The BC Hotel Association, along with the BC Meetings and Events Industry Working Group, and Tourism Industry Association of BC, has worked together to advocate for the distinction of 'business events' from 'public' and 'social' gatherings : https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions

A final note on dancing: There is still no dancing allowed unless it is a performance. There have been conversations and advocacy around this issue, however, we do not expect that restriction to be lifted in the near future. Things are still in a tenuous place and while they had hoped that all

restrictions would be lifted by now, the PHO is not ready to remove this one.

In addition to province-wide mask mandate, Food and Liquor Serving Premises public order, and Gatherings and Events public order, the Fraser and Northern Health regions have additional measures in place.

For more information on restrictions IN British Columbia visit below

DriveBC is THE most current source of highway conditions. Travelers can also follow @DriveBC on Twitter. Visit EmergencyInfoBC for emergency alerts and evacuation orders. Monitor regional emergency info as well.

Please note: individual and business information will be kept confidential.

This weekend, the provincial government announced that British Columbians affected by flooding and landslides from Nov. 14 to Dec. 2, 2021 will be eligible for disaster assistance.

Emergency Management BC will accept applications until March 3, 2022. Information about eligibility and the application process is available at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-management/preparedbc/evacuee-guidance/disaster-financial-assistance

To read the press release, please see below, or visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021PSSG0075-002330

Businesses can help by sharing information and resources with staff, guests, and neighbours. You can also volunteer with Emergency Support Services (ESS).

If you are able and wish to make a donation to support impacted communities, both the Federal and BC Provincial governments have indicated they will match every dollar donated to the Canadian Red Cross’ British Columbia Floods & Extreme Weather Appeal. This means that every $1 donated will become $3 to support those affected by the floods.

Many homeowners were unable to secure flood insurance as they were located on a flood zone; consider donating today.

BC Recovery Benefit: Individuals can apply for this recovery benefit worth up to $1,000. The benefit is based on 2019 income, so higher earners who lost jobs during the pandemic won't qualify. Hotline: 1-833-822-0220

Tourism Relief Fund: Program funding to empower tourism operators to create new or enhance existing tourism experiences to attract more local and domestic visitors and helping the sector reposition itself to welcome international visitors by offering the best Canadian tourism experience we have to offer the world.

Canadian Emergency Rent Subsidy: Subsidy of up to 75% of eligible expenses until October 23, 2021. Also includes an additional Lockdown Support of 25% if your business was significantly affected by a public health order. Applications to this program can happen retroactively back 6 months. Hotline: 1-800-959-5525 An extension to May 7, 2022 is currently proposed and still pending decision.

Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program: Aimed at sectors like tourism and hospitality, hotels, arts and entertainment, and will offer 100% government-guaranteed financing and provide low-interest loans up to $1 million for up to ten years. Available until December 31, 2021.

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy: Covers part of your employee wages retroactively back to December 20, 2020 until October 23, 2021. The maximum subsidy is 75%. Hotline: 1-800-959-5525 An extension to May 7, 2022 is proposed and still pending decision.

Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP): The new Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) is designed to encourage businesses to grow as the economy recovers, whether it’s due to hiring and re-hiring staff, increasing shifts, or increasing overall pay. This program has a proposed extension to May 7, 2022.

Note: Your business can only claim the CEWS OR CRHP - here is a comparison between the two programs

Canada Recovery Benefit: The Canada Response Benefit ended October 23, 2021. Claims can be made up to December 22, 2021. The government has proposed a new Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit that would provide $300 for eligible workers who are unable to work due to a temporary local lockdown anytime between Oct 24, 2021 and May 7, 2022. Further details on this proposed benefit will be released in the near future. Hotline: 1-833-966-2099

READ TODAY: http://ow.ly/sS6i50H5zQL

For more information about each award click here.

The deadline to submit a nomination is January 14, 2022.

Please be advised that applications for the B.C. Increased Employment Incentive must be received by December 31, 2021.

The B.C. Increased Employment Incentive is a one-time refundable tax credit for employers which encouraged the creation of new jobs for B.C. workers or increases in payroll for existing low- or middle-income employees in the last quarter ending December 31, 2020.

The tax credit is calculated at 15% of the amount that the employer’s eligible remuneration for the last quarter ending December 31, 2020 exceeds the employer’s eligible remuneration for the quarter ending September 30, 2020.

For more information, including eligibility requirements and access to the application, see below:

Jarrett added that Interior hoteliers face a dire winter not only because of challenges on the roads, but also because the Canadian government requires Americans and other foreign visitors to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to enter Canada. READ FULL ARTICLE.

Read more here.

Demand for international travel has plunged in the week since the omicron Covid-19 variant emerged as a global concern. Read more

Omicron—the newest variant that has already spooked markets and caused travel bans from some southern Africa countries. Though nascent, there is the reality and worry that the new strain could derail the hotel industry’s fledgling recovery, in particular if plans move forward to tighten testing policies, like in the U.S. Indications are that future hotel bookings, meetings and other hotel-related activity will be impacted by the presumed expectation of future travel impediments, whether self-imposed, company-imposed or government-mandated. Read More

As the 2022 budget season progresses, CBRE’s Hotels Advisory professionals surveyed 130 industry leaders around the U.S. regarding concerns facing the hotel industry. Read more

Gazing into a crystal ball to come up with next year’s budget is always daunting. It’s a mix of professional instinct, historical data, and future predictions that’s never perfect. Read more

If the pandemic has shown us one thing, it is that travel has changed but it is everlasting. However, the way we used to travel before Covid19 is a thing of the past. Now, we’re trying to understand where we are headed, how we can meet the demands of this new era of traveling and how all the distancing, masks, entry regulations and testing affects travel behavior. Let’s look at some trends that have been discovered by the industry for 2022 and get some insights from our TrustYou experts into how your hotel can take the necessary steps to meet these travel trends Read more

Excerpt from the release announcing this accomplishment:

While the final opening date has yet to be determined, those interested in booking a stay as soon as January can do so at this link: https://lnkd.in/gZaHPx62

We look forward to sharing further details as the come available.

Join us for the 2022 BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference as we 'Kickstart the Comeback' and gather in-person to learn, tackle issues, forge new relationships, and work toward resiliency in the face of one of the hardest years in our sector's history.

Need help bringing on new staff? Hiring students is a great way to build your team for short-term needs and to build a talent pipeline for the long term! And now you can access a wage subsidy of up to $7,500 through Propel, a brand new Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)!

Propel is offered through Tourism HR Canada, a Canadian organization with a mandate aimed at building a world-leading tourism workforce. Propel is specifically designed to support the tourism and hospitality sector.

Learn more about how your organization can take advantage of this federally funded wage subsidy program and how to bring on students from hospitality and tourism management, culinary arts, and other programs from across the province at this info session on Monday, November 15th at 2:00pm (Pacific).

Brought to you by the Talent MATCH Program, a collaboration between go2HR, the BC Museums Association, the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture, and the Association for Co-operative Education & Work Integrated Learning, this info session will feature Rachel George and Joe Baker from Propel, who will explain how the program works and how to apply.

This info session is free, but you must register for it here.

Want more information on hiring students? Visit the Talent MATCH webpage for more details or contact Project Manager Debby Reis at TalentMatch@acewilbc.ca.