C-19 BULLETIN - March 17, 2021

 A Tribute to a Beloved Former BC Tourism Minister by Rick Antonson
TIABC Offers Condolences to Family, Friends & Colleagues of Ian Waddell Who Passed Away Yesterday

As many of you who read this would say of the man, Ian Waddell was my friend. When Ian became provincial minister of small business, tourism and culture in 1998, he was well known by reputation as being enthusiastic about all-things British Columbia. His terms as a federal Member of Parliament were marked by notable efforts on behalf of Indigenous peoples, his being at the forefront of environmental issues, and him bringing people together around common cause. Of course, what none of us knew at the time was that he’d bring his diligence and commitment full throttle to the good of BC's tourism industry, film industry and—perhaps most telling—the quest to bring the Olympic Games to our corner of the globe.

Happily, many of us got to witness first hand his pivotal role in the Olympic bid, at the time Vancouver and Whistler were competing against Calgary and Quebec City for the right to represent Canada in the international bid for 2010. As he recounts in his memoir, Pass the Torch, we’d talked about a strategy to engage “every one” of BC’s federal representatives in Ottawa, a making of common cause that was unheard of. How to make that happen? Here’s what Ian spearheaded. He personally contacted each one of those elected or appointed officials—because he knew them all personally, and most of them liked him. And he invited them to a meeting in the Parliament Buildings. “Everyone” showed up. It was quite a sight to see. After we’d given our presentation, Ian made an impassioned appeal for their individual and collective support for the Olympic bid. One senator stood up during the meeting and said, “This is the very first time all of us from British Columbia—senators, MPs, Liberals, Conservatives, NDP—have all been in one room, with one purpose. Thank you Ian for making this happen. We’re with you. Let’s win the Olympic bid for all British Columbians."

And, because writers need readers, may I encourage you to track down a copy of Ian's work of fiction (which he recently told me he was turning into a movie script), A Thirst to Die For. It is Ian at his best: caring about country, caring about cause, caring about a resolution where British Columbia and Canada come out the winners.

On a personal note, Ian became a pal over the years after he left elected office. He was often going on about some new idea—and then he made his ideas become real, whether directing an award winning documentary about why young people don’t vote, or pushing the need for fitness regimes for seniors, or the telling of tales in his books. He was selflessly supportive of other peoples’ initiatives, encouraging the likes of me with my book writing or providing his personal financial support for a musical I’d become involved with script-writing. He liked to tell people, “You can do this.”

In our most recent conversation, Ian talked about the new book he was writing: The Next 20 Could Be Your Best 20. Ian loved irony.

His legacies are many and are being well told by the media these days, deservedly so. Perhaps most notable though was his style and integrity. Ian was always there for his friends. And Ian was a friend to anyone who asked for his help.

Rick Antonson
Author & former President/CEO, Tourism Vancouver

Photo by Alyn Edwards / PNG

_________________________________________________________________
 BC Meetings & Events
Safe Restart Plan Proposal Submitted to Province and Available to Share With Industry

The BC Meetings & Events Industry Working Group has presented its graduated Safe Restart Plan to the provincial government to coincide with the overall reopening of British Columbia.

Separated into four stages, the plan aims to protect the health and safety of the public while allowing controlled meetings and events within purpose-built venues – kick-starting BC’s devastated tourism sector, getting industry workers back to work, nurturing the mental health and wellness of British Columbians, and fostering business growth and innovation.

Please share the information with your colleagues and stakeholders. Details and a communications toolkit can be found at: www.bcmeetingsandevents.ca
_________________________________________________________________
Online Grant Program Expands
to Support More Businesses Including Tourism & Hospitality

In response to a high number of applications, the B.C. government is investing an additional $30 million in the Launch Online Grant program.

The Launch Online Grant program provides up to $7,500 to businesses to help build or expand an e-commerce site to reach more customers and to sustain and grow their business.

An online presence is integral for businesses that want to adapt their operations to better reach customers in their community, throughout B.C. and beyond. These changes will help approximately 4,000 more businesses market their products and services online.

_________________________________________________________________
State of Emergency Extended
Marks One Year of BC’s COVID-19 Response

The Province of British Columbia has formally extended the provincial State of Emergency for the 26th time, marking a year since this declaration was issued in response to COVID-19.

This unprecedented, continued State of Emergency allows health and emergency management officials to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act (EPA) to support the Province's COVID-19 pandemic response.

The State of Emergency is extended through the end of the day on March 30th to allow staff to take the necessary actions to keep British Columbians safe and manage immediate concerns and COVID-19 outbreaks.

_________________________________________________________________



Advocating at the Federal Level


TIABC CEO Walt Judas and Air Canada's Serge Corbeil met yesterday with Vancouver Centre Liberal MP Dr. Hedy Fry to further advocate for relief measures, a restart plan, and to discuss the tourism recovery plan developed by TIABC's national counterparts - TIAC.



_________________________________________________________________
City of Victoria
Seeking Criteria for US Border Re-opening

Victoria Mayor, Lisa Helps wrote to the federal Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the Minister of Transport to seek a better understanding of what criteria will be used to determine the re-opening of the border (e.g. will it be a certain percentage of the population on both sides of the border being vaccinated or a substantial drop in case counts)

As Mayor Helps explains in the letter, businesses such as the Clipper (scenic fast ferry from Seattle and Victoria) will need four to six weeks to staff up and prepare for operations.

Read the full letter here
_________________________________________________________________
go2HR’s COVID-19 Safety Plan Review Service
 
All businesses across the province are required to regularly review and update their COVID-19 safety plans to make sure that the latest orders, guidance and industry protocols have been factored in.
 
go2HR’s complimentary COVID-19 safety plan review service helps tourism and hospitality employers by reviewing their safety plans and providing recommendations and targeted feedback to help ensure ongoing compliance with the latest requirements. To register for this complimentary safety plan review service, click here.

And if you don’t have a documented safety plan?
If you don’t currently have a safety plan or aren’t sure if it includes all of the required elements, please take a look at go2HR's COVID-19 safety plan template before registering for the review service. This template includes handy tips and relevant resource links, with space to record the specifics of your safety plan as you progress through the sections.
_________________________________________________________________
C19 Impacted Worker Training

Applications for the first 2021/2022 intake of the C19 Impacted Worker Training Stream, part of the BC Employer Training Grant program, are now being accepted. This stream supports employers and individuals in those sectors hardest hit by COVID-19, with individuals receiving training and employers receiving reimbursement of eligible training costs. 

Learn more at:
_________________________________________________________________
TIABC in the News



On Monday, Walt Judas was interviewed by CKNW's Lynda Steele.
_________________________________________________________________
Leger Weekly Tracker

COVID Vaccine
  • The data is showing signs provinces are successfully ramping up vaccinations. Two weeks ago, 15% of those surveyed said they either had been vaccinated themselves or someone in their immediate family had been vaccinated. This week, 24% of those surveyed said they either had been vaccinated themselves or someone in their immediate family had been vaccinated—a nine point increase.
  • That is still well behind the US rates where 45% in our survey say they had either been vaccinated or had someone in their immediate family vaccinated.
  • With four vaccines now available in Canada we asked whether people will take the first one offered or wait for a particular vaccine. 51% will take the first one offered while 25% will wait for a particular vaccine. 12% are unsure what they will do.
  • Those who say they will wait, two-thirds (67%) say they are prepared to wait more than a month to get their preferred vaccine.
  • Almost half of Canadians (49%) say that even though there are multiple vaccines, people should take the first one offered. Just over a third (36%) of Canadians say people should have a choice of which vaccine they are asked to receive.
  • Overall vaccination rates bumped up to 77% in Canada and remained steady at 58% in the US.
  • In Canada, those age 55 and older are more likely to say they will get vaccinated (86% yes) versus those age 35 to 54 (68% yes)..

Learn more at: leger360.com/surveys
_________________________________________________________________

Moments of Levity

As an industry that continues to face enormous challenges during COVID-19, every once in a while 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. Feel free to share your photos, etc. with TIABC to be published in our C-19 Bulletin each week.
_________________________________________________________________


FREE Culinary Tourism Webinars!

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada in partnership with TIABC is happy to offer free online Culinary Tourism webinars to tourism operators and organizations

Themed webinars will assist small and medium tourism operators and partners develop culinary tourism strategies to maintain their businesses and attract both domestic international visitors once Canada is ready to welcome them again. 
Partnering For Success Webinar 
Thursday, March 18th at 9:00am PT (10:00am MT)

Growing Agritourism Webinar
Thursday, March 25th at 8:00am PT (9:00am MT)

Exceeding Expectations Webinar 
Wednesday, March 31st at 8:00am PT (9:00am MT)

_________________________________________________________________
Support for Tourism Operators in Metro Vancouver
& Getting Ready for Visitors

A review of the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains (VCM) Tourism Resiliency Program and new Spring Activator Resilience Program support
Thursday, March 18th| 10:30am - 12:00pm | Online via Zoom 

The past year has been one in which Metro Vancouver tourism operators have faced many struggles. This webinar will highlight the value of ongoing engagement with the VCM Tourism Resiliency Program and a discussion with a resilience advisor. The webinar will review support programs, upcoming deadlines and opportunities to review qualifications and strategies to maximize support with a resilience advisor. Participants will also hear from business owners who have accessed and benefitted from the program through a panel discussion and learn how the program continues to assist operators.

The VCM Resiliency Program has also partnered with Spring Activator, a global incubator, accelerator, and advisory firm to continue the evolution of support for businesses in need through one-on-one business innovation support as we transition into recovery and rebuilding. We will hear from Tra My Pham, who leads Spring’s resilience program about the approach and outline of how they can provide support to tourism businesses in the VCM region to aid recovery, adaption, and innovation.

To learn more and to register:
_________________________________________________________________
COVID-19 Crisis Communications
for BC's Hospitality Industry

COVID-19 outbreaks are a fact of life for the hospitality industry. What you do and how you communicate with the public and staff in the immediate aftermath has a significant impact on your business. There is a right way and a wrong way to communicate.

Join ABLE BC for a webinar on Wednesday, March 24 at 10:00 am: COVID-19 Crisis Communications for BC's Hospitality Industry. Leave with a checklist of the 7 steps to crisis communications and communications templates to support you in case of an outbreak. The Webinar will also offer tips on how to speak with the media during a crisis and how ABLE BC can help you.

Register hereThe webinar is free for ABLE BC members and $25 for non-members.
_________________________________________________________________
Boating BC AGM

March 24th at 11:30am
 
The meeting will be held on the Zoom Conference platform. Please register to attend in advance by clicking here. All registered Members will receive the Zoom link, agenda, financial statements from 2020, and other required documents in advance of the meeting.
_________________________________________________________________
Impact Conference 2021

Please join us for an incredibly impactful 1.5 hours as we take a deeper look at the tourism recovery opportunities ahead:

  • Marsha Walden, President and CEO, Destination Canada
  • Keith Henry, President and CEO, Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada and IMPACT Co-Chair
  • Katie Briscoe, President, MMGY Global

Moderated by Paul Nursey, President and CEO, Destination Greater Victoria and IMPACT co-founder.

Wednesday March 31st
8:30am - 10:00am PT

Registration is free but all participants must register.
_________________________________________________________________
Conflict De-Escalation for Frontline Staff
and Customer Service Professionals

Retail workers, receptionists, hospital unit clerks, customer service professionals, and others that interact with the public on a frequent basis often experience conflict in various forms from verbal attacks to violent, physical altercations. Their safety and security are a top priority, yet few are equipped with the proper tools and techniques to safely de-fuse these incidents. Mandatory mask requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic have heightened the importance of this topic, unfortunately, as some customers refuse to comply with these policies. 

Course ID: MSCD 002
April 8th 10:30am to noon (online via Zoom)
$150 plus GST

To learn more and to register:
 
Companies may also qualify for a provincial workforce training grant which would cover a portion of the tuition for any staff that they send: www.workbc.ca/employer-resources/bc-employer-training-grant/what-is-the-b-c-employer-training-grant
_________________________________________________________________
Feel free to send us your ideas on what information would be valuable for TIABC to share through our COVID-19 Bulletin going forward. Drop us a line at info@tiabc.ca.