Vancouver Aquarium gets funding infusion

The Vancouver Aquarium will undergo an upgrade and expansion thanks to grants announced Monday by two levels of government.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell used the aquarium's beluga tank as a backdrop as they announced funding of up to $15 million for the Stanley Park attraction.

The province would donate $10 million in funding over the next three years to help pay for a planned expansion of the 54-year-old facility, Premier Gordon Campbell said.

Harper said Ottawa would hand over up to $5 million to the aquarium for infrastructure upgrades.

The aquarium houses 70,000 fish and animals and has welcomed more than 35 million visitors since it opened in 1956.