VANCOUVER — The Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay will visit 11 Canadian communities in 10 days, starting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 3 and ending at the opening ceremonies at BC Place in Vancouver on March 12.

The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee on Thursday announced that the relay will leave Ottawa and travel through celebration sites in Quebec City (March 4), an unnamed Central Canadian community, Victoria (March 6), Esquimalt and Squamish (March 7), Whistler (March 8), Lytton and Hope (March 9), Maple Ridge (March 10) and Vancouver (March 11 and 12).

About 600 torchbearers will carry the flame in curved steel blue torches designed and manufactured by Bombardier.

Coca-Cola and RBC — both Olympic Torch Relay sponsors — will also sponsor the Paralympic Torch Relay, along with the B.C. and federal governments.

Coca-Cola also announced Thursday it will be an official partner of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, following its tradition of being a Games sponsor since 1992.

A special aboriginal-themed lighting ceremony will spark the Paralympic flame in Ottawa and torchbearers from all 10 Canadian provinces and three territories will participate in the ceremony.

About 1,000 athletes and officials from more than 40 countries will participate in five sports — alpine and cross-country skiing, ice sledge hockey, wheelchair curling and biathlon — during the Paralympic Games that run from March 12 to March 21.