(No. 2 – January 4, 2010 – 6:45 p.m. EST) The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today marked the official opening of the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, which soars more than 160 storeys above the desert in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by highlighting Canada’s contribution.
“While in Dubai in March 2009, I got to see first hand how Canadians have contributed to this massive project,” said Minister Day. “The Burj Khalifa is truly an architectural marvel unlike any other structure in the world. I am proud to congratulate the Canadian companies that played a critical role in the design and construction of the skyscraper, providing world-class expertise in everything from the communications system to cables for the high speed elevators.”
The Burj Khalifa, the centerpiece of a 500-acre community developed by Emaar Properties, is being formally opened today by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Emir of Dubai. The skyscraper, made with 330,000 m3 of concrete and 31,400 t of steel, can be seen from as far as 95 km away.
Canadian enterprises that contributed include GSM Design, which designed the observation deck on the 124th floor, and NORR Ltd., which was involved in the architectural design of Burj Lofts. In addition, Nortel Networks Corp. provided communication infrastructure for the skyscraper, and RWDI Inc. completed the wind engineering study.
The U.A.E. is Canada’s largest export market in the Middle East and North Africa, with two-way trade totalling $1.8 billion in 2008. Canadian merchandise exports to the U.A.E. totalled $1.5 billion in 2008, a 28.8-percent increase over 2007.
For more details about Minister Day’s Dubai trip, please visit International Trade: Minister Day travels to the United Arab Emirates.
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For further information, and a high-resolution photo of Minister Day at the Burj Khalifa, media representatives may contact:
Mélisa Leclerc
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of International Trade
and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-992-6186
Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
