One of the truly good people in British Columbia’s tourism industry is Peter Harrison. Peter has been with Destination BC for 27 years and recently decided that it’s time to retire from public service and embark on the next chapter of his life.

Notwithstanding that he seems too young to hang up the gloves, Peter is taking advantage of good health, adequate security, and all the accomplishments a career could offer, to spend more time with family and friends, travel, golf, and ultimately tackle his bucket list once and for all.

I’ve known Peter for more than two decades, all the way back to when his sideburns were brown instead of gray. And while we never lived in the same city or region, over the years we crossed paths or spoke frequently, most often for business purposes and occasionally to catch up on personal matters. I always left those encounters feeling positive and optimistic.

Each year at the annual BC Tourism Industry Conference, I always counted on seeing Peter, who in nearly three decades, only missed one event. When I joined TIABC in 2015 and took on overall conference responsibilities, I was tempted to install him as our standing conference chairperson (some might say Mascot but he’s so much more than that) since he loved and supported the event so much.

Yesterday, some 200 of Peter’s friends and colleagues bid him farewell as part of a virtual retirement party. I was honoured to be among a handful of folks who got to say a few words on behalf of our entire tourism industry and TIABC. I spoke about Peter’s passion, commitment, and enthusiasm for his job and for the industry at large. I referenced the comments his colleagues posted on kudoboard that talked about Peter being caring, compassionate, professional, a mentor, a legend, a man with integrity, and so much more.

I also told the story that over the course of the pandemic, I worked very closely with Peter to solicit government support for the community destination marketing organizations (CDMO) when MRDT (i.e. hotel tax) revenues essentially dried up after government restrictions prevented people from travelling. It was Peter that worked so diligently behind the scenes to help us secure much-needed emergency funds for CDMOs. He then went on to find even more relief for the bureaus through the federal government.

From my perspective, Peter always tried to do the right thing for the right reasons. Even when he got it wrong, he apologized and endeavoured to make amends. I have nothing but respect for Peter who leaves some big shoes to fill at Destination BC in his role as Director of Industry Partnerships and Visitor Services.

While Peter’s career will be on permanent hiatus starting October 29th, his friendship with colleagues throughout our industry will carry on. I, for one, look forward to smashing the little white ball around with him at one of the many spectacular golf courses in British Columbia once the dryer, sunnier weather returns. I might even let him sneak into the odd BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference to say hello to his legion of fans.

Best wishes, good health, and safe travels to one of the truly good guys in our sector.

Walt Judas, CEO

The federal government is spending $7.4 billion to extend and create new COVID-19 supports for hard-hit businesses and workers that will carry into the spring.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced yesterday, that as of October 23rd, new measures will be put in place to replace the broad Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), which expire tomorrow.

Starting Sunday, the following programs will be available for businesses and individuals:

The Deputy Prime Minister added that to determine eligibility for these programs, the government will use a “two-key system” meaning that employers can prove revenue loss either a) over 12 months of the pandemic or b) during the current month. Minister Freeland also noted that in the period of March 3-May 7, 2022, these supports will decrease by half.

At the time of this bulletin release, the Department of Finance has not yet released the specific details on these programs but we will continue to monitor these changes and will share any information once it becomes available.

The Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses is praising the new targeted support measures for businesses that are still facing significant pandemic-related challenges, including the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program, that were announced by the federal government yesterday. The coalition also applauds the announcement on the new international vaccine passport. These new initiatives will help support our hard-hit sector through the winter period, prioritizing job creation and a strong recovery of the travel economy.

As noted, the tourism, hotel, and events sectors are unique:

Without continued support, many tourism, hotel and event businesses would have closed permanently, making temporary job losses permanent. This would have had a significant negative impact not only on the tourism industry, but Canada’s broader economic recovery overall. This announcement gives our industry hope as we work hard to achieve full recovery from the effects of the pandemic.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that a standardized Canadian COVID-19 proof of vaccination is now available to residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon, with other provinces including BC to follow suit. The Prime Minister also noted that Canada is working with partners internationally to ensure the proof of vaccination is recognized and accepted abroad to facilitate international travel.

The standardized proof of vaccination is issued by provinces and territories to individuals who are vaccinated and registered with their provincial or territorial health authority, and can also be used with ArriveCAN, the mobile app and website for travellers to submit mandatory information when arriving in Canada from other countries.

Residents from provinces not yet issuing the standardized proof of vaccination can use their existing provincial documentation but the government notes it is up to foreign governments to determine whether to accept it. Those vaccinated outside Canada can check with their home province or territory to see if they can register their vaccine record to get a Canadian proof of vaccine.

Click here to read the Government of Canada news release.

CEO Walt Judas was a guest of The Early Edition with Phil Johnson on October 21st and discussed the announcement of the newly unveiled national proof of vaccination. He also spoke about BC's proof of vaccination program and how it has worked well for industry to be able to welcome guests and carry on with business during the COVID restrictions and provincial PHO.

Listen to the full interview here.

Destination BC’s Proof of Vaccination Messaging Guide has been updated to reflect new information and industry FAQs, including details on full vaccination requirements coming into effect for BC on October 24th and where to find information on the new pan-Canadian vaccine passport for plane, train and cruise ship passengers in Canada.

The Guide will continue to be updated as new information is available. Industry should refer to this latest messaging until further notice.

A coalition of Canadian cruise industry businesses and associations that include TIABC are calling on the Government of Canada to immediately engage with the U.S. federal government to develop a mutually beneficial and responsible approach which addresses the handling of cruise ships in Canadian waters and ports.

For decades, the entire Pacific Northwest and Alaska have benefitted from a continuous cruise journey in both Canada and the United States. The tourism sector relies on a robust cruise industry; there is a strong need for targeted engagement on behalf of the sector to ensure Canada remains as a stopping point along the increasingly popular Alaska cruise expedition.

In May 2021 and in response to the closure of Canadian ports through 2021, the United States Congress passed the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, a bill aimed at providing a temporary exemption to the US Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) and with the purpose of allowing foreign-flagged cruise ships to circumvent federal laws that required them to make an international stopover on route to Alaska from an American port. The bill was subsequently signed into law by President Biden and effectively allowed cruise ships to bypass Canada for the 2021 season.

There is now an increased threat that this temporary legislation will become permanent as U.S. Senator Murkowski has proposed legislation that would provide a permanent exemption to the PVSA and allow Alaska-bound cruise ships to bypass destinations such as Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Prince Rupert. In tandem, Rep. Young is preparing similar legislation on the House side of the U.S. Congress. Should either of these pieces of legislation be enacted, they would decimate British Columbia’s cruise industry. 

The cruise industry generates $4.3 billion in total output, with $2.7 billion contributed to the BC economy alone, and supports 30,000 jobs across Canada – 17,000 of them in British Columbia – including food and beverage suppliers, hotels, retailers, taxis, visitor destinations, port workers, and maintenance contractors.

Read the request to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and to-be-named Minister of Transport Canada to engage with the U.S. federal government here.

A letter was submitted this week to Honourable Minister Melanie Joly (Minister of Economic Development & Official Languages) and Honourable Minister Marco Mendicino (Minister of Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship) on behalf of Canada's 236 ski areas, urging government to review and adjust the current restrictions placed on International Experience Canada (IEC) participants.

As highlighted in the letter, a key constraint on the tourism labour force is the low number of IEC participants entering the country. Commonly referred to as working holiday travellers, these individuals are essential workers for the tourism sector. Since March 2021, the number of IEC permits being issued has fallen well below normal levels—and the number of individuals who then actually arrive in Canada on an IEC permit is likely even lower.

Canada’s ski areas believe that Canada has lost almost two years of immigration over the months of the pandemic. Rejections of working holiday visas, closed application centres, lack of available biometric screening, and other necessary pandemic measures have contributed to what has been described as a “tightly wound knot” in an essential source of workers. There is an urgency to unwind this “knot” as quickly as possible.

Canada’s ski areas are losing employees due to the extreme backlog of applications. Examples abound of ski areas losing workers to other locales due to the uncertainty of an unprocessed application. In addition, the threat of additional employee losses from unprocessed PR applications may further complicate the already dire situation. At one British Columbia resort, employees have been waiting five months for renewal applications to be processed.

The Canadian Ski Council and their members urge the Government of Canada to act swiftly on this opportunity to save the winter tourism season in our country.

Read the full letter from the Canadian Ski Council to government here.

Last week, the BC Meetings & Events Industry Work Group met with Chris Rathbone, Assistant Deputy Minister of the BC Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation (JERI), along with two executive leads, David Greer and Ryley Leckie who focus on business recovery and innovation. The work group shared how the business meetings and events sector has still not been able to effectively restart due to gathering restrictions and the high level of uncertainty that is affecting client, supplier and workforce confidence.

Clients in this sector are reluctant in committing to contracts to host their BC meetings and events in the short-to-medium term for fear of imposed restrictions on gatherings. In turn, this same uncertainty is impacting the supplier side, where BC companies such as meeting and conference producers, destination management companies, audio-visual and technical suppliers, are reluctant at this stage to reinvest in company overhead and infrastructure in preparation for restart. These companies are also experiencing difficulty bringing back the needed employees and contractors to support recovery as these workers are fearful of yet another shut down in the industry.

The JERI Ministry representatives demonstrated a genuine commitment to supporting the recovery of business meetings and events in British Columbia. Understanding in advance that any traction toward restart lies largely with PHO health orders and restrictions, Mr. Rathbone and his team proactively invited Deputy Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Brian Emerson, to attend the meeting.

The BC Meetings & Events Industry Work Group leveraged the opportunity to share context and establish the unique and professional nature of business meetings and events, and the role this sector plays in creating jobs, kickstarting recovery and creating forums for innovation within our province.  The meeting garnered advocacy support from the JERI Ministry and allowed the working group to discuss specific solutions to removing barriers to restart. The group highlighted areas where the PHO can assist in safely removing restrictions for business meetings and events, thereby supporting a safe restart for the sector.

Within days of this meeting, the PHO announced the lifting of the capacity restrictions for gatherings in venues and restaurants, which was one of the work group’s many asks of the PHO. This welcome move demonstrates a commitment by the government and PHO to alleviate these barriers to recovery as soon as safely possible. We hope to see more lifted in the very near future as our vaccination rates continue to climb in most regions of the province and case rates continue to be manageable.

The BC Meetings & Events Industry Work Group expresses our thanks to Chris Rathbone and the team at the Ministry of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, and to Dr. Emerson at the PHO for their support and continued dialogue on the important issues affecting recovery.

Submitted by Joanne Burns-Miller - Chair - BC Meetings & Events Industry Work Group

Air Canada has announced two new seasonal services departing from Jean Lesage International Airport in Quebec City: Vancouver and Calgary. Flights to Vancouver will start on May 20, 2022, with up to three flights a week and service to Calgary will debut on May 21, 2022, offering up to four weekly flights.

These new routes will be operated by Air Canada Rouge on an Airbus A319, featuring Premium Rouge and Economy services, product enhancements including upgraded streaming entertainment and options to purchase high-speed wi-fi.

Services to Vancouver and Calgary are in addition to two other new routes already announced in July to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, starting November 19 and December 17, respectively, and increased frequency to Punta Cana and Cancun as of December 20.

Read the full news release here.

British Columbians are invited to have their say on three proposed options for permanent paid sick leave shaped by their responses to the first phase of consultation.

The options paper has been posted on government’s engagement site and is available for comment until October 25th. Three options have been developed that cover the minimum number of days; three, five and 10 days of paid sick leave.

In May 2021, amendments to the Employment Standards Act laid the groundwork for establishing minimum standards for permanent paid sick leave. Following the public engagement process, paid sick leave will be established through regulation and come into effect on January 1, 2022.

In accordance with our bylaws, the Tourism Industry Association of BC's (TIABC) recent Call for Nominations for director positions closed on Friday, October 1st, 2021 at 5pm.

For the 2021-2023 term, TIABC is seeking a total of five (5) candidates:

Based on the nominations received by the closing date, there will be an election in two categories with the following candidates seeking a Director position:

Business Category: (in alphabetical order)

1) Ian MacPhee - Prince of Whales Whale Watching

2) Sandra Oldfield - Elysian Projects

3) Stephen Pearce - The Gaining Edge

4) John Wilson - The Wilson Group

DMO Category: (in alphabetical order)

1) Beverley DeSantis - Tourism Kamloops

2) Chris Lewis - Tourism Kelowna

Based on the nominations received by the closing date, an election is not required in the Sector Category. Returning to the TIABC Board of Directors are:

1) Michael J. Ballingall - Big White Ski Resort

2) Brenda Baptiste - Indigenous Tourism BC

Biographies of the current Board members and those seeking election can be viewed here.

TIABC's AGM will be held in-person on Wednesday, November 17th @ 1pm at the Delta Hotel in Kamloops where members in good-standing are eligible to vote. Members unable to attend in person will be able to attend virtually via Zoom.

About TIABC. The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) advocates on behalf of the 19,300+ tourism businesses and 161,000 employees that work in every community and region of our province for the interests of British Columbia’s $22 billion+ visitor economy (2019). As a not-for-profit tourism industry association, TIABC works collaboratively with its members – private sector tourism businesses, industry associations and destination marketing organizations – to ensure the best working environment for a competitive tourism industry.

The BC Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) is pleased to announce that tickets for its online 50/50 raffle are now on sale. The raffle will start with a $1000 jackpot and will increase with every ticket purchased above and beyond until sales close on November 15, 2021.

The initiative is a fundraiser for the BCHF, which is the only charity of its kind in Canada, with a mission of supporting hospitality and tourism workers in need.

Tickets for the raffle will be:

Please support our hospitality and tourism sector by purchasing tickets. Funds raised by the event will be used by the BCHF to support industry workers facing financial crisis due to a serious health condition experienced by themselves or a family member. The registered charity also administers a scholarship program that fosters the development of the next generation of hospitality industry workers and leaders.

Check here to purchase tickets and ticket win updates.

After over a year in the making, the Northern BC Tourism Association is excited to share their new corporate website. The new site is now live at travelnbc.com. 

This website will be the go to resource for stakeholders to learn more about the different programs and areas of work the region is working on; from destination stewardship, to access and inclusion work to content marketing.

Each year, Small Business Week offers an invaluable opportunity to celebrate Canada’s hard-working entrepreneurs and the impact they have upon our local communities. This year’s event is taking place from October 17-23, and Small Business BC, in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, is joining the national celebration by offering FREE access to webinars all week long.

The week of webinar programming is packed with topics to equip your business with the skills needed to navigate today’s COVID economy. Whether you’re looking to find new staff, upgrade your digital marketing efforts, or brush up on your business finances, you are sure to find the education you need to succeed.

Places are limited, so we encourage you to book as early as possible. A waitlist will be activated once sessions reach capacity. Click here to learn more about the sessions being offered during Small Business Week and to register.

Due to the difficulties our industry has faced since early 2020, we have extended various payment options to members if required. Please contact Deborah to learn more about how we can assist you with your membership renewal, or if you are interested in becoming a member

We strongly encourage you to consider membership with TIABC to support our important advocacy efforts on behalf of the entire visitor economy.

There is no better example of what TIABC has done for you than in the last 18-months. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic TIABC has identified your concerns, raised your voice, championed your needs, pushing for support and programs while encouraging policy changes.

We thank you for your investment in our advocacy efforts.

TIABC is a not-for-profit membership organization. Our advocacy initiatives and efforts are only possible through the investment and support of our members. In this feature, we are showcasing those businesses and wish to thank them for either joining or renewing their membership and their continued support. Our success depends on you.

Vancouver Visitor TV answers hotel guests' number one question while they're in the comfort of their hotel room...“What are we going to do?”

Showcasing the top places to shop, dine, and experience…VVTV dynamically informs and entertains over 176,000 viewers each month as they are looking to have the best stay in Vancouver possible!

Check here for more information about VVTV.

As an industry that continues to face enormous challenges during COVID-19, every once in awhile it's important to share a laugh, a good story, a beautiful image or an interesting anecdote to provide moments of levity during this most difficult time.

Eager to learn about services and resources available to BC tourism-based industry entrepreneurs? Join Export Navitator, Pacific Economic Development and Canada's Trade Commission to learn about growing your business beyond BC's borders. This session is designed to provide key information and practical tools to empower businesses.

Allison Boulton; Export Navigator

Emmanuelle Barras; Pacific Economic Development Canada (Pacific Can)

Francis Acquarone; Trade Commissioner Services

Date: Wednesday, October 27th at 11:00 am

Join Restaurants Canada for a free webinar with UEAT and Foodtastic as they discuss how technology can play an integral part in a restaurant's staffing strategy.

Learn how a robust tech stack for your front-of-the-house operations can take on many tasks previously performed by employees, enabling your restaurant to do more with less.

Date: Wednesday, October 27th at 10:00 pm (PT)

This webinar will give insights into:

Click here to register for this free event.

This webinar will provide tools for tourism businesses to develop and implement a sustainability management plan into their operations. Businesses will learn how to:

Date: Wednesday November 24th, 2021, 10:00am - 11:00am PST

Click here to register for this free event.

Need help bringing on new staff? Hiring students is a great way to build your team for short-term needs and to build a talent pipeline for the long term! And now you can access a wage subsidy of up to $7,500 through Propel, a brand new Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)!

Propel is offered through Tourism HR Canada, a Canadian organization with a mandate aimed at building a world-leading tourism workforce. Propel is specifically designed to support the tourism and hospitality sector.

Learn more about how your organization can take advantage of this federally funded wage subsidy program and how to bring on students from hospitality and tourism management, culinary arts, and other programs from across the province.

Date: Monday, November 15th at 2:00pm (Pacific).

Brought to you by the Talent MATCH Program, a collaboration between go2HR, the BC Museums Association, the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture, and the Association for Co-operative Education &

Register here for this free session.

How do we retain and develop women of recreation, tourism and hospitality in the worst labour crisis the industry has ever seen?

WORTH Association is inviting industry professionals to attend "Seat at the Table".

Date: Wednesday, November 17th from 9-11:30am (PT)

Attendees will create dialogue, gain broader perspectives and collaborate to develop creative solutions to challenges women face in the industry. The plan is to find answers from the community & for the community, and present these findings to key stakeholders to generate industry-wide attention and action. Researchers from Capilano University and The Sociable Scientist will be facilitating the session at the Vancouver Lookout. As an entirely volunteer-driven organization, WORTH is looking for sponsors to ensure this event is a success.

Click here to learn more about WORTH and the "Seat at the Table" opportunities.

Hosted by ABLE BC, this year's conference will take place online and in-person. A portion of the tickets are available to attend in person at Soundhouse Studios in Vancouver. The remaining are available for virtual attendance.

Note: ABLE BC will be asking for proof of vaccination from all in-person guests.

No matter where you are in the province, tune in and get the liquor industry data, trends, and policy updates you can't get anywhere else. This year’s conference schedule includes:

Date: Monday, October 25th

Click here for more information and to register.

The BC Regional Tourism Secretariat (BCRTS) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) invite you to come together as a tourism community to learn from everything we've been through and think differently about how we can co-create a vibrant and resilient tourism industry in BC. The BCRTS Tourism Summit 2021 is a joint virtual event.

Attend thought provoking workshops and panels, learn from tourism leaders from around the globe and network with industry colleagues. This event is open to all tourism stakeholders and GSTC members at no cost.

Attend thought provoking workshops and panels, learn from tourism leaders from around the globe and network with industry colleagues.

Hosted by: BC Regional Tourism Secretariat & Global Sustainable Tourism Council

Where: Virtual

Dates: Nov 3 - 4, 2021

Click here to learn more and to register.

The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association extends an invitation to the Second Annual Virtual AGM for 2021. This will be a virtual online event. Once the details of the virtual meetings have been finalized links will be provided.

9:00 am – 12:30 pm Organizational Updates

1:00 pm – CCCTA AGM

2:15 pm – CCCTMA AGM

CCCTA Board of Directors – Call for Nominations and Forms here.

Nominations will be received up to October 29, 2021

Where: Virtual

Date: Friday, November 5th, 2021

Click here to learn more and to register.

The Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) and BC Hotel Association (BCHA) are the voices of the provincial hospitality & tourism sectors at the federal, provincial, and community level, advocating for the best interests of BC’s accommodation and tourism communities.

Join us for a FREE state of the industry update, with a focus on recovery and trends. Gain critical insights into the work each organization has led, programs and benefits, and network with industry colleagues.

The afternoon will include:

1pm – 2pm | TIABC AGM

2pm – 3pm | Special guest speaker

3pm – 4pm | BCHA AGM & Live Industry Update presentation

4pm – 5pm | Industry Townhall and Q&A

5pm – 6pm | Reception and networking

Mark your calendar for a virtual conference hosted by the SFI. This year’s theme, the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative and BC’s Public Fishery, will be addressed by a range of speakers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Province of BC, the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the SFI.

Date: Thursday, December 2nd at 1:00 pm (virtual)

The annual SFI conference is well recognized as an important public fishery management and policy forum where elected officials, public servants and those in the sport fishing industry share their perspectives on trends, innovations and issues facing BC’s public fishery. Attendance and registration are free, with thanks to our sponsors as noted below.

Registration and additional information, including a detailed agenda, will be available as the date approaches.

Prince George

TIABC and the BC Hotel Association are excited to be hosting the 2nd annual BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference in Prince George next March.

Details to the conference including registration, accommodation and speaker highlights will be updated in Fall, 2021 on the conference website here.