Infrastructure Canada says $19 million in upgrades to Vancouver’s Science World will increase the facility’s lifespan and reduce its energy consumption by more than 40 per cent.
The federal government says the money will go toward repairing Science World’s geodesic dome, the building envelope, and fixes to its heating, electrical and ventilation systems.
The funding was announced Wednesday by Minister Harjit Sajjan and Science World president Tracie Redies in Vancouver.
Infrastructure Canada says in a statement the money will also go to reopening Science World’s theatre and adding accessibility improvements to the facility.
In April 2023, the B.C. government announced it would spend $20 million on upgrades to the building ahead of its 40th anniversary. At the time, Premier David Eby said the dome was leaking, and that upgrades to electrical and HVAC systems were needed.
Science World was originally built for Expo 86 as a “temporary signature site,” with Infrastructure Canada calling the upgrades “long needed.”
The federal governments says the money is coming from its Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, and the upgrades will cut Science World’s greenhouse-gas emissions and reduce its energy consumption by 42 per cent.