U.S.A. Advises Against Travel to Canada

Residents in the United States are being advised not to travel to Canada due to COVID-19 hospitalizations.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Level 4 notice to avoid travel to Canada due to the emerging COVID-19 situation.

The CDC currently lists about 80 destinations worldwide at Level 4. It says that if people must travel, they should make sure they are fully vaccinated.

TIABC has contacted the Prime Minister's Office to enquire about what the Government of Canada is doing to see that the advisory is lifted given the ramifications the advisory has had on the tourism industry already.

View CDC advisory on U.S. travellers to Canada →

Commemorate Canada Re-opening Fund | Apply by January 10, 2022

The Reopening Fund is a one-year funding initiative through the Celebration and Commemoration Program to support initiatives that will:

1. increase opportunities for Canadians to participate in various commemorative activities and celebrations to mark Canada’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic; or

2. build a sense of pride and belonging to Canada by holding celebratory and commemorative activities that recognize people and achievements in the response to COVID-19 ; and / or

3. support the revival of local economies through in-person events.

Who Can Apply?

1. Canadian not-for-profit organizations

2. Canadian for-profit organizations where proposed projects are non-commercial in nature

3. Canadian educational institutions

4. Canadian provincial/territorial, municipal governments, Indigenous governments (or equivalent authority) or other municipal, provincial or territorial institutions.

Eligible Projects

To be eligible for funding from the Celebration and Commemoration Reopening Fund, your project must:

1. be free of charge (no admission fees or donation required for entry)

2. be open to the general public and promoted as such

3. support the revival of local economies after the hardship of the pandemic

4. commemorate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, either as a general theme or by specifically honouring first responders, front-line workers, communities, pay tribute to lives lost or

5. provide an opportunity for Canadians impacted by COVID-19 to share their stories, experiences and contributions during the course of the pandemic in Canada

The deadline to apply is January 10, 2022.

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International Travel Advisory Update

As of December 15, the federal government has reintroduced the advisory warning travellers, regardless of their vaccination status, to avoid non-essential travel internationally due to the rapidly circulating Omicron COVID-19 variant. The advisory will remain in place for at least four weeks and then be re-evaluated.

The government is also going to further expand its on-arrival testing and isolation rule which so far is only being randomly applied to air travellers. The government has said it will be made universal to all air travellers outside of the United States, but hasn’t said when that will happen.

View Press Conference →

Canada introduces additional measures to address COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern

On November 26, 2021, the World Health Organization classified B.1.1.529 as a variant of concern called Omicron. Since then it has been found in a number of countries and regions, including the confirmation of several travel-related cases in Canada.

Canada announced additional border measures to reduce the risk of the importation and transmission of COVID-19 and its variants in Canada related to international travel.

Effective tomorrow, foreign nationals who have been in any of these countries within the previous 14 days will not be permitted entry into Canada:

• Botswana

• Egypt;

• Eswatini;

• Lesotho;

• Malawi;

• Mozambique;

• Namibia;

• Nigeria;

• South Africa; and

• Zimbabwe.

Canadian citizens, permanent residents and people with status under the Indian Act, regardless of their vaccination status or having had a previous history of testing positive for COVID-19, who have been in any of these 10 countries in the previous 14 days, will be subject to enhanced pre-entry and arrival testing, screening, and quarantine measures.

Moving forward, border testing surveillance will be adjusted based on the latest available evidence to further reduce the risk of importation of this variant. In the coming days, all fully vaccinated travellers arriving by air from departure points other than the United States will be subject to arrival testing. Fully vaccinated travellers will be required to quarantine while they await the results of their arrival test.

Unvaccinated travellers, with right of entry to Canada, will continue to be tested on arrival and day 8 and quarantine for 14 days. However, those arriving by air will now be required to stay in a designated quarantine facility or other suitable location while they await the result of their on arrival test.

The Government of Canada will continue to assess the evolving situation, monitor case data, and adjust border measures as required.

TIABC CEO, Walt Judas: Message on Announcement of Federal Ministry of Tourism

Originally published in a TIABC Newsletter on October 29, 2021

“One of our sector’s advocacy wins in recent years was the establishment of a dedicated provincial tourism ministry. Although other related sectors make up the entire portfolio known as the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, the fact that tourism is at the top of the list suggests to me that our industry is important to the province and worthy of attention. But it wasn’t always the case.

In 2001, the government of the day folded the Ministry of Small Business and Tourism into another portfolio and essentially buried it. I recall the outcry from industry leaders who viewed the move as ill-conceived and a huge step backward for our sector.

The furor died down somewhat when then-Premier Gordon Campbell told delegates at the BC Tourism Industry Conference to stop whining (I’m paraphrasing) about not having a dedicated tourism minister or ministry because HE was the defacto head of BC’s visitor economy and was personally looking out for our best interests.

Fast forward to 2010, when in a similar move, government axed Tourism BC as a crown corporation and moved it into a ministry known as Tourism, Culture & the Arts. Industry leaders again cried bloody murder for a few years. After re-emerging as a crown corporation in 2013, the new ‘Destination’ BC would ultimately report to a few different ministries and ministers before settling down under the umbrella of the Tourism, Arts, Culture & Sport (TACS) ministry in 2017.

When I look back at various provincial government regimes over the last two decades and consider how the tourism portfolio has mostly bounced around between ministries and occasionally stood on its own, I’m somewhat surprised yet encouraged by the fact that despite (some might say because of) not having a stand-alone ministry within government for much of that time, the sector nonetheless performed remarkably well.

That said, the opportunities to grow and reshape our industry, recover from the pandemic to become a key economic driver once again, address societal challenges around sustainability, poverty, inclusion, and reconciliation, among other priorities can best be achieved when the tourism industry is under the oversight of a designated minister or ministry.

In other words, when given prominence as a primary sector…which in government parlance includes sufficient ministry budget and support staff, constructive policies, a seat at the cabinet table, oversight of crown agencies such as DBC and Pavco, and regular engagement with industry…our sector has a much better shot at meeting government and industry objectives (notwithstanding the current pandemic challenges) because of strong ministerial support and leadership.

The same principle applies at the federal level where multiple industry and government objectives can be accomplished under the guise of a dedicated tourism minister or ministry. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Trudeau appointed a new minister to oversee the critical tourism file instead of piling responsibilities onto another minister’s long list of priorities. From my perspective, it’s a very positive move and one that we need to capitalize on.

While I don’t know anything about Hon. Randy Boissonnault other than what I’ve read in his bio, the fact that he’s from the west and now has specific duties related to tourism and finance, bodes well for our industry’s future, especially in view of new tourism and hospitality specific support measures recently introduced that are so desperately needed for businesses to survive and rebuild.

I look forward to meeting with the new minister very soon. In the meantime, I know Hon. Melanie Mark is keen to get together with her new federal counterpart given the long list of issues and opportunities that need to be addressed vis-a-vis BC's visitor economy.

I really hope that having a dedicated federal minister overseeing tourism in Canada to complement TACS in British Columbia becomes the new norm from this point forward no matter who’s in power. We simply can't afford another giant step backward at any point during our sector's long road to recovery here at home and across Canada.”

- Walt Judas, CEO, TIABC

Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce Launches Rainbow Registered Accreditation Program

Canada’s LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC) has announced the new national Rainbow Registered accreditation program. The accreditation will help consumers and prospective employees to more easily identify LGBT+ friendly businesses across Canada. It will also help businesses of all industries and sizes, demonstrate their commitment and consistent efforts to provide a welcome and accepting experience through progressive policies and practices. 

The Rainbow Registered program is a way for companies to affirm their position on LGBT+ rights and make it clear what their stance is.” said Darrell Schuurman, Chief Executive Officer of the LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce. “It’s no longer enough to talk about inclusivity. Canadian consumers and employees are now demanding clear actionable steps that show a business’s values align with their own.”

Rainbow Registered Sets The Bar for Corporate LGBT+ Inclusivity

The program sets a rigorous set of standards that companies must meet before earning the Rainbow Registered mark and the benefits that go along with it. The standards focus on four key areas including policies and practices, training, commitment to inclusive leadership and a culture of inclusivity. The program starts by encouraging businesses to look inwards, examining how they are operating and doing business, finding areas that may be perpetuating unconscious bias, then working closely with CGLCC to forge a path forward to becoming more inclusive.

For a limited time, the first-year sign-up fee is waived for all applicants. Pricing starts at $299 + tax for small businesses and scales to match company size.

It takes less than a week to complete the program, at which point businesses will be able to promote themselves as a Rainbow Registered organization, access CGLCC member benefits, and be included in the Rainbow Registered business directory for consumers.

Companies interested in applying to the rainbow registered program can get started today by completing the first step, a self-assessment found at www.rainbowregistered.ca.

Consumers interested in learning which organizations are accredited can find the business directory at www.rainbowregistered.ca.

Canada Welcomes Back International Travellers

As of September 7, 2021, the federal government says foreign travellers who are fully vaccinated will be free to come to Canada as long as they are asymptomatic, have received either two doses of an accepted COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of accepted vaccines at least 14 days before entering the country and meet other pre-entry requirements.

Before boarding, anyone at least five years of age and up — even if they are fully vaccinated — will be required to provide a negative COVID-19 test that was taken within 72 hours before boarding a plane. Antigen tests don’t count.

They will also have to upload their proof of vaccination into the ArriveCAN app either in English or in French before takeoff or they will not be allowed to board.

The new rules exempt travellers from the mandatory 14-day quarantine once they have touched down in Canada, but selected foreign nationals may be subject to testing upon arrival.

Nobody partially vaccinated will be exempt from the new travel restrictions, and neither will travellers who have received one dose and recovered from COVID-19.

New Measures for Fully Vaccinated International Travellers to Canada

Fully vaccinated foreign nationals are now eligible to enter Canada for discretionary (non-essential) reasons such as tourism; however, these individuals must:

• Be fully vaccinated: a traveller must have received, and show proof of, the full series of a vaccine — or combination of vaccines — accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson).

• Have a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test result taken no more than 72 hours before their scheduled flight or their arrival at the land border crossing, or a previous positive test result taken between 14 and 180 days before departure to Canada. Antigen tests, often called “rapid tests” are not accepted;

• Be asymptomatic; submit their mandatory information via ArriveCAN (App or website), including proof of vaccination in English or French and a quarantine plan; be admissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and, take a test on arrival, if selected.

Click View Government of Canada Website to review the new rules.

Reminder: Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

Canadian employers who continues to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to apply for one of the two subsidies to cover part of employee wages.

The Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) and the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) support wages you pay through different phases of your economic recovery. Each claim period, eligible employers can claim either CRHP or CEWS, whichever is higher.

Extended WorkShare Program

The government has extended the maximum duration of the Work-Sharing program from 38 weeks to 76 weeks for employers affected by COVID-19. The Work-Sharing program can help employers avoid layoffs when there is a temporary reduction in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the employer’s control. The program provides Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to eligible employees who agree to reduce their normal working hours and share the available work while their employer recovers.

The Program allows employers to retain qualified and experienced workers, and avoid recruiting and training new employees. It also allows employees to keep their jobs, and maintain their work skills.

Work-Sharing temporary special measures to support employers and workers affected by COVID-19

Effective March 15, 2020 and extended to September 24, 2022, and not limited to one specific sector or industry, the Government of Canada is introducing temporary special measures:

• extension of the maximum possible duration of an agreement from 38 weeks to 76 weeks

• mandatory cooling off period has been waived for employers who have already used the Work-Sharing program so that eligible employers may immediately enter into a new agreement

• reduce the previous requirements for a Recovery Plan to a single line of text in the application form

• reduce the requirement and expand eligibility to employers affected by accepting business who have been in business for only 1 year rather than 2, and eliminate the burden of having to provide sales/production figures at the same time, and

• expand eligibility for staff who are essential to recovery, Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) and non-for-profit organization employers

TIAC Federal Election Advocacy Push

Throughout 2021, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) has pushed for greater support for the industry. This included major achievements such as enhanced federal budget measures, an expanded Tourism Relief Fund, extension of CEWS and CERS, and opening the US/Canada land border to American tourists.

As an extension of this approach, TIAC will be running a proactive tourism advocacy and media campaign. This will include direct TIAC activity, as well as TIAC’s leadership of the Hardest Hit Coalition fighting for business survival support for the tourism suite of sectors.

What you Can Expect:

TIAC is launching the following proactive steps to keep members informed and ready to engage with local candidates:

• TourismVotes.ca microsite as one-stop shopping for information on the election

• Detailed Platform Analysis for impact on tourism

• Social Media Content to support TIAC issues

• Email updates to members on important developments

• Hardest Hit Coalition actions

• Regional meetings with candidates

• Work with election media

• Digital advocacy tool once candidates are named

• Talking points for members when meeting candidates

TIAC will be busy fighting for our industry, and supporting you to fight for recovery.

Canada to Require Vaccination of Federally Regulated Transportation Sector

As soon as possible in the fall and no later than the end of October, the Government of Canada will require employees in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors to be vaccinated. The vaccination requirement will also extend to certain travellers. This includes all commercial air travellers, passengers on interprovincial trains, and passengers on large marine vessels with overnight accommodations, such as cruise ships.

The Government of Canada is also calling on all organizations beyond the federally regulated sector to put in place their own vaccination strategies, drawing on the advice and guidance available from public health authorities and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Federally Regulated Industries and Workplaces - Tourism Related

• air transportation, including airlines, airports, aerodromes and aircraft operations

• first Nations band councils (including certain community services on reserve)

• port services, ferries, tunnels, canals, and bridges that cross international or provincial borders

• railways that cross provincial or international borders and some short-line railways

• road transportation services, including trucks and buses, that cross provincial or international borders

• any business that is vital, essential or integral to the operation of one of the above activities

• Other non-tourism industries

Canada Moving Forward with Proof of Vaccination for International Travel

The Government of Canada is collaborating with the provinces and territories to develop a proof of vaccination that will facilitate cross-border travel, while reducing the risk of spread and importation of COVID-19.

Proof of vaccination credentials will support the re-opening of societies and economies.

Using a proof of vaccination will provide foreign border officials with the vaccination history needed to assess whether a traveller meets their public health requirements and provide a trusted and verifiable credential for when they return home.

Travellers will be able to submit their proof of vaccination in ArriveCAN (mobile app or Canada.ca/ArriveCAN website) when coming back to Canada.

Destination countries determine if or what type of proof of vaccination is required and the related benefits that may be provided such as reduced or no testing or quarantine requirements.

Canadians who do not have a proof of vaccination can travel outside the country, but they may have to quarantine or meet other requirements at their destination country, and they will be subject to mandatory quarantine and testing upon return to Canada.

Canada continues to participate in the international dialogue on proof of vaccination for international travel, including with the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, and through the G7.

Currently, there is no international consensus on an acceptable proof of vaccination, but we are working with international partners to recognize proof of vaccination credentials issued in Canada.

Safeguards are being built into the policies, procedures and technical systems to protect the privacy of Canadians. Provinces, territories and Indigenous organizations are and will remain the custodians of Canadians’ health data.

Canadians who currently need proof they were vaccinated can contact their province or territory for the record or receipt of vaccination if they don’t already have it. More information is available at Canada.ca/vaccine-proof.

Advocacy Efforts: Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) continues to work closely with the Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses, working to establish a COVID Tourism and Events Business & Employee Survival Program, in order to provide qualified and limited financial support to tourism and events businesses with significant revenue losses from September 2021 to May 2022.

How You Can Help

• Engage with your local MPs/Candidates this summer – whether it’s a meeting, email, phone call, when they come knocking on your door, or a letter. Find your local Member of Parliament.

• Download and share the key message guidelines

• Send a letter to your local Member of Parliament. It is already written, you simply need to press send on HardestHit.ca.

• Spread the word on social media

• Keep TIAC in the loop - how did it go? Who did you meet with? What kind of reception did you receive? Use the Advocacy Campaign dashboard to report your meetings and share comments.

PacifiCan: New Regional Development Agency for British Columbia

For the first time in more than three decades, the Government of Canada will enhance its federal economic development presence and services in Western Canada by creating two regional development agencies for British Columbia and the Prairie provinces. This approach recognizes that economic drivers and conditions are different in each of the two regions, and entrepreneurs, innovators, institutions, and communities have unique needs linked to where they are located.

Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) will be the new federal regional economic development agency for British Columbia. It will build on Western Economic Diversification Canada’s (WD) 34 year legacy to work more closely with BC businesses, innovators, and communities; promote connections and investments to foster economic growth; and help organizations navigate federal programs and policies.  

From the outset, Canada’s regional development agencies have played a key role in helping businesses and communities weather the effects of the pandemic. They have delivered a suite of direct support programs to help mitigate the financial pressures caused by COVID-19, ensuring that businesses and their employees are not only able to survive the crisis, but positioned to come back stronger in our recovery.

The Government of Canada has laid out a plan, through Budget 2021, to set businesses on a track for long-term growth, and ensure that Canada's future will be healthier, more equitable, greener, and more prosperous. This includes supporting regional economies. As Westerners move towards their economic recovery, the Government of Canada is building a more focused, locally informed approach, putting people first to foster innovation, business growth, and resilience in urban, rural, and Indigenous communities.

In Budget 2021, the Government of Canada provided this new BC-focused agency with $553.1 million over five years, starting in 2021-22, and $110.6 million ongoing. As a result, in addition to maintaining its current office in Vancouver, PacifiCan will move to establish its new headquarters in Surrey and expand its reach by establishing new service locations in Victoria, Campbell River, Prince Rupert, Fort St. John, Prince George, Kelowna, and Cranbrook.

These locations will be launched over a period of months. When complete, this enhanced on-the-ground presence will bring the federal government closer to businesses and the communities they call home. Supporting economic development in more communities will help develop businesses and create good jobs that people can rely on.

The new agency will build on existing relationships with clients and partners such as the Western Canada Business Service Network, and will continue to deliver new Budget 2021 funding programs, as well as existing programs that help businesses to scale-up, and support regional innovation.

Canada Extends COVID-19 Benefits to October 2021 (CEWS, CERS, CRB)

The Government of Canada has announced the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and the Canadian Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) will be extended by four weeks to October 23, 2021. This extension also includes an increase of the rate of support employers and organizations can receive during the period between August 29 and September 25, 2021 from a maximum of 20 per cent to 40 per cent.

These extensions include:

• Extending the eligibility period for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Lockdown Support until October 23, 2021, and increasing the rate of support employers and organizations can receive during the period between August 29 and September 25, 2021.

• Extending the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB), and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) until October 23, 2021.

• Increasing the maximum number of weeks available for the CRB, by an additional 4 weeks, to a total of 54 weeks, at a rate of $300 per week, and ensuring it is available to those who have exhausted their employment insurance (EI) benefits.

Canada Easing Border Measures for Entering Travellers - Phase 1 Beginning July 5

On June 21, the Government of Canada announced details of the first phase of its approach to easing border measures for travellers entering Canada. These cautious adjustments are now possible because of the successes of the vaccine roll out in Canada and Canadians following public health measures.

Beginning July 5, 2021, fully vaccinated travellers who are permitted to enter Canada will not be subject to the federal requirement to quarantine or take a COVID-19 test on day-8. In addition, fully vaccinated travellers arriving by air will not be required to stay at a government-authorized hotel.

To be considered fully vaccinated, a traveller must have received the full series of a vaccine — or combination of vaccines — accepted by the Government of Canada at least 14 days prior to entering Canada. Currently, those vaccines are manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson). Travellers can receive their vaccine in any country, and must provide documentation supporting their vaccination in English, French or with a certified translation.

For these new measures to apply to them, fully vaccinated travellers must still meet all other mandatory requirements, including pre- and on-arrival testing. Continued testing will allow public health experts to keep monitoring positivity rates at the border, monitor for variants of concern, and make further adjustments to border measures as needed.

Fully vaccinated travellers must also be asymptomatic, have a paper or digital copy of their vaccination documentation, and provide COVID-19-related information electronically through ArriveCAN prior to arrival in Canada. They must still present a suitable quarantine plan, and be prepared to quarantine, in case it is determined at the border that they do not meet all of the conditions required to be exempt from quarantine. As with all other exempt travellers, they will be required to follow public health measures in place, such as wearing a mask when in public, keep a copy of their vaccine and test results, as well as a list of close contacts for 14 days after entry to Canada.

For travellers who are not fully vaccinated, there are no changes to Canada’s current border measures. They must continue to adhere to the current testing and federal quarantine requirements, which have been effective in reducing importation and transmission of COVID-19 and variants in Canada, and provide COVID-19-related information electronically through ArriveCAN before arriving in Canada. Unvaccinated air travellers must also book a three-night stay at a government-authorized hotel before their departure to Canada.

The Government of Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to prioritize the health and safety of Canadians. As vaccination, case counts and hospitalization rates evolve, the Government of Canada will continue to consider further targeted measures at the borders—and when to lift or adjust them—to keep Canadians safe and the economy running. 

Air Canada Reaches Funding Agreement with Federal Government

Air Canada and the Government of Canada have reached a series of debt and equity financing agreements that allow the airline to access up to $5.8 billion in liquidity through the Large Employer Emergency Financing Facility program. As part of the package, Air Canada has agreed to resume service or access to its network for nearly all regional communities where service was suspended due to COVID-19; refund customers whose flights were cancelled as a result of the global pandemic; and maintain current employment levels.