News Around Town – July 2021

Member Announcements

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

 
Welcome back Donna Cassidy | LinkedIn, Certified Meeting Professional with over 25 years’ experience in results-driven event planning and management in a corporate and association environment. Donna is Digital Event Planner for the Canadian Medical Association: Overview | LinkedIn

Welcome Michel Kafrouny. Since March 2021, Michel is Manager of Communication, Membership and Programs at the (1) Canadian Association of Research Administrators: Overview | LinkedIn. Previously, he was Program & Administrative Coordinator.

Welcome Stephine Ricker, experienced sales and marketing professionals. Stephine is CEO of her own company Ricker’s Promotion.  

Members Achievement

Congratulations Janet Maslin for complement the course Pandemic on-site Protocol provided by the Event Leadership Institute.

Congratulations Rozanne Lyons for complement the course Pandemic on-site Protocol provided by the Event Leadership Institute.

State of the Industry

Airlines & US Boarder: International flights carrying passengers will be permitted to land at five additional Canadian airports

On July 19^th 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced that

The Government of Canada is prioritizing the health and safety of everyone in Canada by taking a risk-based and measured approach to re-opening our borders. Thanks to the hard work of Canadians, rising vaccination rates and declining COVID-19 cases, the Government of Canada is able to move forward with adjusted border measures.

On September 7, 2021, provided that the domestic epidemiologic situation remains favourable, the Government intends to open Canada’s borders to any fully vaccinated travellers who have completed the full course of vaccination with a Government of Canada-accepted vaccine at least 14 days prior to entering Canada and who meet specific entry requirements.

As a first step, starting August 9, 2021, Canada plans to begin allowing entry to American citizens and permanent residents, who are currently residing in the United States, and have been fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Canada for non-essential travel. This preliminary step allows for the Government of Canada to fully operationalize the adjusted border measures ahead of September 7, 2021, and recognizes the many close ties between Canadians and Americans.

To read the full announcement, please see the Government of Canada press release.

Cruise ships & Canadian Waters

Though we still have our work cut out for us in our fight for recovery, I write this today heartened by a few announcements over the past week.

Last week, Canada’s Minister of Transport announced an accelerated timeline for resuming cruise ship activity in Canada. Cruise ships will be allowed in Canadian waters as of November 1, 2021. This is great news for our industry as we can now prepare to be fully operational for the 2022 cruise season, and allow cruise lines to plan confidently for their return to Canadian waters. A huge thank you to our National Cruise Committee, for their work on this important initiative.

TIAC welcomed the announcement on upcoming changes to Canada’s current border closures and restrictions. We have been advocating for a science-based plan for reopening borders and restarting our visitor economy, and are happy to see dates laid out that our industry can now plan for. There is still work to do, and we continue our efforts to answer some of outstanding questions, including the need for PCR pre departure tests and the impact on short term and business travel, and the need for a secure digital proof of vaccination system.

We continue to advocate for tailored, sector specific support in the wake of the CEWS and CERS support programs declining. We know that our hardest hit businesses will need continued support to fully recover.

Industry News in General 

Ontario: Tourism Counts

On July 6, 2021, Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism & Culture Industries announced $6 million in funding for Ottawa Tourism and up to $2 million for the Shaw Centre to support tourism recovery. These funds are much needed assistance for the important destination marketing, programs, and industry workforce efforts underway at Ottawa Tourism. It will ensure that, when it’s safe to do so, tourism businesses, can capitalize on a renewed interest in Canada’s capital region.

Ontario Reopening Step 3

The Ontario Government has announced that Ontario will move into Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 16^th, 2021.

In order to enter Step Three of the Roadmap, Ontario needed to have vaccinated 70 to 80 per cent of individuals 18 years of age or older with one dose and 25 per cent with two doses for at least two weeks, ensuring a stronger level of protection against COVID-19.

Updates include, but are not limited to:

• Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions
• Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people
• Indoor meeting and event spaces permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50% capacity or 1,000 people (whichever is less)

For details of the plan click here: Ontario Moving to Step Three of Roadmap to Reopen on July 16 | Ontario Newsroom

Ottawa Tourism is offering one-time non-repayable grants of up to $20,000 to assist you in providing a COVID-wise visitor experience. Funding (which can be applied retroactively to June 1, 2020 and/or used for projects up to December 31, 2021) can be used for the following types of projects and more!

* PPE purchases;
* Patio space expansion and/or retrofits to enable physical distancing;
* Improvements to existing tourism infrastructure to make it COVID-safe;
* Digital tools aimed at contactless booking and purchase of tourism experiences; and
* Creation of COVID-19-related signage.To learn more and to check your eligibility click here: Tourism Relief and Investment Program | Ottawa Tourism

Ottawa’s Delegate Journey Map

Ottawa Tourism has developed a delegate journey roadmap for meeting planners and event producers to virtually experience the delegate journey and also obtain information about key Ottawa venues. From your delegates’ arrival at the airport to their check-in at the hotel, from their arrival at the meeting venue to their after-meeting activities, dining, and shopping. Ottawa Tourism gets you covered and informed.

To check out the platform click here: Delegate Journey | Ottawa Tourism

Upcoming Industry Events

MPI Ottawa

MPI Ottawa Education Event – Summer of Preparation: Contract changes and what to look for

Date:                  September 1, 2021

Time:                  12:15 PM – 1:30 PM

Venue:                Virtual

Come join Heather Reid, ARCT, MSc, DES, Founder & CEO, Planner Protect Inc. and your fellow MPI Ottawa colleagues for a fireside chat about all things contracts.  COVID has put this industry through the wringer and it’s finally time to get back to in-person events.  Contracts are always a hot topic within the events industry but more so now than ever as we transition back to in-person or hybrid events.  Submit your burning questions in advance to our “quasi-legal eagle”, Heather Reid and join us for this important and timely fireside chat.

2021 Prix Prestige Awards - Call for Nominations

Keep an eye on the MPI Ottawa Chapter LinkedIn Group and the MPI Ottawa Chapter website for information on upcoming events.

MPI Toronto

MPI Golf Tournament  
August 25^th: 11am to 8pm
Details to come out soon…Stay tuned!

To find out click here: MPI Golf - August 25, 2021

MPI Montréal/Québec

 
Mark your calendar!

Montréal Tourism and the Palais des Congrès de Montréal announced last week that the PCMA EduCon event will be held in Montreal in 2023.
https://bit.ly/2U1bMQO

TIAC

TIAC’s Tourism Congress
November 30^th and December 1^st
In-Person: Westin Ottawa

Registration for TIAC's Tourism Congress 2021 is OPEN! This year, there are two attendance options. You can join us in person at The Westin Ottawa or connect through the user-friendly virtual platform!

To learn more click here: tourismcongress.ca/
#TIACcongress

 Article written and compiled by Elodie LORTAL, CMP, DES | LinkedIn at National Arts Centre | Centre national des Arts: My Company | LinkedIn

Article edited by Rozanne Lyons, CMP, Intertask Conferences