 1, 2005. The attached
backgrounder provides further detail.
PHASE 1 (June/July 2005): Preliminary Site Preparation
The
Whistler Sliding Centre will be located just above Parking Lot 8 on
Blackcomb Mountain. The first phase of development will site
preparation of the venue footprint. Whistler-based Coastal Mountain
Excavations has been awarded the contract for this phase of the
project, including tree cutting, site clearing and the assigning of
merchantable timber.

PHASE 2 (July – late fall 2005): Site Servicing, Grading and Road Access

The
second phase of the construction project includes site servicing,
grading, and development of the venue access road. Four British
Columbia-based companies have pre-qualified for this contract, which
will be tendered later this month. This contract represents
approximately 10 to 15 per cent of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Book sliding
centre budget of C$55 million.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The public
is reminded that the area is now an active construction zone and VANOC
is committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety. As such,
safety signs and some fencing have been installed around the site and
public access will be strictly limited. Certain mountain bike trails
are impacted by the construction: the Rollercoaster trail is closed
during active construction activity and will be re-routed at a later
date and Little Spearhead trail is rerouted around the construction
site.

WHISTLER SLIDING CENTRE BACKGROUND

The
Whistler Sliding Centre is part of a C$620 million investment for 2010
Winter Games venues funded equally by the Governments of Canada and
British Columbia. The venue design reflects the best elements of tracks
constructed for previous Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, Lillehammer,
Lake Placid and Salt Lake City and promises to provide a competitive
challenge for the world’s best sliding athletes for the Games and
opportunities for training and tourist usage post Games.

The
ongoing operations of the Centre will be supported by an endowment
trust established by the federal and provincial governments as part of
their C$620 million investment.

The project will feature a 1,450
metre concrete track, refrigeration facilities, access road and venue
capacity of 11,650 during the 2010 Winter Games.

VANOC

VANOC
is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of
the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler
from February 12 to 28, 2010. Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter
Games from March 12 to 21, 2010

-2010-

Roland’s live blogging notes are much more interesting, but here is the official news release about the Vancouver 2010/Petro-Can deal announced today.

Petro-Canada Named National Partner of Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

Calgary, Alberta – The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010
Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is pleased to announce
Petro-Canada as its National Partner in the Oil and Gas category. The
eight-year agreement provides Petro-Canada with sponsorship rights for
the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, including sponsorship
rights for the Canadian Olympic Team for the Torino 2006, Beijing 2008,
Vancouver 2010 and 2012 Olympic Games.

“The 2010 Winter Games
are Canada’s Games and we are privileged to have a partner like
Petro-Canada to help us reach every home and every family in every
corner of our country,” said John Furlong, VANOC chief executive
officer. “With the help of Petro-Canada’s 5,000 enthusiastic employees,
together we will make an outstanding contribution to sport as we travel
the journey towards excellence in 2010 and beyond.”

“We believe
in the Olympic spirit because it’s based on working hard, playing fair
and making each other stronger,” said Ron Brenneman, president and
chief executive officer of Petro-Canada. “This is how we run our
business, and it’s why our employees are thrilled to continue bringing
the same enthusiasm and dedication to the Games.”

Petro-Canada’s
commitment is valued at $62.5 million Cdn. It includes an investment of
$35.5 million in products, services and marketing support (including
fuel and fuel-related products) to be used by VANOC, $18 million in
cash and $9 million in athlete support through numerous programs to be
developed over the coming months.

VANOC is responsible for the
planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter
Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic
Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12
to 28, 2010. Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March
12 to 21, 2010. VANOC’s marketing program is focused on securing
mutually rewarding partnerships with shared values to generate
sufficient revenue to host successful Winter Games in 2010 and to leave
a financial legacy for sport.

Petro-Canada
is one of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies, operating in both the
upstream and the downstream sectors of the industry in Canada and
internationally. Its common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange
under the symbol PCA and on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol PCZ.

———

Le 6 juin 2005

Petro-Canada est nommée partenaire national des Jeux olympiques
et paralympiques d’hiver de 2010 à Vancouver

Calgary
(Alberta) – Le Comité d’organisation des Jeux olympiques et
paralympiques d’hiver de 2010 à Vancouver (COVAN) est heureux
d’annoncer que Petro-Canada sera son partenaire national dans la
catégorie pétrole et gaz. L’entente de huit ans donne à Petro-Canada
les droits de commandite des Jeux olympiques et paralympiques d’hiver
de 2010 et de l’équipe olympique canadienne pour les Jeux de Turin en
2006, de Beijing en 2008, de Vancouver en 2010, ainsi que pour les Jeux
olympiques de 2012.

« Les Jeux olympiques d’hiver de 2010 auront
lieu au Canada et nous avons le privilège d’avoir un partenaire comme
Petro-Canada pour nous aider à rejoindre chaque foyer et chaque famille
au pays, a déclaré John Furlong, directeur général du COVAN. Avec
l’aide des 5 000 employés enthousiastes de Petro-Canada, nous ferons
une contribution exceptionnelle au sport sur la voie de l’excellence en
2010 et au-delà. »

« Nous croyons à l’esprit olympique car il
est fondé sur le travail, la loyauté et le renforcement mutuel des
compétences, a affirmé Ron Brenneman, président et chef de la direction
de Petro Canada. C’est ainsi que nous dirigeons notre entreprise et
c’est pourquoi nos employés sont ravis de pouvoir mettre à profit leur
enthousiasme et leur dévouement en vue des Jeux de 2010. »

L’engagement
de Petro-Canada est estimé à 62,5 millions de dollars (CA). Il comprend
un investissement de 35,5 millions de dollars en produits, services et
soutien au marketing (y compris du carburant et des produits connexes)
qui seront utilisés par le COVAN, une somme de 18 millions de dollars
en espèces et de 9 millions de dollars en soutien aux athlètes dans le
cadre de nombreux programmes qui seront élaborés au cours des mois à
venir.

Le
COVAN est responsable de la planification, de l’organisation, du
financement et de la tenue des XXIe Jeux olympiques d’hiver et des Xe
Jeux paralympiques d’hiver de 2010. Les Jeux olympiques d’hiver auront
lieu à Vancouver et à Whistler du 12 au 28 février 2010. Whistler
accueillera les Jeux paralympiques d’hiver du 12 au 21 mars 2010. Le
programme de marketing du COVAN est axé sur la recherche de
partenariats mutuellement bénéfiques ayant des valeurs communes comme
fondement, et destinés à générer des recettes suffisantes pour assurer
la réussite des Jeux d’hiver de 2010 et laisser un legs financier pour
le sport.

Petro-Canada est l’une des plus importantes sociétés
pétrolières et gazières du Canada, exerçant des activités à la fois
dans les secteurs d’amont et d’aval de l’industrie au Canada et à
l’échelle internationale. Ses actions ordinaires se négocient à la
Bourse de Toronto sous le symbole PCA et à la Bourse de New York sous
le symbole PCZ.

Looks like there will be another corporate sponsorship announcment today from the people in charge of pimping out the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Here’s to hoping that the athletes and communities see a little bit more of the pie than they did in the Rona deal.

Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee Announces National Partner in the Oil and Gas Category

Calgary,
Alberta – The Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for the 2010
Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and Petro-Canada invite media to
join several hundred Petro-Canada employees, special guests and Olympic
and Paralympic athletes at an employee rally to announce VANOC’s
National Partner in the Oil and Gas category.

When: Monday, June 6, 2005 – 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time, 10:00 am Pacific
Where: Petro-Canada Centre – West lobby – 111 – 5th Avenue SW

In
attendance will be John Furlong, chief executive officer of VANOC; Ron
Brenneman, president and chief executive officer of Petro-Canada; and
the following Olympic and Paralympic champions:

- Mark Tewksbury (swimming);
- Catriona Le May Doan (speed skating);
- Lauren Woolstencroft (downhill skiing); and
- Brian McKeever (cross country skiing, biathlon).

VANOC
is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of
the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010.
The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler
from February 12 to 28, 2010. Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter
Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. VANOC’s marketing program is focused
on securing mutually rewarding partnerships with shared values to
generate sufficient revenue to host successful Winter Games in 2010 and
to leave a financial legacy for sport.

Petro-Canada is one
of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies, operating in both the
upstream and the downstream sectors of the industry in Canada and
internationally. Its common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange
under the symbol PCA and on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol PCZ.