Richmond welcomes Microsoft Canada Development Centre

    RICHMOND, BC, July 26 /CNW/ - The City of Richmond, British Columbia is
pleased to announce it has been chosen as the home for the new Microsoft
Canada Development Centre.
    Scheduled to open in the early fall, the Microsoft Canada Development
Centre will focus on software development and will eventually employ hundreds
of highly-skilled workers from around the world. Earlier this month, Microsoft
Corp. announced its intentions to establish a centre in the Greater Vancouver
area. Microsoft has now reached an agreement to lease two buildings totalling
80,000 square feet located in the Crestwood Corporate Centre, which is owned
and operated by Bentall Capital, and is acknowledged as one of the leading
business parks in the Greater Vancouver area.
    "We are extremely pleased to welcome Microsoft to Richmond," said Mayor
Malcolm Brodie. "Microsoft is recognized as a worldwide leader and they are a
perfect match with Richmond's vision and own commitment to excellence."
    "This is an exciting opportunity for the Crestwood Corporate Centre,"
said Doug Reid, Senior Vice President, Bentall Capital L.P. "We have a
world-class facility in Richmond, and we are very proud to be working with
Microsoft to establish a Canadian software development centre and support its
growth in the coming years."
    Richmond is already home to some of Canada's leading international
technology firms including MDA, Sierra Wireless, Sage Software, Ventyx and
McKeeson Medical Imaging. The addition of Microsoft will ensure Richmond
continues to develop as a nexus for technology industries in Western Canada
and the Pacific Northwest.
    "The new Microsoft Canada Development Centre in Richmond will be one of
only a handful of development centres outside the company's Redmond, Wash.,
headquarters," said Phil Sorgen, President of Microsoft Canada. "Richmond and
the Greater Vancouver area are a global gateway with a diverse population. In
addition, the close proximity to Microsoft's corporate offices in Redmond will
allow for close collaboration with other development efforts. We are
tremendously excited about this new facility and look forward to setting up
our new office in Richmond."
    In addition to location and access to global markets, Microsoft cited
quality of life for its employees as an important consideration in its
selection of Richmond. A modern city with a full array of recreational,
cultural and commercial amenities, Richmond was recently named as "Canada's
Healthiest City" by Canadian Living magazine and is one of Canada's most
culturally diverse cities.
    The City quickly assembled a team to work with Microsoft throughout its
process of choosing a location within the Greater Vancouver area for the new
facility. City staff will now focus on working with Microsoft to ensure the
new facility is in operation as soon as possible.

    About Richmond

    Richmond, British Columbia is an economically thriving and culturally
diverse city of 185,000 on the West Coast of Canada. A major regional
commercial centre, it is home to Vancouver International Airport, one of the
region's major seaport facilities and is just 25 minutes from the US/Canada
Border. Located on 17 islands in the mouth of the Fraser River, Richmond has
carefully preserved its natural environment and approximately half of the
City's total area remains as farmland, parkland and other green space. To
learn more about Richmond, visit: www.richmond.ca

    About Microsoft Canada

    Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of
Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq "MSFT"), the worldwide leader in software, services
and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. Microsoft
Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support
services in both French and English. Microsoft Canada is headquartered in
Mississauga, Ontario, with MSN.CA offices located in Toronto and eight
regional offices across the country. The company supports local communities
across Canada by creating innovative technology and partnerships that help
people realize their full potential.

    About Microsoft

    Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their
full potential.

For further information: Kim Decker, Communications Officer, City of
Richmond, Phone: (604) 276-4371, Cell: (778) 835-6178, Email:
kdecker@richmond.ca; Cynthia Keeshan, Corporate Communications, Microsoft
Canada, Phone: (905) 363-8337, Email: ckeeshan@microsoft.com