Government

Advocacy Achievements During 2021, Canada’s meetings and business events industry rallied to advocate on behalf of its hardest hit businesses and to kickstart recovery. Here are some of the year’s key advocacy achievements: Bill C-2 provides important visitor economy recovery programs and supports, including: > Tourism & Hospitality Recovery Program > Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program > Canada Recovery Hiring Program Federal Representation: The Trudeau government appointed Randy Boissonnault as both Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, a acknowledgement of the tourism industry’s important contribution to Canada’s economy. Border Reopening: Canada reopened its [...]

2022 Will Be A Pivotal Year For Canada’s Business Events Industry MMBC’s active leadership and united voice with our coalition partners over the past 12 months resulted in important industry-specific federal support, including tailored programs within Bill C-2. Nevertheless, our industry began 2022 with new pandemic-related shutdowns and restrictions, placing our hardest-hit businesses in jeopardy. Our advocacy work is more important than ever! We need your input to prioritize the key issues and concerns we will communicate to elected officials and decision makers at all levels of government over the next several months. Please take [...]

MMBC Elects Board of Directors and Appoints Executive Team for 2022 and 2023 During its recent annual general meeting, Meetings Mean Business Canada (MMBC) welcomed an updated Board of Directors and Executive Team for 2022 and 2023. As Canada’s meetings and business events industry moves forward, MMBC’s advocacy efforts will benefit immensely from the decades of executive experience offered by the leadership team and newly convened board. Two-year terms for Board members as well as the Executive Team began immediately following MMBC’s annual general meeting, held in Ottawa on November 29, 2021.  Laura Pallotta takes on [...]

MMBC Applauds Targeted COVID-19 Support Measures The federal Liberals have made good on an election promise to support Canada’s visitor economy with new government measures specifically targeting our hardest-hit businesses and designed to boost job creation and stimulate economic recovery. “Canada’s visitor economy is facing a tough winter after travel and mass gathering restrictions hampered our businesses through most of 2021,” says MMBC chair, Clark Grue. “As a member and supporter of the Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses, Meetings Mean Business Canada has worked tirelessly alongside our coalition partners to advocate for continued [...]

Every Letter Counts: Ask Your MP For a Tailored Industry Survival Strategy Canada’s tourism, hotel and events businesses are facing a difficult fall and winter. We need the committed and ongoing support of the federal government to survive. The Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses has launched a new letter campaign asking the government to follow through on an election promise to provide the tourism industry with temporary wage and rent support of up to 75% of expenses so that Canada’s hard hit businesses can survive through the winter.   With current wage and rent [...]

MMBC Ready To Work With Federal Government On Promised Industry Support Congratulations to our re-elected federal government and to all those who spoke and acted so passionately about the future of Canada. The meetings and business events industry has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, yet we will play a crucial role in rebuilding Canada’s economy. That’s why Meetings Mean Business Canada was encouraged when the Liberal Party reiterated its support for our industry during the election campaign, with a promise to: Extend the Canada Recovery Hiring Program to March [...]

U.S. Study: In-person Business Events Are Safer Than Most Daily Activities Despite concerns about the Delta variant, a new U.S. study has found that face-to-face business meetings and events are actually safer than typical daily activities such as going to the grocery store. Even so, the study found that uncertainty will impact attendance at upcoming events, with some gatherings already pushed to early 2022. More events are opting to implement proof of vaccination policies for attendees and participants. The study—Planning Through Uncertainty: What You Need To Know About COVID-19 and Events—is a research [...]

Australia Rallies For Events With Pro-Vax Campaign Tourism Australia is rallying in support of its MICE industry with a pro-vaccination initiative called “It’s Our Best Shot For Events.” A Meetings & Conventions Asia article reports that Australians are encouraged to support the business events industry by getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The industry has been significantly impacted by ongoing lockdowns across the country and increased vaccination rates will allow travel restrictions to be eased and enable the industry to get back on track. The initiative supports the Australia government's four-phase approach to reopening, with each phase [...]