C-19 BULLETIN - July 7, 2020

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State of Emergency Extended to Continue
COVID-19 Response

The Province has formally extended the provincial state of emergency, allowing Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, to continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act to support the Province's COVID-19 pandemic response.

“We’re starting to see some restrictions lifting, but there are measures we need to keep in place to continue battling COVID-19,” said Premier John Horgan. “We will continue to take the necessary steps to make sure British Columbians are safe and that the most vulnerable people are protected while experts work to find a treatment or vaccine.”

The state of emergency is extended through the end of the day on July 21st. This will allow government to continue to take the necessary steps to keep British Columbians safe while measures that would allow the state of emergency to be lifted seek legislative approval.

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Federal Government Update

Final Components of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations Announced

This final component helps address some of the gaps that have been identified by the industry across Canada since the fund was first implemented. Thus, the second phase provides support to other organizations, some of which do not normally receive funding from Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, Telefilm Canada or the Canada Media Fund. 

This final component of Phase 2 of the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations will be distributed through grants and contributions as follows:

  • $45 million through the Canada Periodical Fund to assist free magazines and weekly newspapers, including those that serve official-language minority or ethnocultural communities;
  • $25 million distributed through partners to assist independent news and community radio broadcasters;
  • $20 million to Musicaction and FACTOR to help presenters in the live music sector;
  • $2.5 million to support producers of content in a language other than English or French through the Canada Media Fund; and
  • $52.1 million to various arts and culture organizations that do not normally receive funding from Canadian Heritage programs and/or did not receive funding during Phase 1. This amount will be provided as follows:
  • $8.2 million for the arts sector;
  • $27.8 million for the audiovisual and digital media sector;
  • $5 million for the music industry;
  • $10 million for the publishing sector; and
  • $1 million for arts and culture organizations that serve official-language communities.
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Strong, Safe,
Well-Coordinated Border Reopening

With the border between Canada and the U.S. currently closed, the value of cross-border travel to the tourism industry has never been more clear. Tourism is a key economic driver for the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), which consists of the U.S. states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, and the Canadian provinces and territories of Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon. The region averages $71.4 billion in visitor expenditures each year.

With respect to the health concerns of Canadians and Americans, Tourism wants to operate safely, but it does want to operate. PNWER wants to enhance the health safety of all citizens, both local and the traveling public. We strive to emerge from this crisis safely, stronger and more resilient for the future. With this in mind, we believe that, when both governments agree that it is safe to do so, Canada and the U.S. must present a strong, safe, and well-coordinated border reopening message that achieves 12 specific objectives and principles.

PNWER is seeking signatories to sign their support for their Regional Tourism Rebound initiative:
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Meetings Mean Business
Letter Writing Campaign

As provinces and territories slowly begin to reopen, businesses that rely on the business meetings and events industry need a clear reopening plan to ensure they can weather the impacts of COVID-19.
 
Meetings Mean Business Canada has launched a new letter-writing campaign targeting members of provincial parliaments across Canada. By using push politics, they have a platform that makes it easy for you to send the message directly to your MPP, MLA, MNA or MHA that:

  • Business meetings and events must not be grouped under mass gatherings and that;
  • Governments must fast-track the reopening of the business meetings and events sector by working with our industry leaders now. 

Meetings Mean Business Canada is an industry-wide, coast-to-coast-to-coast coalition which is the voice of 229,000 Canadians who rely on business events to create jobs and opportunities for them and their families.

Please visit  www.tourismcounts.ca/meetagain  and click “Send Your Letter” to ask your MPP, MLA, MNA, or MHA to take immediate action by supporting this sector and saving the businesses and jobs in your community that rely on business meetings and events.
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TOTA and Community Futures
Partner Together to Support Local Business

The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) and 9 Community Futures offices across the region have for the first time signed a formal agreement to strike a task force committing to develop an active and meaningful relationship on the path to rebuilding a resilient tourism industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

TOTA and Community Futures’ efforts and strategies will be focused on tourism growth, development, sustainability, and long-term resiliency. Ongoing exchange and discussion will facilitate further advancement of best practices relating to the development of sustainable communities and destinations. Specific joint strategies will target identification and support of business funding opportunities, as well as advancing knowledge on the visitor experience, training, employment, and innovation.
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Fishing BC Update

Now that Phase 3 has been implemented and British Columbians can move around the province more freely, there is opportunity to enjoy a fishing experience in virtually every corner of BC.
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International Safe Travels Designation Program Approved for Gold Rush Trail, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

Eligible destinations and businesses along the Gold Rush Trail and Cariboo Chilcotin Coast can use the Safe Travels branding once health and hygiene protocols, outlined by the WTTC, have been implemented. There is no cost to participate in the initiative and businesses and communities can apply their own branding to the logo.

Businesses and communities along the Gold Rush Trail and Cariboo Chilcotin Coast are invited to participate in the Safe Travels Stamp Program aimed at assuring visitors that safety protocols are in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An international designation, the program allows travellers and other travel and tourism stakeholders to recognize destinations and tourism businesses around the world that have implemented health and hygiene protocols aligned with the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) safe travel  protocols .
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How Are Other Destinations Safely Opening?

Other destinations around the world are re-opening to international visitors. An article in the Adventure Travel News details how Iceland is going about this process.

Iceland has Safely Opened Up to the Rest of the World
Every person born after before 2005 will be tested on arrival. This process is expected to take 1 hour and you can continue your transit to your hotel while you wait for your results. Results are expected the same day or the next day at the latest. If you choose not to be tested, or if you test positive, you will need to be quarantined for 2 weeks in Iceland. This can either be at your place of residence or a designated hotel provided by the Icelandic authorities free of charge. If you are from non-high-risk countries (currently only Greenland and Faroe Islands) then you are exempt. Testing will be free until the 1st of July and then cost around $115 per person. You will also be expected to register details of your travel and download the Iceland tracing app. With all these restrictions in place we are confident that running tours again can be done safely.
PC: Falljökull ice cave – Tom Archer
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Tourism in the News

Tourism Bursting Back to Life on Northern Vancouver Island

Accommodation Sector Needs BC Residents Support

Northern BC Communities Welcome Back BC Tourists

Pandemic Derails Record-Setting Tourism Numbers on Sunshine Coast

Funding to Fuel Ambitious Plan for Ancient Forest-Chun T'oh Whutujut Provincial Park
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Businesses Promoting New Safety Protocols

Prince of Whales is not only one of the best ways to catch some awesome whale watching adventures, but it's also one of BC's socially safest. And with discounted fares for locals, there's never been a better time to book a whale of a time!

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Royal Roads University Webinars

Wednesday, July 8 @1:30pm (PT)

If needed, some general instructions for linking up using Collaborate:
Questions? Please contact  geoff.2bird@royalroads.ca  
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Small Business BC Webinars

Know Your Audience as You Reopen
Join Small Business BC’s Market Research Analyst,  Mark Eversfield , and find key tips and best practices for researching and understanding your market during COVID-19. You’ll discover how to conduct useful research in our “new normal,” as well as the latest consumer sentiments on COVID-19 and how to translate them into data points to help your business succeed.
Thursday July 9 @ 1:00pm (PT)

Learn more at:
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Destination BC Webinars

Destination BC hosted a series of webinars to support BC’s tourism industry in areas of response, recovery, and resilience from COVID-19. The Road to Recovery webinar series has reached over 1,700 participants since launching on May 12th.

Watch recordings of previous webinars:
  • May 12: Business After Re-opening: A Look at the Post-closure Traveller | View recording here
  • May 14: Essential Strategies to Innovate your Visitor Experience and Offerings | View recording here
  • May 19: Planning for Doors Open | View recording here
  • May 21: Managing Expectations and Reputation through Effective Communication | View recording here
  • May 26: Using Social Media to Support Re-opening | View recording here
  • May 28: Building a Digital Marketing Strategy for Re-opening | View recording here
  • June 4: ExploreBC… Virtually | View recording here
  • June 9: Restart Safely: Health & Safety Essentials to Support Re-opening | View recording here
  • June 11: Work Refusal & Other HR Challenges Amid the Restart | View recording here
  • June 16: SEO in Uncertain Times: How it can Help Recovery Efforts | View recording here
  • June 18: Adapting Customer Service & Guest Communication in a Pandemic Impacted Business Environment | View recording here
  • June 25: Returning to Work: Protecting Mental Health | View recording here

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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.