Canada announced Friday that it has chosen the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) as the venue for the G20 Summit on June 26-27 this year.

Canadian Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt said that the G20 Summit is an opportunity for Canada to continue to exercise its leadership on the world stage, to promote Canadian values and to take further decisive action to weather the global financial crisis.

According to the minister, a number of factors contributed to the selection of the MTTC as the G20 venue, including accessible location, facility size, security experience, proximity to the airport and technology service.

"The Government of Canada is proud to announce a world-class venue for the G20 Summit," Raitt said. "The G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. Canada's leadership will be reflected at the summit in Toronto, and hosting it will provide an ideal opportunity to showcase this great city."

The MTCC has hosted high-security events such as the G7 Summit in 1988 and the NATO defense ministers meeting in 1999. Last year, the MTCC hosted the visits of two former US presidents, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2010)