Ontario Exhibition Industry Advocacy Recap and Safe Reopening Framework - Canadian ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Ontario Exhibition Industry Advocacy Recap and Safe Reopening Framework The Canadian Association of Exposition Management (CAEM) is the voice of Canada’s multi-billion-dollar exhibition industry. We are a not-for-profit Association, representing over 300 members companies, including producers of B2B and B2C exhibitions, facilities, and suppliers to the exhibition industry. According to Meetings Mean Business Canada, business events in 2018, including exhibitions, generated $33 Billion in direct spend, sustained 229,000 direct jobs and contributed over $19 Billion of direct GDP. The economic importance of exhibitions is massive and should not be overlooked. Unfortunately, as we approach month six of a complete shutdown of the exhibition industry, the economic losses in our sector continue to balloon. As of July 31, 2020, Destination Canada’s pace report estimated total COVID-19 losses of over 3,668 business events, and nearly $1.31B in direct spending. These catastrophic losses - to the Ontario economy and the thousands of Ontario businesses that generate their revenues from exhibitions - are irreversible. Once an exhibition is cancelled, there is no opportunity for the organizer, venue or the supplier network to the industry to recoup these lost revenues. Should a prolonged shutdown of the exhibition sector continue past the Thanksgiving long weekend, businesses that have managed to survive until now, will struggle to remain viable over the next 6 to 12 months, putting thousands of Ontario exhibition companies, venues and suppliers to industry at risk of bankruptcy. Further job losses in the sector – already significant after the cancellation of hundreds of spring, summer and now fall exhibitions – will be inevitable. Since mid-May, CAEM has been advocating for the safe and responsible reopening of exhibitions, based on our ability to efficiently and effectively mitigate the risks of COVID-19 transmission at exhibitions. Despite our tremendous efforts to work with the Province to lay the groundwork for a safe and viable restart, exhibitions remain shut down in Ontario. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of exhibition stakeholders is our industry’s top concern. This commitment - to prioritizing health, hygiene and safety – led CAEM’s Exposition Recovery Taskforce to develop a comprehensive Guidance document for the sector, to protect workers, customers and the general public from COVID - 19. This guidance document - informed by industry leaders from all areas of the business, and with professional oversight from Infection, Prevention and Control Canada (IPAC) - can be reviewed HERE. Through MPP Deepak Anand (Mississauga-Malton), our Guidance document was submitted in mid-July to Ministers McNaughton, Fedeli, McLeod, Elliot and Philipps, as well as the Recovery Committee. Subsequently, an industry roundtable discussion was facilitated by MPP Anand, with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Over 25 different exhibition industry stakeholders participated in this discussion with Minister McNaughton and several of his colleagues. During this meeting, the industry established our commitment to public safety through the development and adoption of sector-specific guidelines, allowing for a safe, measured and controlled return to business.
In parallel with this industry roundtable discussion, CAEM has continued its advocacy efforts with other departments in government, specifically asking for a clear distinction to be made between exhibitions and social gatherings. Through conversations with different Ministries, it has become clear that the purpose and nature of exhibitions is unfortunately misunderstood by government and public health. Exhibitions have been miscategorized as social events, grouped under tourism, sport and heritage, alongside conferences, conventions, meetings and banquets. This is of great concern to CAEM and our member companies, since this classification overlooks the purpose and objective of exhibitions: to facilitate buying and selling within a specific sector (ex: boating, automotive, home improvement, construction, fashion, medical etc.). Exhibitions are not social events “requiring guests to mingle”. It surprises us that weddings, meetings and banquets – that most certainly exist to facilitate mingling and networking – have been allowed to reopen, but exhibitions - which are transactional marketplaces where patrons come to buy products and services from vendors - have been prohibited from reopening. Exhibitions drive massive retail activity and transactions. Hundreds of industries – and the thousands of small and medium size businesses within these different sectors - rely on exhibitions to generate sales and revenues. It is undeniable that exhibitions - defined as vending marketplaces - mirror establishments like malls, public markets and big box stores. These establishments have been provided with a path to reopen and an exemption from indoor gathering restrictions, and there is no evidence suggesting that this has caused a spike in COVID-19 cases. And yet exhibitions - that serve a common purpose and operate in a similar manner to these establishments - remain shut down. These important comparatives, along with the available scientific evidence, should not be dismissed or overlooked. On July 16th, Dr. Hinshaw Chief Medical Officer of Health for the province of Alberta, officially announced the reopening of exhibitions in the Province. Alberta Public Health recognized that exhibitions are not indoor public gatherings, and acknowledged the commercial nature of exhibitions and the purpose of their operations, as well as the sector’s ability to mitigate risk though the adoption of clear measures and protocols. Consequently, indoor public gathering restrictions were lifted from exhibitions in Alberta and our sector was provided with specific reopening guidance, similar to malls, big box stores and public markets. You can review these guidelines here: https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/covid-19-relaunch-guidance-trade-shows-exhibits.pdf. CAEM urges your government to adopt a similar approach to the reopening of exhibitions in Ontario. We are asking the Province to take a closer look at our business model, to better understand the retail and commercial nature of our operations, and to discuss how we can work together to safely reopen exhibitions in a manner similar to malls, public markets and big box stores. Ignoring the similarities between exhibitions and these types of establishments is both scientifically and economically unsound, and is leading to an unjustified shutdown of our sector in Ontario. The Canadian Association of Exposition Management is calling on your government to collaborate with our sector to develop a safe reopening plan, modeled after comparable establishments like malls, public markets and big box stores. A safe and structured return to business activity has been tested and proven by similar retail-focused businesses and is entirely possible for the exhibition sector as well, with clear measures and protocols to mitigate health and safety risks. Bianca Kennedy CAEM – President (514) 299-0262 bkennedy@powersportservices.ca
Appendix A: CAEM Ontario Expo Member Companies and List of Shows
20/20 Show Productions Inc. Canadian Gift Association
Windsor Home & Garden Show Gift & Home Market Toronto
Chatham-Kent Home & Garden Show
Chatham-Kent Farm Show Canadian Health Food Association
Kingston Home & Garden Show CHFA Connect
Kingston Boat & Recreation Show CHFA East
Canadian Concrete Expo
Windsor Boat RV & Recreation Show Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating
CIPH Annual Business Expo
AGENDUM Inc.
Canadian International AutoShow
Association & Events Management
Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)
Big Picture Conferences Inc.
Hotel Association of Canada's National Conference Canadian Produce Marketing Association
Canadian Hotel Investment Conference CPMA Convention and Trade Show
Hotel Capital Connection
Canadian Recreational Vehicle Association
BILD - Building Industry and Land Develop. Ass. Toronto Spring Camping & RV Show
The Home Show
Smarter Living Show Canadian Security Association
Home Improvement Show Security Canada
Canadian Boat Shows CanNorth Shows Inc.
Toronto International Boat Show Creativ Festival
Muskoka Boat & Cottage Show
Canadian Credit Union Association
National Conference for Canada's Credit Union CanWest Productions Inc.
National Credit Union Treasury & Finance Forum Everything To Do With Sex Show Toronto
National Credit Union Lending Conference
City of Toronto - Economic Development & Culture
Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers
Grocery & Specialty Food West CME Shows Inc.
Grocery Innovations Canada Live CMEExpo
Canadian Franchise Association Cottage Life Media, a div. of Blue Ant Media Solutions
Franchise Law Day Cottage Life Show
Franchise Canada Show
CFA National ConventionElectricity Distributors Association National Event Management
Canadian Utilities Equipment and Engineering Show The Outdoor Adventure Show
The National Women's Show - Toronto
Ensemble IQ The National Women's Show - Ottawa
The Convenience U CARWACS Show The Franchise Expo
Thought Leadership CEO Conference Drive Festival
The Canadian Coffee and Tea Tradeshow
PharmacyU Newcom
Truck World
Enthusiast Gaming Canadian Meetings & Events Expo
Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo Mode Accessories Show
EXECUTED events inc Ontario Construction Secretariat
Fan Expo HQ / Informa Exhibitions Ontario Dental Association
Fan Expo Canada
Power Sport Services
Human Resources Professionals Association Toronto Motorcycle Show
HRPA Annual Conference & Trade Show
Pri-Med / Diversified Communications
Informa Canada Pre-Med Canada 2020
RealREIT Conference Cannabis Education Day
Interior Design Show
Distribution Logistics Summit Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada
Art Toronto Fair The World's Premier Mineral Exploration & Mining Expo
One of a Kind Show
Restaurants Canada
KW Expo Productions RC Show
KW Pet Expo
KW Women's Show SME Canada
Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show
Landscape Ontario
Landscape Ontario Congress Tradeshow and Conference The Baby Show
Lift Co. The College of Family Physicians Canada
Toronto Expo 2020 | Lift & Co. Cannabis Expo
Western Fair District
Macgregor Communications London Wine & Food Show
Project World / Business Analyst World – Toronto
Workplace Safety & Prevention Services
Master Promotions
Ottawa Boat Show ZoomerMedia Limited
National Heavy Equipment Show ZoomerShow Toronto
Toronto Sportsmen's Show
MRK CommunicationsAppendix B: CAEM Ontario Supplier and Facility Member Companies ABF Freight System Canada Ltd. Metro Toronto Convention Centre AV-Canada Inc. MicroSpec / TIX123 bb Blanc Inc. MKEM BBW International Inc North American Logistics Services Inc. Beanfield Centre/Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place onPeak | GES Bloemen Décor OPS Event Rentals Inc. Board of Governors of Exhibition Place PC / Nametag Brand Blvd PSAV Brightworks Charging RBC Place London Campbell Consumer & Trade Show Services Robinson Show Services CONEXSYS Registration Ltd. Scotiabank Convention Centre DataText Event Services Inc. Shaw Centre Duuo Showtech Power & Lighting exhibitorinsurance.com Solotech Inc. EY Centre Stronco Group of Companies Freeman Target Investigation & Security Ltd. GES The Exhibit Store Holiday Inn Toronto International Airport Toronto Congress Centre International Centre Westin Toronto Airport Hotel Jade Displays International Corporation TWI Group Inc. JC LeRoy Security Consulting Woodbine Entertainment JE Consulting YRC Reimer JGK Integrated Solutions Inc. Lange Transportation
Metro Toronto Convention Centre The Westin Toronto Airport Hotel TWI Group Canada TWI Group Inc. Woodbine Entertainment YRC Reimer
You can also read
