Vancouver
- Opened in 2010, the 377-room Fairmont Pacific Rim (604.695.5300; www.fairmont.com/pacificrim) recently invested $500,000 in expanding its Star Sapphire Ballroom. Now providing 12,300 square feet of space, the ballroom and its foyer boast sweeping floor-to-ceiling windows with harbor and mountain views.
- Major upgrades are planned for Vancouver International Airport (604.207.7077; www.yvr.com), a project intended to keep Vancouver competitive with national and international destinations. The 10-year strategy, announced in January, will allocate $1.8 billion for improvements.
Victoria
- Scheduled to open in May, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel (250.598.4556; www.oakbaybeachotel.com), rebuilt on the grounds of the original 1929 hotel, revives one of Victoria’s most historically significant properties. Featuring 100 waterfront rooms, the hotel will also offer flexible space for groups of up to 250.
- The Fairmont Empress (250.384.8111; www.fairmont.com/empress) is transforming its Kipling’s Restaurant into ballroom space. The $500,000 project is scheduled for completion this spring.
Whistler
- Whistler Olympic Plaza (604.932.5535; www.whistler.ca/olympic-plaza), the redeveloped site of the Whistler medals ceremonies for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, opened last summer as Whistler’s newest off-site venue. Designed with maximum functionality in mind, the site can provide a weather-protected venue for up to 1,000 people or be configured as an outdoor venue for 5,000-plus people.
ALBERTA
Edmonton
- At press time, the Expansion 2012 (780.890.8382; www.flyeia.com/expansion2012) project at Edmonton International Airport was scheduled for completion in February. The expansion features 13 gates, a new U.S. departures lounge and expanded restaurant, retail and office space. A 210-room Courtyard Marriott is slated to open this fall. The hotel will be connected to the terminal and feature 10,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space.
MANITOBA
Winnipeg
- Winnipeg’s James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (204.487.9402; www.waa.ca) recently debuted a new state-of-the-art terminal—one of the greenest in North America. The 80-room Grand Winnipeg Airport Hotel is slated to open in summer 2013 directly across from the new terminal.