Canada Harbour Place Corporation : In 1978, the Federal government of Canada applied to the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) for the 1986 world exposition to be held in Vancouver as part of celebrations of both the City's centennial and the centennial of the arrival of the first passenger train at the Pacific Terminal of Port Moody. In 1980, the BIE confirmed Vancouver as its choice to host the 1986 exposition.
In July 1981, the Federal government established, through consultation with the Provincial government of British Columbia, that its role in Expo would be to negotiate the registration of the Exposition with the International Bureau of Expositions, appoint a Commissioner-General, issue invitations through diplomatic channels, assure visa issuance for pavilion staff and import and export permits for exhibition materials, engage in international liaison and promotion, ensure that all appropriate measures were taken for the good order and efficient operation of the Exposition through a Commissioner-General (in terms of international participants), and to guarantee the fulfilment of federal obligations made to Expo'86 Corporation, the Provincial body responsible for the direct administration of Expo'86.
At the same time the developments directly related to Expo'86 were taking place, the Provincial government was also committeed to building both a Light Rapid Transit system and a trade and convention facility (at Pier B-C) in Vancouver. Finding its resources spread too thinly, the Province subsequently announced the cancellation of the Pier B-C project and was considering the cancellation of the fair as well. As a result, Provincial-Federal resource contributions were renegotiated and in April 1982 the Federal government and the Province of British Columbia concluded an agreement which established the nature of their co-involvement in a complex at the Pier B-C site which would operate as Canada's host pavilion at Expo'86 and subsequently be converted to a Trade and Convention Centre (TCC). The agreement attempted to combine the projects of both jurisdictions and set a limit to the Federal contribution.
The Canada Harbour Place Corporation (CHPC) was incorporated in June of 1982 (Privy Council Order No. 1648) in order to fullfil many of the Canadian government's obligations that arose out of the above agreement. The CHPC was made a crown corporation with an independent board of directors and was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Canada Lands Company reporting to the Ministry of Public Works. However, on December 20, 1984 it became a Schedule 1 Crown Corporation when the Financial Administration Act was revised. Its shares were then transferred from the Ministry of Public Works to the Ministry of Transport. Within the new department CHPC reported to the Minister through the Federal Coordination Secretariat which was an agency established in May 1983, to facilitate the coordination of various federal government departments and agencies participation in Expo'86. This allowed CHPC to set up a project management structure which could liaise with existing government resources useful in mounting an exposition.
When CHPC was incorporated, it was given a mandate to: (1) act as a developer, including the acquisition, administration and disposal of land, contractor and manager of real property for the Government of Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia, as detailed in the provisions of an approved corporate plan; (2) design and construct, in Vancouver, a facility at Pier B-C to include a cruise ship terminal, a Canadian host pavilion for Expo'86 suitable to be converted to a trade and convention centre; (3) design, construct and manage such other facilities, whether of a public or private mature, such as a hotel or office complex, as detailed in the provisions of an approved corporate plan; (4) manage and operate the facility at Pier, British Columbia or any part thereof either by itself or with others, in the public or private sector; and (5) organize, operate and manage the participation of the Government of Canada as exhibitor and host nation for Expo'86 at Pier, British Columbia.
The organizational structure of CHPC changed over time as various components of its mandate were allotted more corporate resources. In the initial construction and general management phase of Canada Harbour Place, the CHPC was managed by an executive consisting of the President and two Vice Presidents of Finance and Construction, as well as a Project Engineer and Director of Administration.
In 1984, as the fair grew closer, the function of CHPC to design, manage and operate a host pavilion for Canada at Expo took on a greater importance. This was reflected in organizational changes as CHPC selected a project manager for the Canada Pavilion and the Chairman of the Board/Commissioner General for the Pavilion assumed responsibility for the execution and operation of the Pavilion. The President retained responsibility for the real estate development of Canada Place. The Pavilion project manager position was later changed to that of Executive Vice-President.
From late 1984 to mid 1985, design development, cultural programmes, operations programmes, and commercial developments for the Pavilion were all initiated and developed. As well, CHPC embarked on a corporate sponsorship programme. Im mid 1985, the Operations Management Structure and the Commissioner General's office were put in place. At the end of 1985, the President was replaced by a Management Committee in order to unite the development and the Pavilion sides of the corporation.
The Canada Pavilion project had seven functional divisions, each headed by a Director or Manager, reporting to the Executive Vice-President. The divisions were: (1) Exhibits, (2) Cultural Programmes, (3) Public Affairs, (4) Protocol, Commissioner General's Suite and Government Liaison, (5) Project Control, (6) Operations, and (7) Corporate Sponsorship.
The future of the CHPC was to be reviewed following the termination of Expo'86. As this review is ongoing (as of September 1993), the CHPC still reports to Parliament through the Minister of Transport and is currently responsible for property management of the Canada Harbour Place complex. A detailed history prepared by the CHPC can be found in series II, Canada Pavilion Manuals.
