News & Views

Trying to reproduce the goals/aims of our in-person event in a virtual environment was entirely new. We had to redesign the entire event structure from start to finish taking into account the attendees’ different time zones, how much time our attendees want to spend online and what their expectations were for an online event. The idea was how to make a very hands-on industry work in a virtual environment. We looked at new ways of doing things to make sure we could engage the audience, expanded the number of education sessions that we offered and added an additional day to the program but restructured for less programming each day to combat “zoom fatigue”.

You’ve probably heard that there are so many benefits to being a member of MPI, but what you might not know is that those benefits can be deeper and more personal than you could ever imagine, simply by reading about them on the website.

I have benefited from having a membership with MPI Ottawa for the past 22 years from various aspects: building client relationships, mentoring students to help them with both sides of the industry, bringing me knowledge of the incoming workforce, attending education sessions has assisted me in bettering my knowledge and bringing me to a Senior Sales professional level. I love attending MPI Ottawa events, they allow me to build stronger client relationships and to increase awareness of Fairmont Quebec Resorts by providing services to MPI Ottawa members.

I had the luxury of not rapidly pivoting in 2020 to turn an in-person conference into a virtual one. We cancelled our Fall 2020 conference in April 2020 and decided not to offer it virtually. This allowed for additional time to learn everything I could about virtual event design, Zoom fatigue, adult online learning and what does and does not translate virtually. I have said on record before that the conferences in 2020 were ‘planned’ but the conferences in 2021 will be ‘designed’ and I set out to do exactly that.

The biggest benefit this past year from the MPI membership was the study group. I did not realize how necessary that was to help me study and helped me prepare for the exam. Along with the study group, I received a discount for joining the association which also provided access to key resources such as whitepapers, webinars, event industry best practices etc. This year, I’m looking forward to using my MPI membership to network with other members and see what other benefits the membership may provide.

This monthly article series allows MPI Ottawa Chapter members to share their recent professional and personal accomplishments with the MPI community by highlighting the News Around Town. Get in touch with Élodie Lortal (elodie.lortal@nac-cna.ca) to make a submission for the next issue!

To volunteer as a way to network is the best advice I can give to a new person entering the meetings & events industry. Being able to work on different projects, with different members, to learn new skills make you grow outside of your comfort zone.

To get the maximum ROI from your membership you must attend events; educate yourself; if you have the time, volunteer in a committee. Being President is a lot to do and commit to, but I love it. The Ottawa MPI Community is so tight and so close. I’ve made lifelong friends through my involvement with MPI Ottawa.

The main objective of the event was to hold our annual conference, bringing members together virtually. We did this through education, networking among peers and colleagues, make new connections and update members on pandemic changes to current policies.

Joining MPI Ottawa for me is really about wanting to network with others in the industry, getting to know people again. I want to give back to the community of meeting planners in Ottawa. Additionally, I would like to participate in the chapter event, online and in person events when they’re available again.

This monthly article series allows MPI Ottawa Chapter members to share their recent professional and personal accomplishments with the MPI community by highlighting the News Around Town. Get in touch with Élodie Lortal (elodie.lortal@nac-cna.ca) to make a submission for the next issue!

The main objective is to cover the delegate’s journey from touchdown to takeoff. We want the journey into our city to be safe & accredited. From arrival to departure: the airport, the accommodation, transportation, the venues, and hotels, all partners need to be certified.

Being an event planner was not my original plan. Originally, I wanted to be in the health care industry but, while I was at university, I realized it was not my thing. I’ve been working at the dental office for ten years now and once I graduated I worked full time. While work I was there I was also organizing/coordinating their events. Dealing with patients alongside coordinating things for the office sparked my interest in the events’ industry. That’s why I decided to enroll in the Event’s Program at Algonquin College.

This monthly article series allows MPI Ottawa Chapter members to share their recent professional and personal accomplishments with the MPI community by highlighting the News Around Town. Get in touch with Élodie Lortal (elodie.lortal@nac-cna.ca) to make a submission for the next issue!

With Stronger Together our objectives were to connect with the community, to stay informed and to share best practices. We wanted to be like weaving links. We demonstrated to the industry that together, by exchanging opinions and ideas, we can rise and be stronger.

​As a meeting professional association, it is good for us to showcase technology to our membership. Planners can decide if they want to bring it back to their companies. I am glad we were able to showcase Bramble to our chapter.

Once I entered the virtual space, I was stunned to see that there was an official reception with a red carpet as well as MPI Help Desks. The venue was a lot like what we see in real life: after Reception, there was a cafeteria, sofas, tables and chairs, bookshelves, plants, a theatre and some conference rooms.

This monthly article series allows MPI Ottawa Chapter members to share their recent professional and personal accomplishments with the MPI community by highlighting the News Around Town. Get in touch with Élodie Lortal (elodie.lortal@nac-cna.ca) to make a submission for the next issue!

"We want people to experience sustainability. We want to show people that they can feel comfortable, without having to make sacrifices, while still minimizing their impact upon the environment. We think that experiencing sustainability initiatives it is the first step committing to them."

"​While it has been a challenging time for many of us in the industry, I am confident that we will return to a busy season and good times." - ​Brian Henry, President of the entertainment company Quality Entertainment - Ottawa