Canadian Mortgage News

January 2005 National News Archive

National Advisory Committee to Help Canada Prepare for World Urban Forum

OTTAWA, Ontario, March 29, 2005 — Thirty-six high-profile Canadians will participate in a National Advisory Committee to shape the direction of Canada's preparations to host the UN-HABITAT World Urban Forum in Vancouver in 2006. The Committee will be chaired by the Honourable Michael Harcourt and Ms. Huguette Labelle and will include representatives from the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec, Canada's Aboriginal peoples, labour as well as private, public, municipal and NGO sectors. "The committee will allow creative and passionate people from across Canada to voice their ideas and come together to plan a highly effective and successful event" said Minister Fontana.

The National Advisory Committee was created to provide advice and support to Minister Fontana, the Government of Canada's lead Minister responsible for the preparation of the World Urban Forum (WUF). The Committee will input to Canada's recommendations to UN-HABITAT on themes, program content, and events to support the Forum.

"Vancouver is the place where the United Nations will be looking at the future of cities," said the Honourable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing. "As host of the World Urban Forum, Canada will showcase its' successes and influence the direction of international dialogue and action on sustainability, human settlements and issues of rapid urbanization."

The World Urban Forum was first launched by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in 2002 and was recently held in Barcelona, Spain. The Forum, a biennial event, is becoming a key international event devoted to sharing information on the critical issues of cities and communities, shelter, sustainability, and other issues related to globalization and urbanization.

The World Urban Forum will be held from June 19 – 23, 2006 in Vancouver and is expected to attract over 6,000 delegates from over 150 countries including representatives from least developed countries.

The World Urban Forum in 2006 will also mark the 30th anniversary of the first UN Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat I) which was held in Vancouver in 1976. Habitat I raised international awareness of the importance of human settlement development and sustainability and led to the creation of the Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) by the United Nations General Assembly. UN-HABITAT is devoted to promoting socially and environmentally sustainable cities and communities, with a goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

For further information, please contact:
Grace Thrasher
CMHC
(613) 748-2375

Peter Graham,
Director of Communications
Office of Minister Fontana
(819) 953-5646

National Advisory Committee to Minister Fontana for Canada's preparations for the World Urban Forum Vancouver, Canada June 19 – 23, 2006

News source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)