Showcasing the world and its many wonders

Observe coyotes and yaks from the Himalayan mountains, visit the Amur tigers in a recreated Russian reserve, take a trip across the African Savannah, gaze at graceful giraffes, see exotic animals invading the ruins of a South American temple, experience life Down Under with kangaroos and wallabies and, beginning in 2011, travel the waters of the Pacific or come nose-to-nose with a shark... all that right in the very heart of the Montérégie region!

One of North America's oldest animal parks, Granby Zoo has been devoting itself to animal conservation since 1953 and inviting the public along for the ride on a thrilling journey of discovery. Visitors are given the unique opportunity to get acquainted with some 1,000 animals—nearly 200 different exotic species from far-off continents—all in their natural habitat. This tour of the animal world offers rich educational, recreational and scientific experiences, with top-notch recreational tourism facilities thrown in for good measure! Every year, the Zoo opens its gates to hordes of visitors—many of them repeat customers—and in 2009 welcomed nearly 600,000 people through its turnstiles to be beguiled by the beauty of the four-legged animals and dazzled by the colourful plumage of our fine-feathered friends!

After modernizing its facilities in 2004 and rising to the ranks as one of North America's top 10 animal parks, Granby Zoo is now ready to take on the world! It is with that in mind that the Zoo decided to launch an ambitious project in 2010: recreating Oceania, that continent of magnificent waterways, lush jungles, fertile prairies, majestic mountains and glimmering red deserts. The project is also to include an aviary for rainbow lorikeets, a New Zealand farm and an Australian bush, not to mention the new South Pacific Pavilion.

A partner of the Zoo since 2003, Canada Economic Development is proud to have contributed to the construction of this new pavilion, which will include various aquariums—among them a giant aquarium—and a large basin designed to promote interaction with the public. These will house many species distinctive to the South Pacific region, including sharks, rays, jellyfish and coral. The Oceania project as a whole will require a total investment of $12.5 million and result in the creation of some 135 local subcontracting jobs during the construction phase.

The funding from Canada Economic Development has allowed us to move up execution of the Oceania project, one of the key elements of our long-term master plan, explains the Zoo's General Director, Joanne Lalumière. This aquatic pavilion will bring a new dimension to what we have to offer zoo-goers while allowing our animal care team to develop new areas of expertise.

With this new hint of exoticism, the flagship Eastern Townships tourist attraction will be giving the region an additional asset with which to draw tourists and reinforce its reputation as a choice destination. The rising popularity of the Zoo's Two-Day Deal and annual pass confirms this growing trend, adds the General Director, who was named 2009 Tourism Personality of the Year by Tourism Eastern Townships. Granby Zoo itself earned a silver medal at the 25th Grands Prix du tourisme québécois in 2009 in the category of tourist attractions with 100,000 or more visitors. Talk about a fabulous journey!