January 20, 2010
Do Not Pass Go, Vote Victoria to Canada's Monopoly Board

VICTORIA – MLAs Ida Chong and Murray Coell want local residents to pass Baltic Avenue, skip Free Parking and go straight to the Hasbro website to vote the City of Victoria a place on Monopoly’s 75th anniversary, Canadian edition of the popular board game.

“If the results were held today, Victoria would be Indiana Avenue and Calgary would be Park Place,” says Chong, who represents Oak Bay-Gordon Head.  “Our beautiful capital, boasting the Inner Harbour and Parliament Buildings, is worth more than a $140 square.  Let’s show our island pride and get Victoria to take a walk on the Boardwalk.”

“Only 22 of Canada’s cities will make the Monopoly anniversary edition and Victoria should easily be at the top of that list,” says Coell, the MLA for Saanich North and the Islands.  “It doesn’t matter whether you travel by top hat, race car, a boot or an iron, I encourage everyone to go to the website and put in their vote to move Victoria up the board.”

The City of Victoria, along with 65 Canadian cities and 20 “wildcard” communities, is vying for real estate on the anniversary edition of the board game Monopoly.  The world’s most popular board game turns 75 this year, and Hasbro Canada is celebrating the milestone with a first-ever edition using Canadian city names in place of streets.

To vote for Victoria’s place on the Monopoly board, visit the Hasbro website at www.monopolyvote.ca.  Deadline for submissions is February 7, 2010.

The number of votes determines location, with higher-scoring communities getting high-rent squares on the board. Of the 22 spots available on the board, Victoria currently sits at No. 10, behind Montreal and in front of Shawinigan.

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