MUMBAI: Christy Clark, the premier of British Columbia, has invited the International Indian Film Academy IIFA to celebrate its 14th weekend and awards in the city of Vancouver, Canada in 2013.

In a meet and greet with members from the film fraternity including IIFA Advisory Board members, President of the Film and Television Producers Guild Ramesh Sippy, Anil Kapoor, and senior members of the Hindi film industry, the premier announced plans to host IIFA.

Clark invited industry stalwarts, actors, directors and producers, among others to come to British Columbia as the Province opens its doors to the filming of Indian movies.

Bidding for the 14th IIFA Weekend and Awards Clark said, “If you could put what happened in Toronto in Vancouver, it will be great. Vancouver has a vast Indian population and one of the youngest Indian populations in Canada. It is a place where IIFA will feel at home.

“We put up a great show for the Winter Olympics 2010 and we will put up a great show for IIFA. If we can bring IIFA to Vancouver, there are so many things we can communicate through this wonderful medium, the business of doing business. I promise you, we know we have to do a lot work to bring IIFA to Vancouver. It is the heart of creativity in Canada and it is also the gateway to North America in more ways than one. People will say, ‘Man, those Winter Olympics were good but IIFA was better!’”

Vancouver is a bustling metropolis and home to over 200,000 Indians.