Earlier today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the new Liberal Cabinet following this fall's election.

TIABC, along with its national, provincial and territorial counterparts are extremely pleased to see the re-introduction of a dedicated Ministry for Tourism which affirms and acknowledges the value and importance of our industry to our overall economy.

Today's appointment of the Edmonton Centre MP, Hon. Randy Boissonnault as Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, is an important step as we look forward to working with the new minister and government on relief and recovery efforts to help the tourism sector.

Minister Boissonnault was first elected as a federal MP in 2015 before losing his seat in 2019 when the Liberals were shut out of Alberta. During his first time in office he was parliamentary secretary to the Canadian heritage minister and named special advisor to Prime Minister Trudeau on LGBTQ2 issues.

TIABC also wishes to acknowledge Hon. Melanie Joly who held the tourism portfolio for the past few years. We enjoyed a strong working relationship with Minister Joly who was a dedicated champion for our sector and was responsible for many government support programs for tourism as part of COVID-19 relief and recovery. We offer best wishes to Minister Joly in her new portfolio.

Eager to learn about services and resources available to BC tourism-based industry entrepreneurs? Join Export Navigator, 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.

Export Navigator is a program that helps businesses diversify and grow beyond B.C. by guiding them through the export process. Once accepted into Export Navigator, you'll have free one-on-one access to your personal export advisor. Your advisor knows your region, your community, and will get to know your business to provide tailored guidance. As Export Navigator’s Program Manager, Allison Boulton has had her own fair share of experience with exporting. She studied and worked in Asia for years and was also as an International Trade Advisor with Small Business BC.

PacifiCan is the newly created regional development agency focused on British Columbia’s evolving economy. It will build on Western Economic Diversification Canada’s (WD) 34-year legacy to work more closely with BC businesses, innovators, and communities by promoting connections and making investments to foster economic growth. PacifiCan is responsible for delivering the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF). Emmanuelle Barras is a Senior Business Officer with 18 years of experience in federal program delivery. Her portfolio has included key projects in digital, trade and investment, value added agriculture and now tourism with the delivery of the Tourism Relief Fund.

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) helps companies navigate the complexities of international markets and make better business decisions. The TCS is on the ground in more than 160 cities worldwide. We gain market intelligence, uncover opportunities for Canadian companies and help reduce business costs and risks. The TCS is a free service of the Government of Canada, helping companies to prepare for international markets, assess market potential, find qualified contacts and resolve business problems. Trade Commissioner Francis Acquarone has been involved in government and corporate relations for twenty years. He oversees the Professional Services and Tourism sectors in BC and Yukon for Global Affairs Canada.

Earlier this month, the Wilderness Tourism Association of BC (WTA) launched the #bellyup campaign, an initiative that links the fate of the wild Pacific salmon and BC's tourism industry.

If you believe that the future of BC's tourism economy depends on the health of wild salmon and the ecosystem they support, you can get involved and support the WTA in this campaign.

WTA considers this a sustainability imperative for BC's tourism industry. They ask for support from any of the 19,000+ businesses and hundreds of thousands of employees in BC's tourism and hospitality sector who share their concerns and perspective, and also from environmental and other stakeholder groups in the Pacific Northwest.

To access social media and promotional materials for the #BELLYUP Campaign click here.

View the latest video series for the #BELLYUP Campaign here.

Last week, the Tourism Innovation Lab were guests of the TIABC Wednesday Webinar series and spoke to a well-attended audience about opportunities that are available to tourism businesses in BC. Justin Lafontaine and Alex Berlyand of the Tourism Innovation Lab shared experiences and examples on inspiration that support and enable tourism innovation through industry partnerships and programs.

A recording of the webinar has been made available below.

CEO Walt Judas spoke to the Vancouver Sun on October 23rd about BC's proof of vaccination and how it may be aligned with the new federal vaccination card requirements that were recently announced.

Read the full story here.

BSAFE™, an online COVID-19 health and safety training program developed specifically for the BC tourism and hospitality industry, has been updated!

BSAFE is designed to ensure foundational health and safety knowledge for BC’s tourism and hospitality businesses to keep everyone — workers, guests and communities — safe as we continue to move through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Course details:

BSAFE is comprised of 6 modules that cover a variety of topics to give you a foundational understanding of COVID-19 health and safety protocols as well as tips on handling non-compliance.

Organizations and individuals are able to sign up to take part in the BSAFE training. You can join the over 400 organizations who are already registered and working on becoming BSAFE Trained businesses. Upon full completion of the course, participants will receive a certificate of achievement. Employers who have 75% of their workforce successfully complete the training course, will be recognized with a “BSAFE Trained” certificate. They can use this certificate in different ways to demonstrate their commitment to providing a safe environment for guests and workers, thereby increasing consumer confidence. go2HR will provide a communications toolkit for BSAFE Trained business to easily assist them in promoting this new designation.

To learn more or register for BSAFE, click here.

Air Canada is now offering a new way for travellers to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test when leaving or returning to Canada.

Yesterday, the airline announced the introduction of several new testing products, including self-administered COVID-19 molecular and antigen tests.

According to the airline, which has partnered with Canadian-based healthcare company Switch Health, the kits can be used "around the world" and packed in a traveller's suitcase before they take a trip. You must be an Aeroplan Member to access preferred pricing.

Earlier this month, Canadian officials said pre-arrival COVID-19 testing has proven to be one of the more effective requirements for travellers, despite calls for it to be scrapped. It means Canadians heading abroad must continue to pay for tests upon their return to Canada, in addition to any COVID-19 testing required at their destination.

Acknowledging the ongoing restrictions, Air Canada says its new DIY kits are designed to ease the travel experience until the mandatory pre-departure test requirement evolves for fully vaccinated travellers.

Click here for more information on the new testing products from Air Canada.

As BC’s private liquor industry association, ABLE BC works to collect data for their membership and create an economic snapshot of our industry. They survey private liquor store members on an annual basis to help develop KPIs or benchmarks for your business.

ABLE is conducting their third annual LRS Benchmark Survey and need your feedback.

To ensure they can offer you valuable insights, we kindly ask that if you own and/or operate an LRS, you complete the survey here.

Deadline to complete survey: October 27th. Results will be shared with members and in the Quarterly Pour.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact ABLE BC: info@ablebc.ca

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.

Applications Open Monday, November 1st

Funded by the Government of Canada and delivered through provincial and territorial chambers of commerce, the Shop Local initiative provides grants for programs and campaigns that encourage Canadians to shop local to help businesses navigate through and beyond the pandemic.

The BC Chamber of Commerce will deliver the Shop Local initiative in BC, ensuring that the program is inclusive, and funds are distributed equitably across the following seven economic development regions:

• Central-Cariboo

• Kootenay

• Mainland/Southwest

• North Coast/Nechako

• Northeast

• Thompson-Okanagan

• Vancouver Island/Coast

For more information on the Shop Local initiative click here.

go2HR is seeking a Workplace Learning Coach: Psychological Health & Safety for the tourism and hospitality industry to join the go2HR team. This new position has been created in partnership between go2HR and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) BC to help provide mental health support, resources and training specifically for tourism and hospitality employees across BC.

Reporting to the VP Industry Health, Safety & Human Resources, this position will work directly with industry employers and workers across their assigned region/area and play a key role in helping promote mentally healthy workplaces by facilitating practical workplace training and guiding individuals to relevant mental health services and resources.

Click here for the full job description and to apply.

Several of our BLBCA member lodges are currently seeking new members to join their teams including chefs, caretakers, and hosts. Head over to our website to view the full listings and learn more about these employment opportunities.

Click here for more information on employment opportunities.

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 $1,000 jackpot and will increase with every ticket purchased above and beyond until sales close on November 15th.

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.

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. Our success depends on you.

Despite the ongoing challenges our industry continues to face as a result of the impacts of COVID, TIABC is heartened to observe the strength, resiliency and innovative means taking place today. This Bulletin feature shares stories of how businesses and organizations, large and small are doing things in a new way as they guide their enterprises through the pandemic crisis and beyond.

Indigenous tourism businesses, such as Moccasin Trails, are forging new paths in tourism. Taking a tour in Kamloops or Kelowna with Moccasin Trails means taking part in a traditional journey of knowledge, history and authentic Indigenous culture.

Moccasin Trails bring people from around the world on the ancestral paths their people walked, have them taste the food they ate, sing the songs they sang, hear the stories that were passed down orally from generations ago, and travel down the rivers that were canoed. In order to truly learn about the culture, Moccasin Trails felt the only way was to touch, smell, see, hear, and feel it.

Click here to learn more about the Moccasin Trails

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.

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.

Ahead of the upcoming ski season, the BC Hotel Association (BCHA), go2HR, and Canada West Ski Area Association (CWSAA) have partnered to bring a pre-ski season information session, delivering tools and resources to better support ski area accommodators. With evolving protocols and limited access to workers, this webinar is aimed at offering tips for training and on-boarding, safety, and the latest in best practices for reopening.

Andrea Hinck, Director, Industry Training - go2HR

Ingrid Jarrett, President & CEO - BC Hotel Association

Date & Time: Wednesday, November 10, 2021,, 1PM - 2PM (PT)

Covered in this Webinar, you will learn:

Register and submit questions here.

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.

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.