News Around Town - January 2022

Member Announcements

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new members:

Krystal Sabourin, DES, Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our returning members:

Tami Leblanc, CMP, Sales Director at Discover Halifax.

Member Announcements

Congratulations Louise Gervais for having successfully completed and received the Event Leadership Institute Advanced Event Design & Strategy course certificate.

Special Announcement

MPI Ottawa
Due to our success as a chapter in 2020-2021, MPI Ottawa was granted by MPI Global 3 full memberships to give away at our discretion. Draws were held at 3 of our fall events and we are pleased to be able to offer one year membership to the following members:

Congratulations to:

Ursula Belanger, Expert Support in Worldwide Hotel & Venue Sourcing Services.

Courtney Jones, CMP, DES, Conference Specialist, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Patrick Hauta, Sales Manager, RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg.

MPI Ottawa

Are you ready to be part of rebuilding your Chapter?

The MPI Ottawa Board of Directors Nomination and Governance Committee is now accepting applications for the following positions on the MPI Ottawa Board of Directors for the 2022-2023 term:

✅ President-Elect (3 yr - yr 1 PE, yr 2 Pres, yr 3 IPP)

✅ Vice President of Education

✅ Vice President of Membership

✅ Vice President of Finance

✅ Vice President of Communications

✅ Director of Member Events 

✅ Director of Partnerships

✅ Director of Marketing

✅ Director of Education

Questions? Please contact presidentelect@mpiottawa.ca.
To apply: MPI Ottawa 2022 Board Applications (airtable.com)

Applications are due Monday, January 24, 2022

MPI Global

MPI is turning 50.  YOU helped make it happen.  That's why we want to hear YOUR stories about your MPI experience and what MPI means to you.

Simply share your story by submitting a brief video that’s no longer than two minutes. It’s as easy as that. We would like a range of stories—short video testimonials, memories, success stories or recollections on how MPI has impacted your life for the better.  Once you record the video, use the button below to submit.   https://www.mpi.org/about/mpi-50th-anniversary

State of the Industry

Tourism Labour, continued decline in workers

The following Statistics Canada numbers display a major decrease in employment. Both the seasonally adjusted and seasonally unadjusted labour force data show decreases in employment this past December. The adjusted data reports employment in Canada dropped by 63,000, while the unadjusted data shows a much steeper loss of 113,900.

• In the tourism sector, employment dropped by 56,700, a decline of 5.4% from November. 
• The tourism unemployment rate increased from 13.9% to 14.6%. 
• Tourism employment dropped in most provinces, with the biggest drops occurring in Alberta (-18,400), Ontario (-17,500) and Nova Scotia (-9,700). 

Statistical Analysis provided by Tourism HR Canada 
Check out the employee tracker tool

Bill C-2 – Temporarily Expanding Eligibility for the local lockdown program and the Canada worker lockdown benefit

On December 17th, 2021, the government announced new regulations around support measures outlined in Bill C-2. 

The first, expanding the Local Lockdown Program to include employers subject to capacity-limiting restrictions of 50 per cent or more; and reducing the current-month revenue decline threshold requirement to 25 per cent – from December 19^th, 2021 to February 12^th, 2022.

Second, expanding the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit to include workers in regions where provincial or territorial governments have introduced capacity-limiting restrictions of 50 per cent or more.

The benefit would: 

• Provide $300 a week.
• Be available to workers whose work interruption is a result of a government-imposed public health lockdown.
• Be available to workers who are ineligible for Employment Insurance (EI) and those who are eligible for EI, as long as they are not paid benefits through EI for the same period.
• Require workers to attest that they have lost 50 percent or more of their income as a result of COVID-19-related lockdowns during the applicable period. 

To read the details of the program: http://ow.ly/oQQZ50HhJYO

Get market-ready for LGBT+ travellers

Prepare your tourism business today to uncover Canada’s $12 billion LGBT+ leisure tourism opportunity tomorrow.  

For a limited time, Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Tourism HR Canada, is offering its inclusivity workshops and market-ready seminars completely free thanks to the Government of Canada. 

It is not just the right thing to do – it is your roadmap to accessing one of the fastest-growing markets in the industry.

Register for programming by clicking here

Industry News in General

Ontario is in Step 2
Ottawa, ON is now in a Modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen until at least January 26, 2022, which means the closure of museums, festivals, attractions, indoor dining, indoor meeting and event spaces, capacity and gathering limits, and more. Note that there is also a curfew and enhanced restrictions in the neighbouring province of Québec.

If you are interested in a specific attraction, event or business, we recommend confirming information directly with them, via their website or social media. Masks remain mandatory for indoor public settings and proof of vaccination and photo identification are required to visit some businesses in Ontario and the province of Québec.

Restrictions for the meetings & events industry:

• Reducing social gathering limits to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors.
• Limiting capacity at organized public events to five people indoors. 
• Limiting capacity at indoor weddings, funerals, and religious services, rites and ceremonies to 50 per cent capacity of the particular room 
• Closing indoor dining at restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments.
• Restricting the sale of alcohol after 10 p.m. and the consumption of alcohol on-premise in businesses or settings after 11 p.m. with delivery and takeout, grocery/convenience` stores and other liquor stores exempted.
• Closing indoor concert venues, theatres, cinemas. 

To read Ontario news release: Ontario Temporarily Moving to Modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen | Ontario Newsroom 
To read about measures in force in Quebec: About the measures in force | Gouvernement du Québec (quebec.ca)

Be part of building Ottawa’s 10-year tourism plan!
We'd love your input on living, working and playing in Ottawa to better understand the community experience and identify how we can protect, improve and enhance Ottawa’s long-term quality of life and economic prosperity
Click survey to share your feedback. This short survey should only take about 5 minutes to complete.

Upcoming Industry Events

📅 February 2022 to March 2022
Save The Date!  On February 22, MPI will be sending out the Membership and Chapter Satisfaction Survey to all members. The survey will close on March 16.  We want to hear from YOU!

📅 Wednesday April 6^th, 2022
EY Centre, 4899 Uplands Dr., Ottawa, ON K1V 2N6  
CSAE Tête-à-Tête Ottawa-Gatineau

CSAE Ottawa-Gatineau’s most popular event, Tête-à-Tête, is back in-person this year! Join us on Wednesday, Apr. 6, 2022 at the EY Centre in Ottawa and help us celebrate 32 years of success as one of Canada’s association communities’ largest industry event. Association and not-for-profit leaders, meeting and event planners and government procurers from across the country can attend this event – free.

Immerse yourself in “all things association” at Tête-à-Tête, now in its 32nd year. The schedule is packed with informative roundtable discussions, expert panel presentations and engaging speakers. And, of course, you’ll get to know over 75 exhibitors with products and services that can help you meet your goals.

REGISTRATION IS FREE!

All association and not-for-profit executive directors and employees, meeting and event planners, and government procurers attend at NO COST. General registration closed to non-exhibiting suppliers.

📅 Thursday April 7^th, 2022 
MPI Ottawa Charity Auction Dinner
Save the Date and check back for details on the MPI Ottawa Charity Auction and Gala Dinner, to be held during Ottawa Meet Week.

📅 Thursday April 28^th to Saturday April 30^th, 2022 
MPI the EVENT 

Chapter 4…Calling all speakers
Do you have what it takes to bring events to life?

In the spirit of holiday giving, the Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal/Québec MPI Chapter volunteers at the EVENT are delighted to offer you the gifts of connection, togetherness, experience, education, and the opportunity to submit your proposed sessions and gain unique visibility at the EVENT 2022

Please contact (Leslie Wright, leslie@the-event.ca) if you have any questions regarding a possible submission. the EVENT will announce registration details in the New Year.

Article edited by Darlene Kelly-Stewart | LinkedIn at Stonehouse Sales & Marketing Services