Vancouver Joins List of Elite Cities on Formula E Calendar
Photo credit: LAT / Formula E
First Canadian E-FEST will have 3 days of festivities around the Formula E race
[Editor’s Note: The Formula E race event in Vancouver has been postponed. Updated on April 22nd, 2022]
Canadian promoter OSS Group Inc announced today that it will be organizing an ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race as part of a unique 3-day festival in one of Canada’s most beautiful cities. The City of Vancouver will kick off summer by hosting the event during next year’s July long- weekend (June 30-July 2, 2022) in the iconic False Creek area of downtown.
A 3-day event centered on sustainable development
The public at large will be invited to the first event of its kind – a colourful three-day program in Canada’s “greenest” city. The key elements of the “Creative Business Conference, Concerts, and Formula E Race” program will be revealed in the fall of 2021.
Vancouver’s Formula E-Prix will host a world-class grid of teams and drivers who will go head-to-head in race cars developed to enable sustainable practices in all facets of the automotive industry.
In late April, the Vancouver City Council offered overwhelming support by approving a motion to host a Formula E race. Councillors Sarah Kirby-Yung and Michael Wiebe, who brought the motion to Council, are great advocates of the event.
“We’re excited that Vancouver was OSS Group’s top choice to host this fantastic event, and we’re thrilled to work with them to make it a reality for our city. We look forward to OSS working with our teams and the local community to deliver an ‘electric’ event experience in July 2022. Formula E is a win on so many levels, from being a net-zero event that supports sustainable transportation, to being a huge boost for our hard-hit tourism sector, our residents and our local economy” said Councillor Kirby-Yung and Councillor Wiebe.
$80 million in economic value, 3,000 jobs
Tangible benefits will be realized as part of multiple efforts to restart the post-pandemic economy. Canadian E-FEST is a major asset for the City of Vancouver, for Canada, as well as for the tourism industry, motorsports and the economy of an entire province.
“I cannot express how delighted we are to confirm the dates for the Formula E event in 2022. For all of us at OSS, Vancouver was the natural fit to bring Formula E back to Canada, and with the new CEO (Jamie Reigle) being a proud Canadian, it was written in the stars that the Series return.” said Matthew Carter, President and CEO of OSS Group Inc. “The real work starts now. We will set up a Vancouver office close to the track, where we will employ Vancouverites in as many key roles as possible.”
“We could not have reached this milestone without the support of Councillors Kirby-Yung and Wiebe, as well as the local residents” added Carter. “One of our main missions is to work closely with the City of Vancouver and the False Creek residents to ensure this event is here to stay and that we leave a lasting legacy, year on year, be that charging stations, improvements to facilities or items of significant interest. We really look forward to making this a marquee event on the Formula E calendar while showcasing all that Vancouver and British Columbia have to offer.”
Photo credit: LAT / Formula E
All three founding partners of the Canadian OSS Group are well-known in the world of motorsports. Matthew Carter, Anne Roy and Phillip Smirnow bring a wealth of knowledge and years of experience to the table as they’ve been involved in different major-league racing Series across the globe, such as Formula 1, Formula E, and IndyCar.
Today, Formula E’s Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer Alberto Longo welcomed the addition of Vancouver on its 2021/22 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship calendar, with race day scheduled for Saturday July 2nd.
“In Formula E’s short history, we have always looked to grow the championship and our reach. Next season is set to be another landmark for the series with a record number of races and incredible new cities backing Formula E and our electric movement. To be returning racing to South Africa, along with the likes of Vancouver and Seoul, is a huge achievement for the series, on top of expanding Monaco to an annual event. As our last season with the Gen2 car, it promises to be one of the most exciting yet and lay the foundations for the all-new Gen3 era in season nine.”
Formula E’s mission is to accelerate the change towards sustainability and electric mobility, and fits perfectly with British Columbia’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2035.
Stay tuned for the big launch in September. www.canadianefest.com