Pandas coming to Toronto, Calgary, Granby

Zoos in Toronto, Calgary and Granby, Que., are all set to play host to some VIPs very important pandas starting in 2012.

"[China has] agreed to give us two pandas for 2012 .... and they've also agreed that other zoos in Canada should share them," said Toronto city councillor Giorgio Mammoliti in an interview with CBC News.

There are still some details to be worked out, but according to Mammoliti, the deal is virtually done.

After nine years of negotiations, the government of China has agreed to send two rare giant pandas to Canada for at least 15 years.The three cities will each have the pandas for about five years each, starting with Toronto.

"We're getting them for 2012, and they will be [at the Toronto Zoo] for five, perhaps seven, years depending on whether or not we can breed them successfully," said Mammoliti.

"So, as long as Calgary and Granby are on board with an agreement with us ... then I think [China will] loan them to us for 2012."

The pandasdon't come cheap, however. It's expected it will cost about $10-million just to build a special home for the pair.

Added to that will be the cost of their special diet, which consists exclusively of bamboo shoots imported from China, as well as a $1-million fee per panda, per year.

Mammoliti, who is a member of the Toronto Zoo's board of directors, says he expects the pandas will pay for themselves many times over.

It's believed the pandas will attract an extra 450,000 visitors to the Toronto Zoo every year and bring in an extra $10-million in ticket sales.

Part of the cost will becovered by private sponsorship and part will come from an extra charge to see the animals.

"We're hoping we can have everything designed and built and a partner put in place to pay for all of this so it doesn't come from the taxpayers," he said.

Mammoliti said he understands that some people fear for the safety of the pandas, but he said the best doctors and veterinarians will be looking after them.

"You cannot do this without the experts in China approving it," he said.

In 1985, two pandas Qinn Qinn and Sha Yan visited the Toronto Zoo for three months.