The2010WinterOlympics,officiallytheXXIOlympicWinterGamesorthe21stWinterOlympics,isamajorinternationalmulti-sporteventheldonFebruary12–28,2010,inVancouver,BritishColumbia,Canada,withsomeeventsheldintheresorttownofWhistler,BritishColumbiaandintheVancouversuburbsofRichmond,WestVancouverandtheUniversityEndowmentLands.BoththeOlympicandParalympicGamesarebeingorganizedbytheVancouverOrganizingCommittee(VANOC).The2010WinterOlympicsarethethirdOlympicshostedbyCanada,andthefirstbytheprovinceofBritishColumbia.Previously,Canadawashometothe1976SummerOlympicsinMontreal,Quebecandthe1988WinterOlympicsinCalgary,Alberta.

　　FollowingOlympictradition,thenVancouvermayorSamSullivanreceivedtheOlympicflagduringtheclosingceremonyofthe2006WinterOlympicsinTurin,Italy.TheflagwasraisedonFebruary28,2006,inaspecialceremony,andwasondisplayatVancouverCityHalluntiltheOlympicopeningceremony.TheeventwasofficiallyopenedbyGovernorGeneralMichaëlleJean.[2]