A pavilion showcasing Vancouver's development after Expo 86 opened at Shanghai's Expo 2010 on Sunday, with Premier Gordon Campbell and Treasury Board president Stockwell Day presiding. The three-storey wood and glass Vancouver pavilion is built of green materials, reflecting the city's commitment to sustainability.

It "showcases the development of the city of Vancouver following Expo 86 and the value of B.C. wood as a construction material," Campbell said. China is one of Canada's top lumber export markets. Wood product exports totalled $385 million in 2009, up from $32 million in 2001, according to a government news release.

The Canadian government spent $2.5 million on construction of the pavilion, funded through the $170-million Economic Action Plan investment in market development and innovation.

The first floor of the 900-square-metre building features the development history of the northern False Creek area, highlighting the transformation resulting from Expo 86 and the 2010 Winter Olympics. The second floor has displays promoting wood as a natural sustainable building material.

The third floor consists of meeting rooms used to host developers, engineers, architects and government officials and promote Canadian wood products.

The pavilion is located in the Expo's "Urban Best Practices" area, which showcases "original and valuable programs and practices designed to improve the quality of urban life," according to its website.

Campbell is travelling with Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, who are hoping to use their collective clout to attract business and investors to Western Canada. This is the first time they have brought their "New West Partnership" on the road.