It's clear that Olympic visitors pumped millions into the local economy throughout the games. The Conference Board of Canada forecast that the Games will bring an additional $770 million to B.C.'s economy in 2010 alone. This figure does not include $2 billion in spending by delegations of sponsors, suppliers, networking businesses and athletic teams. On average non-Canadian visitors spent roughly $7 million a day here in British Columbia, which is over double what it was this time last year. One of the official sponsors, Visa, has reported that foreigners using their Visa cards spent roughly $117 million during the Games - also double what was spent this time last year. Some of the business in the heart of the riding reported increased sales and profits up over 200% compared to the same period last year. Over 3.5 billion people – more than half the world’s population – followed the Games either on TV or the internet. This was apparent in the USA Today coverage of the Games "In winter, the heart of downtown [Vancouver] is 30 minutes from the ski slopes. In summer, sun seekers crowd its beaches and seaside promenades. And despite a rain-prone climate, it displays a perpetually sunny disposition. Consider it the supermodel of North American cities." - USA Today
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Mary supports Canadian athletes with her Red Mittens and Team Canada flare.
The infamous Red Mittens were a huge hit with locals and tourists alike. The official Olympic Stores – Hudson’s Bay Company, including Zellers and Home Outfitters locations - simply could not keep them on their shelves. And even when new inventory arrived it was gone within a few hours. We can now report that over 3.5 million Red Mittens were sold during the five month campaign and these mittens instantly became one of the most popular visual icons of the Games. Most people are unaware that sales from the Red Mittens benefitted Canadian athletes. Four dollars from every pair of Vancouver 2010 Red Mittens sold help fund the five-year Own the Podium 2010 initiative, which provided Canadian athletes with top Games-related equipment and training. Any additional funds raised through the Red Mittens campaign support a variety of 2010 Winter Games athlete - and sport-based initiatives.
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