A number of cross-border opportunities between B.C. and Washington State were announced Friday afternoon by Premier Gordon Campbell and Gov. Chris Gregoire, including a 2010 Olympic Torch Relay celebration at Peace Arch Park.

During the Feb. 9 event at the Douglas Border Crossing, the Olympic Flame will be carried by an honorary Canadian and U.S. torchbearer, who will be named in months ahead.

It is to arrive three days before the relay ends at B.C. Place Stadium, signalling the beginning of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"We're inviting the people of Washington State and all of the U.S. to share in these Games, and share in the incredible opportunities in tourism, trade and investment that the Olympic Games represent for the entire Pacific Northwest," Campbell said in a release.

Also announced was a framework agreement to see B.C. and Washington co-operate on transportation and other initiatives, including developing a shared vision for high-speed rail service and jointly advocating for direct harbour-to-harbour air service between Vancouver and Seattle.

The Framework for Transportation, Competitiveness and Prosperity was signed at the culmination of the joint Cabinet between Washington and B.C. Friday in Seattle.

The agreement sets out a number of steps B.C. and Washington can jointly undertake to create jobs, build the economy and improve the movement of goods and people between jurisdictions.

"I value our annual joint-summits, and am confident the framework agreement we've signed will ensure economic growth for the entire Pacific Northwest," Gregoire said.

Six other agreements were also signed during the joint Cabinet meeting, including Workplan on Cross-Border Issues Relating to Firearms, Illegal Drugs and Organized Crime; Agreement in Principle on Traffic Safety Collaboration; and Memorandum of Co-operation on H1N1 and other Public Health Threats.

Campbell and Gregoire also took the time to celebrate the start of the second Amtrak 'Cascades' train service to Vancouver.

The service, which started Aug. 19, was approved in July as a pilot project to run through the end of the 2010 Paralympics.

According to a release, ridership averages 60 riders per day, and "the pilot program is on track to meet the benchmark requirement to continue beyond the 2010 Olympic Games."

The two politicians announced the State of Washington and Amtrak are offering a 25 per cent discount on all fares to and from Vancouver until Dec. 31, 2009.