News & Resources
The latest Thompson Okanagan tourism industry news from TOTA, tourism businesses, and communities.
Free Training Courses from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety | go2HR
For a limited-time basis, go2HR is offering four training courses through the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), free for BC’s tourism industry!
The courses are helpful for anyone who wants to know more about managing stress at the workplace or how to respond to difficult customer interactions, and employees responsible for hazard identification or implementing a violence prevention policy at your workplace.
For a limited-time basis, go2HR is offering four training courses through the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), free for BC’s tourism industry!
The courses are helpful for anyone who wants to know more about managing stress at the workplace or how to respond to difficult customer interactions, and employees responsible for hazard identification or implementing a violence prevention policy at your workplace.
New Worker Health & Safety Orientation Checklist | go2HR
go2HR’s health and safety professionals have developed a customizable New Worker Health and Safety Orientation Checklist to make your summer season orientations easy. The checklist covers the regulated health and safety training topics, in addition to a variety of restaurant-specific examples to get you started.
By following a consistent approach to orientation training, you can be confident that you are communicating your workplace responsibilities, hazards, and procedures to all new hires.
go2HR’s health and safety professionals have developed a customizable New Worker Health and Safety Orientation Checklist to make your summer season orientations easy. The checklist covers the regulated health and safety training topics, in addition to a variety of restaurant-specific examples to get you started.
By following a consistent approach to orientation training, you can be confident that you are communicating your workplace responsibilities, hazards, and procedures to all new hires.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger Rebates for British Columbians
The Province and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are making it more affordable for people to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in their homes, businesses, and communities: BC residents, businesses, and municipalities can receive rebates for EV charging stations through the CleanBC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate and Fleets programs.
For a limited time, funding will cover as much as 75% of eligible purchase and installation costs for EV charging stations.
Businesses can apply for a rebate of up to $5,000 per station, as well as 5 hours of free support services from an EV Charging Station Advisor.
Fleet operators can get combined rebates from NRCan and the Province for a Level 2 charging station as much as $5,000 of purchase and installation costs, and $75,000 for a direct-current, fast-charging station.
The Province and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are making it more affordable for people to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in their homes, businesses, and communities: BC residents, businesses, and municipalities can receive rebates for EV charging stations through the CleanBC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate and Fleets programs.
For a limited time, funding will cover as much as 75% of eligible purchase and installation costs for EV charging stations.
Businesses can apply for a rebate of up to $5,000 per station, as well as 5 hours of free support services from an EV Charging Station Advisor.
Fleet operators can get combined rebates from NRCan and the Province for a Level 2 charging station as much as 75% to a maximum of $5,000 of purchase and installation costs, and 75% to a maximum of $75,000 for a direct-current, fast-charging station.
As many as 450 EV chargers will be installed through the program.
To learn more about home and workplace EV charging-station rebates, eligibility and application processes, visit: https://goelectricbc.gov.bc.ca/
To learn more about the Fleets program, visit: https://pluginbc.ca/go-electric-fleets/
To learn more about Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, visit:
https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy-efficiency/transportation-alternative-fuels/zero-emission-vehicle-infrastructure-program/21876
To learn more about the 2021 annual ZEV update that tracks B.C.’s progress toward its ZEV targets, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/electricity-alternative-energy/transportation-energies/clean-transportation-policies-programs
To learn more about the suite of CleanBC Go Electric programming, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/zeroemissionvehicles
To learn more about the CleanBC plan, visit: https://cleanbc.gov.bc.ca/
Guide for Developing Tourism & Media Relationships in Indigenous Communities | Indigenous Tourism BC
As many non-Indigenous tourism & media organizations look to develop respectful partnerships with Indigenous communities, Indigenous Tourism BC has compiled an information toolkit to help individuals understand and build relationships with the First Peoples of BC.
It is important to note that each Indigenous Nation and Community differs in their approach to partnership. The document was developed to the best of Indigenous Tourism BC's knowledge to respond to common themes and questions received from partners. It is not a substitute for proper communication with Indigenous Nations and Communities.
As many non-Indigenous tourism & media organizations look to develop respectful partnerships with Indigenous communities, Indigenous Tourism BC has compiled an information toolkit to help individuals understand and build relationships with the First Peoples of BC.
It is important to note that each Indigenous Nation and Community differs in their approach to partnership. The document was developed to the best of Indigenous Tourism BC's knowledge to respond to common themes and questions received from partners. It is not a substitute for proper communication with Indigenous Nations and Communities.
Register for Self-Guided Tourism Digital Academy by Destination BC
The online self-guided Tourism Digital Academy program is available until the end of March. This condensed version of Destination BC’s digital marketing program offers B.C.-based tourism businesses maximum flexibility to fit the course into their schedules with unlimited access for six months to digital marketing instruction videos, templates, and resources. Designed for business owners or their marketing team members, this comprehensive program is focused on providing practical, actionable guidance to complete your digital marketing plan.
The Tourism Digital Academy is a free, 8-week digital marketing program for BC tourism businesses who are interested in building their knowledge and skills in digital marketing to an intermediate level.
Designed for business owners or their marketing team members, this comprehensive program is focused on providing practical, actionable guidance to complete your digital marketing plan. From setting your goals, to building a better understanding of SEO, website usability, content, email marketing, analytics and more – you’ll leave the program with the confidence and knowledge to put that plan into action.
This online program includes:
8 weeks of interactive sessions led by digital marketing experts and ongoing access to the video recordings (Tuesdays & Thursdays each week for a total of four hours per week)
Technical tutorials to dig deeper into specific areas and share experiences with other participants (Wednesdays each week for one hour)
One-to-one coaching available, on demand, to answer your sticky questions
Audits of your business website, SEO and social media channels, to assess your current situation
A marketing plan template to guide development of your own plan
Opportunities for peer support and networking
Eligibility and Application:
The application-based program is free for all participants. To be eligible for the program you must:
Be a BC-based tourism business, whose product or service is regularly available for purchase within BC (community tourism and sector organizations are also eligible);
Have an active business website;
Demonstrate, through the application form, a minimum level of digital marketing experience; and
Be able to dedicate up to 10 hours per week to the program: five hours to attend classes and tutorial sessions during business hours, and up to five hours to apply the learning to your marketing plan as you go.
If you have any questions, please email: IndustryDevelopment@DestinationBC.ca
go2HR Resources to Enhance Workplace Health and Safety Culture
To help tourism and hospitality employers manage workplace violence, go2HR’s health and safety professionals have developed a suite of checklists designed to assist businesses in addressing violence in the workplace by focusing on proactive prevention tasks, staff training topics, and appropriate incident response.
go2HR has provided information and a checklist to help employers take a proactive approach to managing challenging guest interactions and prevent escalation.
Responding to challenging guest interactions can take a physical, emotional, and psychological toll on workers, affecting their work and personal lives. Other unwanted consequences can include increased absenteeism, high turnover, negative public image, and lost productivity if the risk of workplace violence is not adequately addressed.
Challenging guest interactions can include worker harassment, verbal abuse and, in escalating situations, even physical violence. Let's take this example: A group of guests are angry due to longer-than-usual wait times to enter an establishment. They are becoming visibly agitated and are being disrespectful to the frontline worker. What if the worker hasn't been trained on how to respond to this kind of escalating situation?
By implementing proactive measures to support workers and having appropriate incident response procedures, employers can positively influence the workplace safety culture. Additionally, they can show their workers that they genuinely care about worker personal safety and wellbeing.
Employers in BC have a legal responsibility to protect workers from violence (including harassment). This can be accomplished by:
Conducting a risk assessment to determine the risk of violence
Implementing suitable control measures to protect workers, such as specific cash handling procedures or posting supportive signage
Determining and adhering to appropriate staffing levels to avoid working alone
Training workers to recognize the risk and how to respond to intensifying situations
Developing incident response procedures that include de-escalation techniques and incident follow up
Checklists for the Workplace
To help tourism and hospitality employers manage workplace violence, go2HR’s health and safety professionals have developed a suite of checklists. These are designed to assist businesses in addressing violence in the workplace by focusing on proactive prevention tasks, staff training topics, and appropriate incident response.
Small Business BC: Business Education Live Webinars & Self-Directed e-Courses
Small Business BC provides practical business education tailored for small businesses in B.C. Whether you need help starting your business, hiring employees, managing operations, or anything else, Small Business BC is here to help.
Find the Right Resources for You:
Live webinars are real-time engaging presentations with live video and chat. Have a scheduling conflict? A recording will also be available for you to stream over the next seven days so you won’t miss a thing.
Self-directed e-courses are available anytime, anywhere. Each on-demand e-course will cover bite-sized topics and help you learn through multimedia features such as readings, handouts, videos and quizzes. With course access for one full year, you can review to the course material multiple times as you progress through your entrepreneurial journey.
Small Business BC provides practical business education tailored for small businesses in B.C. Whether you need help starting your business, hiring employees, managing operations, or anything else, Small Business BC is here to help.
Find the Right Resources for You:
Live webinars are real-time engaging presentations with live video and chat. Have a scheduling conflict? A recording will also be available for you to stream over the next seven days so you won’t miss a thing.
Self-directed e-courses are available anytime, anywhere. Each on-demand e-course will cover bite-sized topics and help you learn through multimedia features such as readings, handouts, videos and quizzes. With course access for one full year, you can review to the course material multiple times as you progress through your entrepreneurial journey.
Food Tourism 101 Guide | Culinary Tourism Alliance
The aim of this 3-class program is to provide food entrepreneurs the knowledge, skills and networking opportunities to elevate their food businesses (restaurants, food retail stores, and or food products) in their local communities with the aim of repositioning themselves and attracting tourists to their regions and identifying new products and/or services to promote future growth.
If you want to learn more about culinary and food tourism, and how to elevate experiences in your business, check out the Food Tourism 101 resource by the Culinary Tourism Alliance.
The Culinary Tourism Alliance works with communities to grow food tourism by leveraging the history, heritage, and culture behind the food and drink that makes each destination unique.
Culinary tourism includes the active pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences, as well as agritourism experiences that connect what is being grown and produced in an area to what is being prepared and enjoyed by locals.
Tips for Onboarding New Staff | go2HR
go2HR has put together a guide for employee onboarding.
The value of properly onboarding new employees shouldn’t be underestimated. The time is an investment to have and retain well-trained employees. Given the current labour shortage, it just makes good business sense to nurture your relationship with your newest employees. go2HR has some great tips for helping you onboard new staff.
go2HR has put together a guide for employee onboarding.
The value of properly onboarding new employees shouldn’t be underestimated. The time is an investment to have and retain well-trained employees. Given the current labour shortage, it just makes good business sense to nurture your relationship with your newest employees. go2HR has some great tips for helping you onboard new staff.
Showcase Your Travel Package on Destination Canada Portal
Last year, Destination Canada launched a travel packages portal, where tour operators can upload travel packages to the Destination Canada consumer website.
The portal provides tour operators access to an engaged audience, which has resulted in conversions and bookings to destinations across the country. Since its launch in June 2021, the website has received more than 2.6M page views and generated over 230k leads to tour operators. Today, there is now a portal available for the US market.
If you have a travel package that you would like to share with domestic and US travellers, contact traveltrade@destinationcanada.com.
Last year, Destination Canada launched a travel packages portal, where tour operators can upload travel packages to the Destination Canada consumer website.
The portal provides tour operators access to an engaged audience, which has resulted in conversions and bookings to destinations across the country. Since its launch in June 2021, the website has received more than 2.6M page views and generated over 230k leads to tour operators. Today, there is now a portal available for the US market.
If you have a travel package that you would like to share with domestic and US travellers, contact traveltrade@destinationcanada.com.
Wines of BC Quarterly Report - Jan - March 2022
Wines of British Columbia has released its Q4 report, which is also a summary of the fiscal year for the organization. The 21 page report outlines the strategic goals, objectives, and results of three key areas of concentration from April 2021 through to March 2022.
Wines of British Columbia has just released its Q4 report, which is also a summary of the fiscal year for the organization.
The 21 page report outlines the strategic goals, objectives, and results of three key areas of concentration from April 2021 through to March 2022.
Employer Toolkit: Attract and Integrate Internationally Trained Employees in South Okanagan Similkameen
Skilled immigrants can help businesses access new customers and international markets, enrich organizational culture, and spark innovation.
South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services (SOICS) created an Employer Toolkit to help employers Attract and Integrate Internationally Trained Employees in South Okanagan-Similkameen. The toolkit contains resources to help with navigating the complex system of accessing various streams of immigrants, attracting immigrants to your workplace, and helping them and your business succeed together by creating welcoming environments.
Skilled immigrants can help businesses access new customers and international markets, enrich organizational culture, and spark innovation.
South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services (SOICS) created an Employer Toolkit to help employers Attract and Integrate Internationally Trained Employees in South Okanagan-Similkameen. The toolkit contains resources to help with navigating the complex system of accessing various streams of immigrants, attracting immigrants to your workplace, and helping them and your business succeed together by creating welcoming environments.
Employer Toolkit: Sustaining the Black Lives Matter Movement in the Workplace
The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) has prepared a toolkit to address the increasing demand for guidance on how employers can support Black employees by sustaining the ideals behind the Black Lives Matter movement.
Employers can benefit from creating an inclusive workplace by:
Becoming a workplace of choice that attracts and retains talent.
Increasing productivity and create a greater impact (e.g. produce more revenue and/or social outcomes aligned with the organization’s vision).
Attracting business and markets from previously unexplored segments of the population.
The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) has prepared a toolkit to address the increasing demand for guidance on how employers can support Black employees by sustaining the ideals behind the Black Lives Matter movement.
Employers can benefit from creating an inclusive workplace by:
Becoming a workplace of choice that attracts and retains talent.
Increasing productivity and create a greater impact (e.g. produce more revenue and/or social outcomes aligned with the organization’s vision).
Attracting business and markets from previously unexplored segments of the population.
Training & Wage Subsidies for Environmental Jobs | ECO Canada
The Environmental Employability Pathway program is an employment readiness program which aims to help all youth (age 15 to 30) to navigate through the labour market and to successfully transition into sustained employment. Small and medium sized businesses can receive up to $15,000 in wage funding for their next hire. Applications for 2022 are open.
The Environmental Employability Pathway program is an employment readiness program which aims to help all youth (age 15 to 30) to navigate through the labour market and to successfully transition into sustained employment.
Small and medium sized businesses can receive up to $15,000 in wage funding for their next hire. Applications for 2022 are open.
Toolkit for Developing a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion has created a toolkit for developing a diversity and inclusion strategy. The purpose of a strategy document is to briefly explain the rationale or reason organizations need to invest resources in a goal or initiative, and to provide more explicit direction on how to achieve that goal.
The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion has created a toolkit for developing a diversity and inclusion strategy. The purpose of a strategy document is to briefly explain the rationale or reason organizations need to invest resources in a goal or initiative, and to provide more explicit direction on how to achieve that goal.
New Report Tracks Americans’ Perception and Demand for Travel to Canada
As international travel resumes, American travellers will be key to driving revenue recovery for Canadian tourism businesses. Destination Canada is tracking Americans’ travel demand for Canada and sentiment towards travel to Canada to provide our industry with a better understanding of the trends and behaviours we are seeing in this key market. Destination Canada's first edition of the new report, US Sentiment for Travel to Canada, was published recently and the included metrics will continue to be tracked on a monthly basis moving forward.
As international travel resumes, American travellers will be key to driving revenue recovery for Canadian tourism businesses. Destination Canada is tracking Americans’ travel demand for Canada and sentiment towards travel to Canada to provide our industry with a better understanding of the trends and behaviours we are seeing in this key market. Destination Canada's first edition of the new report, US Sentiment for Travel to Canada, was published recently and the included metrics will continue to be tracked on a monthly basis moving forward.
Grow Your Business Online with Canada Digital Adoption Program & Grants
The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) provides support to help get your business online, give your e-commerce presence a boost, or help digitalize your business's operations. CDAP provides funding and support to businesses, as well as training and work opportunities for young Canadians.
There are two streams:
Grow Your Business Online: Micro-grant and access to e-commerce advisors to help you go digital and take advantage of e-commerce opportunities.
Boost Your Business Technology: Grant to help you develop a digital plan and funded work placements to help with your digital transformation.
Which grant is your business eligible for?
The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) provides support to help get your business online, give your e-commerce presence a boost, or help digitalize your business's operations. CDAP provides funding and support to businesses, as well as training and work opportunities for young Canadians.
There are two streams:
Grow Your Business Online: Micro-grant and access to e-commerce advisors to help you go digital and take advantage of e-commerce opportunities.
Boost Your Business Technology: Grant to help you develop a digital plan and funded work placements to help with your digital transformation.
Which grant is your business eligible for?
Canadian Tourism Labour Market Snapshot - March 2022
The latest report on the Canadian Tourism Labour Market has been released and reflects the status of employment in the sector for the month of March 2022. Overall, tourism employment experienced an uptick as the sector builds momentum toward recovery in the coming months; however, growth is hindered by employment losses in the accommodations industry and a higher than anticipated unemployment rate in transportation. When considering the robust tourism labour force pre-pandemic (2,117,700 workers in March 2019), it is clear that labour shortages remain across the country and throughout the tourism industries. Through other indicators such as the tourism unemployment rate which held strong in March, there is hope that momentum is building toward sector recovery.
The latest report on the Canadian Tourism Labour Market has been released and reflects the status of employment in the sector for the month of March 2022.
Overall, tourism employment experienced an uptick as the sector builds momentum toward recovery in the coming months; however, growth is hindered by employment losses in the accommodations industry and a higher than anticipated unemployment rate in transportation.
When considering the robust tourism labour force pre-pandemic (2,117,700 workers in March 2019), it is clear that labour shortages remain across the country and throughout the tourism industries. Through other indicators such as the tourism unemployment rate which held strong in March, there is hope that momentum is building toward sector recovery.
Reminder: Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) - Apply by May 7
While the Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) expires on May 7, 2022, the government will accept retroactive applications.
Intended to support recovery for businesses to hire employees or increase work hours of existing employees, the CRHP is a separate wage subsidy that runs parallel to the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) wage and rent subsidies, which also expire on May 7.
Programs Eligibility Requirements:
The CRHP provides up to 50% wage subsidies for new employees or for existing employees who are working increased hours or earn a higher wage. Eligible employers must have a revenue loss of more than 10% to qualify.
The CRHP is a separate wage subsidy that runs parallel to the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) wage and rent subsidies, which also expire on May 7.
Eligible employers can access either the CRHP or the THRP, but not both during the same period.
Eligible employers, who had an active payroll account as of March 2020 can access the CRHP.
The THRP subsidies require a minimum period-over-period revenue loss of at least 40% and some employers no longer meet the 40% revenue loss requirement to qualify for the THRP.
Unlike the THRP, applications to the CRHP can be made retroactively up to 180 days after the end of a period.
Applications to the CRHP are made through the same system as the THRP.
While the Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) expires on May 7, 2022, the government will accept retroactive applications.
Intended to support recovery for businesses to hire employees or increase work hours of existing employees, the CRHP is a separate wage subsidy that runs parallel to the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) wage and rent subsidies, which also expire on May 7.
A Reminder of the Programs Eligibility Requirements:
The CRHP provides up to 50% wage subsidies for new employees or for existing employees who are working increased hours or earn a higher wage. Eligible employers must have a revenue loss of more than 10% to qualify.
The CRHP is a separate wage subsidy that runs parallel to the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) wage and rent subsidies, which also expire on May 7.
Eligible employers can access either the CRHP or the THRP, but not both during the same period.
Eligible employers, who had an active payroll account as of March 2020 can access the CRHP.
The THRP subsidies require a minimum period-over-period revenue loss of at least 40% and some employers no longer meet the 40% revenue loss requirement to qualify for the THRP.
Unlike the THRP, applications to the CRHP can be made retroactively up to 180 days after the end of a period.
Applications to the CRHP are made through the same system as the THRP.
Human Resources Industry Toolkit - go2HR
The go2HR team developed an industry toolkit with employer HR resources for the coming season. The toolkit has downloadable and customizable resources that can help in the following areas of HR:
Recruitment
Onboarding
On the Job
Departure
From recruitment best practices to sample interview questions, including templates to manage employee performance, this HR Toolkit is a great resource whether you are hiring your first employee and not sure where to start, or you are an experienced manager looking to update current HR practices, policies, or procedures.
The go2HR team developed an industry toolkit with employer HR resources for the coming season. The toolkit has downloadable and customizable resources that can help in the following areas of HR:
Recruitment
Onboarding
On the Job
Departure
From recruitment best practices to sample interview questions, including templates to manage employee performance, this HR Toolkit is a great resource whether you are hiring your first employee and not sure where to start, or you are an experienced manager looking to update current HR practices, policies, or procedures.