As a long-time resident of Surrey, I’ve heard all the jokes about my community. Like…living in White Rock means never having to say you’re Surrey. Or…what do you call seven broken-down cars in a Whalley driveway? Lawn ornaments. These are but a couple of the tame ones.

As much as I love my beautiful neighbourhood and am protective of the place I call home, I’ve repeated Surrey jokes to my friends from other communities, mostly because BC’s second largest city often deserves ridicule given the gong show that constitutes city hall. Deliberations by council and many of the decisions made by the ruling majority leave residents like me bewildered. The only consolation is Surrey is not alone.

I’ve heard similar sentiments expressed by residents and business owners around the province who are exasperated with how local politicians, along with school trustees and park board commissioners are managing their communities. In fact, several people I know have decided to do something about their frustrations and are running for office this year hoping to provide a more positive, reasoned, balanced, and visionary approach to local governance.

Surrey is a good example in that regard. There is a five-way race for the mayor’s chair that includes my friend Gordie Hogg, a former MP, MLA, and mayor of White Rock. Others vying for the city’s top job are MP Sukh Dhaliwal, councillor and former MLA Brenda Locke, as well as my local MLA and former cabinet minister Jinny Sims…all of whom are challenging the seat currently held by embattled mayor Doug McCallum. Clearly there is a healthy number of individuals and parties that say time’s up for the present regime.

This year, many communities around the province have no choice but to elect a new leader since several mayors have decided to step down including Prince Rupert’s Lee Brain, Abbotsford’s Henry Braun, Fort St. John’s Lori Ackerman, Campbell River’s Andy Adams, Armstrong’s Chris Pieper, Terrace’s Carol Leclerc, Burns Lake’s Delores Funk, and many others to be sure.

While the civic election may not be on your radar yet, consider that it’s actually less than three months away, meaning now is the time for our industry to pay close attention to what candidates or those currently in office think about our sector, and what vision or plans they have for the visitor economy in their community. Do they see tourism as an integral business sector that is not only a strong economic generator and job creator, but also a key ally to address societal priorities such as reconciliation, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, among other issues? If we don’t know the answers already, we had better find out soon.

Aside from direct engagement where possible, it’s absolutely vital that all tourism stakeholders find out their local candidates’ views on our sector, as well as learn about their leadership and relationship skills, decision-making capabilities, ideology, business acumen, experience, ideas, management/governance capabilities, and even the notion of common-sense. There are countless examples over the years where voters have overlooked these important attributes, much to the detriment of the tourism industry.

Many of us who live in Surrey are embarrassed by the hijinks at council the last three years and have the opportunity to influence change come election time. But again, Surrey is not the only struggling municipality nor are its core issues (e.g. crime, transportation, rapid growth, rising taxes, lack of amenities) easily resolvable…hence why all residents, including tourism advocates like me, need to do some homework before casting a ballot for mayor and council.

Similarly, in Vancouver, residents and business owners frustrated by the Park Board's decision to shut down one of two lanes to vehicle traffic throughout Stanley Park…seriously hampering tourism interests…need to view past meetings online, speak to current commissioners or new candidates, attend upcoming meetings, and/or review the contents of studies like the Stanley Park Preliminary Mobility Context Report in order to better inform themselves on who to vote for in October.

The aforementioned Vancouver situation is a clear illustration how local governments can impact the tourism industry. I suspect there are dozens of similar scenarios being played out in every region of the province. As much as we tend to tackle provincial legislation or regulation that compromises our sector, it goes without saying that local governments play a key role in how BC’s visitor economy performs.

Ultimately, it’s incumbent on all of us to take the time to understand the challenges and opportunities that councils, school trustees, and in some cases park board commissioners in every city, municipality, and district in the province face. Only then will we be able to more effectively work with present and future civic officials to achieve tourism objectives in our respective communities.

Like all municipalities in the province, Surrey residents go the polls on October 15th. Since I know most of the candidates, I already have a good idea of who to vote for. Once a new mayor and council are sworn in, I’m really hoping that my community will be the butt of fewer jokes.

In the meantime, “How do you know you’re in Surrey?” Oh never mind…I can’t repeat the answer in this space.

Walt Judas

CEO, TIABC

TIABC joins members of the tourism industry across the province in welcoming Jeneen Sutherland to her new role as Executive Director for the Wilderness Tourism Association (WTA). Here is a short introduction to Jeneen in the latest edition of the WTA newsletter.

We look forward to working with Jeneen and WTA members in our advocacy efforts on behalf of wilderness tourism.

Click HERE to learn more about Jeneen and the WTA.  

The British Columbia Ferry Services Board announced earlier today that CEO Mark Collins has been released of his duties immediately and that Jill Sharland has been appointed interim president and CEO.

Read today's official statement from BC Ferries below.

In an interview with City News Vancouver on July 20th, TIABC CEO Walt Judas said about 85% of Vancouver hotels in the downtown were occupied for the month of June but many businesses are still not where they were pre-pandemic due to many barriers the industry still has to overcome.

Listen to the full interview and read the accompanying article here.

The latest report from Statistics Canada says the number of international travellers the country welcomed in May continued to grow steadily from pandemic lows, but still remained below 2019 levels.

Highlights from the report include:

The numbers represent a period when the federal government allowed partially vaccinated or unvaccinated children between the ages of five and 11 to forgo COVID-19 testing before arriving in Canada, however, May travellers still had to be fully vaccinated to access air, rail, and marine transportation.

Read the full report HERE.

According to the latest figures prepared by go2HR's Tourism & Hospitality Employment Tracker, BC's tourism and hospitality employment went down by 3% between May 2022 and June 2022. Though this is still lower than pre-COVID levels, the number of jobs in June 2022 is much higher than the same month in both 2020 and 2021.

More information about BC’s Tourism and Hospitality Labour Market can be found in the go2HR Employment Tracker, including statistics on employment by region and/or sector, unemployment rates, average hourly earnings, and more. The Employment Tracker is updated monthly, keeping the information timely and relevant.

View the latest information on the industry through the Employment Tracker and Workforce Profiles HERE.

Business in Vancouver released an informative article on July 21st, and we encourage you to read the commentary by Jock Finlayson and Ken Peacock of the Business Council of British Columbia who explain that "the job market in both Canada and BC remains drum tight."

This in-depth critique reviews the labour market dynamics in BC's public sector resulting from the pandemic.

They go on to state that "In BC, employment rebounded rapidly after the COVID lockdowns and then continued to advance at a healthy clip before moderating more recently. The recovery was sufficient to push the provincial unemployment rate down to near-record lows. Moreover, the number of job vacancies has soared as employers in multiple sectors scramble to fill positions."

Read the full commentary in Business in Vancouver HERE.

In a letter to Vancouver City Council, TIABC strongly urged Council to join the Four Host First Nations and the other partners of the Exploratory Assembly in an effort to secure the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games for the province.

The letter expressed how major events such as the Invictus Games, FIFA World Cup, and the 2030

Games offer much in the way of present and future benefits, not only for tourism, but for residents, stakeholders, and businesses in the city, region, and province.

At a meeting on July 20th, Council unanimously passed a motion to support the bid in moving forward to the next stage.

Read the full letter HERE.

Earlier this week, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced an investment of over $4.3 million through the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) for 13 projects, and $406,647 through the Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) for five projects, all located throughout central and northern Vancouver Island.

These investments will enable the upgrade of public spaces and enhancement of tourism experiences in many communities spanning from Ladysmith to Port Hardy.

For the full list of projects, please see the link below.

With temperatures in most parts of the province expected to soar in the days ahead, hot and dry weather is expected. Residents and businesses are encouraged to monitor Environment and Climate Change Canada for regular updates.

Last month, the Province released an Extreme Heat Preparedness Guide to help people prepare for extreme heat with tips about how to stay safe when temperatures rise.

The Canadian Red Cross has committed to supporting affected individuals and communities impacted by the November 2021 floods and extreme weather event in BC.

Eligible small business owners and not-for-profit organizations who were directly impacted by the floods and extreme weather event, and who meet the minimum requirements may apply for $5,000 in funding. This financial assistance is to provide support for things such as:

Note: This program is not intended to fund loss of revenue or income. This program cannot duplicate assistance received through other means such as insurance or DFA. Small business owners and not-for-profit organizations can apply online until September 30th.

Destination Canada is collaborating with TED to create TED@DestinationCanada – 14 TED talks from the brightest speakers, best storytellers, and biggest change-makers connected to Canada.

The talks will highlight the fresh ideas that drive our country forward in tourism, the creative economy, culture, and business innovation. These talks will be filmed on February 23, 2023 at the TED World Theater in New York City. Once recorded, the talks will be released onto the TED channels and be available for viewing for years to come.

In forming a partnership with TED, Destination Canada will refresh and elevate the perception of Canada globally as an ideal place to travel, and by extension, study, work, invest, and live.

We are sharing the news about this program to inspire speakers to apply. Deadline for application is August 14th.

Click HERE to learn more and to apply.

The Province’s online procurement marketplace, BC Bid, is now open to people, businesses, and public sector organizations. BC Bid serves as a single point of access for all procurement opportunities where businesses and organizations of all sizes can view and bid on procurement opportunities.

For more information visit Get Started with the New BC Bid. 

Have you, or someone you know, always wanted to work in BC’s beautiful backcountry or a related industry?

Backcountry Lodges of BC (BLBCA) provides a listing of current positions available at some of the 32 member lodges or throughout their partner network. Please read each appropriate listing and apply via the contact provided.

Check the employment opportunities HERE.

Your host and backcountry veteran Brad Harrison is back! In this episode, he sits down with father and son team Ron and Lars Andrews, owner/operators of Whitecap Alpine Adventure. This is a historic and wonderful facility located in an amazing setting well-situated for both winter and summer backcountry adventures.

Listen to the Podcast about Whitecap Alpine Adventure here.

In collaboration with Maple Leaf Adventures, Canadian journalist Brandy Yanchyk learns about the wines and islands of British Columbia while traveling through the southern Gulf Islands and parts of Vancouver Island on an expedition vessel.

Explore as Brandy visits the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, South Pender Island, Salt Spring Island, and the Cowichan Valley.

Share the video below!

On behalf of TIABC and Board of Directors, we are pleased to acknowledge the following new member. We appreciate their support and investment in our advocacy efforts. It's a pleasure to introduce them to our industry network and readership.

Based in Kelowna, and established in 1993, Navigator Multimedia is a company with roots in the digital marketing and web development arena. They are an agency that delivers innovative marketing solutions, website design & development, and secure hosting solutions for clients across several industries, including hospitality & tourism, real estate development, skills training education, retail and manufacturing.

Learn more about Navigator Multimedia HERE.

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

TIABC would like to remind industry of the Safer Spaces course: Creating Sexual Harassment-Free Workplaces in BC's Tourism and Hospitality Industry. This free online course has been extremely well-received by industry as it addresses one of today's concerning topics and supports employers and supervisors in creating workplaces that are free from sexual harassment.

We encourage everyone to join the TIABC Board and staff in completing the training and certification.

Sign up for BCHF’s Victoria golf tournament! Players partake in bites and beverages at many holes, there are tee prizes and putting contests, and lunch and dinner are included.

This event is a great way to connect with old friends or to expand your network, as it brings together many members of the local hospitality community. It’s been two long years: let’s get our industry together to swing together!

Date: August 23rd

Time: Noon to 9:00 pm

Location: Olympic View Golf Course, Victoria

Click HERE to register.

The 2022 Canada 55+ Games are coming to Kamloops August 23–26.

The Canada 55+ Games is a large multi-sport event with over 2500 participants competing in 26 different events.

The Games focus on the social, physical and psychological well being of the participants through participation in a multi-day event. The Games are held over four days and participants must qualify through their provincial 55+ games competitions.

The Games offer opportunities for enrichment, fulfillment and improved quality of life provided by participation in a broad variety of athletic, recreational and social events. Although the very nature of the Games is to declare a winner or winners, the aspect of winning is secondary to the social side related to reuniting with friends from Games past.

Yes Shef returns! At this long-table dinner, guests will be served five unique courses with wine pairings.

Each course is co-created by a notable Chef and their student apprentice. Women of the wine world will select a pairing to compliment the flavour profiles. This inspirational fundraiser features the best Chefs, Sommeliers and Student Apprentices in BC. Proceeds benefit a scholarship fund for the future generation of Shefs.

Your ticket includes a welcome cocktail, five wine pairings and five unique courses created and served by the phenomenal female talent in Vancouver’s food and beverage community. For group seating requests, please email yesshef@worthassociation.com

Date: August 15th, 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Place: Chambar Restaurant, 568 Beatty Street, Vancouver

Purchase tickets here.

The culmination of WGBC activities, including marketing, communications, advocacy and more over the Fiscal Year 2022 will be reported on in the Annual Report released at the Annual General Meeting. As quorum is critical for this meeting to proceed, please add this date to your calendar.

Date: Wednesday, September 7th - 10am-noon

Virtual Event: Add to calendar HERE

The MTB Tourism Symposium is a gathering of creative minds with a vested interest in advancing the future of mountain bike tourism and recreation in British Columbia.

Date: September 14th-16th

Location: Silver Star Resort

Click here to learn more and to register.

The Meaningful Travel Summit is an event connecting industry professionals with local change-makers in places around North America. The goal is to learn from one another, infuse more sustainability into our businesses with the knowledge we’ve gained and roll up our sleeves to volunteer in and with the local community.

The North America Meaningful Travel Summit provides:

Date: September 28th-30th, Victoria

Click here to learn more and to register.

Save the Date: November 2nd (pm) and November 3rd

Location: Sandman Hotel, Castlegar

More details will follow in the coming months.

The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association (CCCTA) will be holding their Annual General Meeting in person.

Date: November 3rd and 4th

Location: 100 Mile House

In order to better prepare for the AGM, they are asking for input through a short survey (less than 5 minutes) to give some important suggestions on how to improve this AGM and make it worth your while to attend! Take the survey HERE.

Visit here for more information on the CCCTA AGM.

Sport Tourism Canada and Edmonton Events have announced that Sport Events Congress 2022 will be held November 2nd -4th in Edmonton.

SEC22 promises to be everything that attendees know and love about Congress – interactive, educational, opportunities for business-to-business networking, evening social events (including an Edmonton Oilers NHL match-up at Rogers Place). View the preliminary schedule here.

Feel free to send us your ideas on what information would be valuable for TIABC to share through our Bulletin going forward. Drop us a line at info@tiabc.ca.

TIABC recognizes that our members, stakeholders and staff occupy the ceded, unceded and traditional territories of Indigenous Nations across British Columbia. We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to live, work and play on the lands that our Indigenous friends and First Nations ancestors honour and care for.