Trade Centre Limited
{{Short description|Former Nova Scotia Crown corporation}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Trade Centre Limited
| logo =
| logo_caption =
| logo_alt =
| image = World Trade and Convention Center.JPG
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax
| type = Crown corporation
| industry = Conventions, trade shows, events, real estate
| fate = Wound up
| predecessor =
| successor = Events East Group
| founded = {{Start date and age|1981|11|17|df=yes}} in Halifax, Nova Scotia
| founder =
| defunct = {{End date|2019|03|31|df=yes}}
| hq_location_city = Halifax, Nova Scotia
| hq_location_country = Canada
| area_served =
| key_people =
| products =
| owner = Province of Nova Scotia
| num_employees =
| num_employees_year =
| parent =
| website = tradecentrelimited.com (defunct)
}}
Trade Centre Limited (TCL) was a Crown corporation of the Government of Nova Scotia, Canada. Its stated mission was to "create economic and community benefits by bringing people together in Halifax and Nova Scotia".{{cite web|title=Mission & Goals|url=http://www.tradecentrelimited.com/en/home/abouttcl/missiongoals.aspx|publisher=Trade Centre Limited|accessdate=3 April 2014}} It operated the largest convention and events facilities in the Halifax Regional Municipality, and was a member of the World Trade Centers Association.
History
Trade Centre Limited was created by an Order in Council on 17 November 1981 to own and operate the new World Trade and Convention Centre (WTCC), championed by then-Premier John Buchanan who envisaged the new facility as a scaled-down version of the famous World Trade Center in New York City.{{cite web |title=Crown corporation business plans for the fiscal year 2003–2004 |url=https://beta.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/documents/budget-archive/Budget-2003-Crown-Corp-Business-Plans.pdf |publisher=Province of Nova Scotia |pages=238–251 |date=2003}}{{cite news|last=Beaumont|first=Hilary|title=For Halifax's world trade centre, history repeats itself|url=http://hilarybeaumont.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/for-halifaxs-world-trade-centre-history-repeats-itself/|accessdate=3 April 2014|newspaper=Openfile Halifax}}
The trade centre would be built next to the Halifax Metro Centre (now Scotiabank Centre), which had opened in 1978. As the two facilities were to be physically connected and operated a whole, an agreement was signed in 1982 transferring management of the Metro Centre to TCL, although the city retained ownership of the arena. TCL took over operations and management of the Metro Centre on 14 May 1982.
In November 1999, the provincial government transferred management of Exhibition Park (now known as the Halifax Exhibition Centre) to TCL. On 1 April 2001, TCL took over responsibility for the Maritime Fall Fair Association (MFFA), a non-profit society formed in December 1999 to host an annual agricultural fair at Exhibition Park.
As of 2015, the corporation employed approximately 100 full-time and 400 part-time staff.{{cite web |title=Atlantic Provinces Chapter Dinner with Scott Ferguson, President & CEO of Trade Centre Limited |url=https://www.feicanada.org/events.php?eid=1592 |publisher=Financial Executives International |date=2013}} TCL was heavily involved in planning and marketing for the new Halifax Convention Centre. On 23 April 2014, the province introduced the Halifax Convention Centre Act, legislation that saw the provincial government and the Halifax Regional Municipality jointly establish the Halifax Convention Centre Corporation to manage and operate the new facility. The new legislation allowed Trade Centre Ltd. employees to be transferred to the Halifax Convention Centre Corporation (which operates as Events East Group).{{cite web |title=New Corporation to Operate Halifax Convention Centre |url=http://www.tradecentrelimited.com/en/home/news/newsandpress/New-Corporation-to-Operate-new-Convention-Centre.aspx |publisher=Trade Centre Limited |date=23 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517214453/http://www.tradecentrelimited.com/en/home/news/newsandpress/New-Corporation-to-Operate-new-Convention-Centre.aspx |archive-date=2014-05-17 }}
On 1 April 2017, Events East Group took over the operations of Trade Centre Limited. Trade Centre Limited employees were also redesignated as Events East employees on this date. A limited board was appointed to oversee the winding-down of the corporation. Financial accountability of the organisation remained with the Province of Nova Scotia until 28 February 2018, when it was transferred to the shareholders of the new Halifax Convention Centre Corporation (i.e. the Halifax Regional Municipality and the Province of Nova Scotia).{{cite web |title=Trade Centre Limited 2017–2018 Annual Report |url=https://www.eventseast.com/sites/default/files/2019-11/Trade%20Centre%20Limited%20%202017-2018%20Annual%20Report.pdf |publisher=Trade Centre Limited |date=2018}} The World Trade and Convention Centre building was sold to Armco Capital, a Halifax developer, on 9 April 2018.{{cite web |title=Financial statements |url=https://www.eventseast.com/sites/default/files/2019-07/Trade%20Centre%20Limited%20Audited%20Financial%20Statements%20March%2031%202019.pdf |publisher=Trade Centre Limited |date=31 March 2019}} On 1 March 2019, the assets and liabilities of Ticket Atlantic were transferred from TCL to Events East.{{cite web |title=Halifax Convention Centre 2018–2019 Annual Report |url=https://www.eventseast.com/sites/default/files/2019-07/Halifax%20Convention%20Centre%202018-2019%20Annual%20Report.pdf |publisher=Events East Group |date=2019}} On 31 March 2019, the corporation was formally wound up.
Business areas
- Events Halifax
- Exhibition Park
- Scotiabank Centre – arena, operated by TCL on behalf of HRM
- Ticket Atlantic
- [http://www.wtcac.com/ World Trade Centre Atlantic Canada] – regional arm of World Trade Centers Association
- World Trade and Convention Centre – convention centre, office tower
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.tradecentrelimited.com/}} (defunct)
Category:1981 establishments in Nova Scotia
Category:2019 disestablishments in Nova Scotia
Category:Crown corporations of Nova Scotia
Category:Defunct real estate companies
Category:Event management companies of Canada