A Message from BCHA President & CEO Ingrid Jarrett |
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Good Afternoon Hotel and Accommodation Community,
With the May 25th deadline for our current travel restrictions looming, many of you have questions surrounding what is next for our industry. During today's press conference, Premier Horgan was asked what British Columbians might be able to expect during Tuesday's press conference. While encouraging British Columbians to continue to stay local, he hinted that further details on a reopening plan will be delivered, stating that "they can expect on Tuesday that the circuit breaker will be over, and that the roadmap will be laid out for all British Columbians to see."
The BCHA is working together with our industry partners and government to support a predictable measured restart plan that will support our industry to get back on its feet, and save our summer.
Building Confidence in Travel
The idea of 'preparation' has been a driving component in our work over recent months as the need for a reopening plan has become vital, for both British Columbia and Canada. On Wednesday, the European Union agreed to reopen its borders to visitors who have been fully vaccinated from a list of countries deemed 'safe' from risks surrounding COVID-19. The move was largely made to support tourism-dependent countries like Greece and Spain in time for the summer tourism season.
This week at Rendezvous Canada, many businesses reported the concerns of international companies booking competing destinations for the 2021/22 seasons due to the lack of certainty for Canadian border protocols and border opening timelines. The risk is enormous and the impact will be dire if this is not addressed expeditiously. We need to regain our position as the remarkable, safe, clean, friendly destination that Beautiful British Columbia is known as world wide. Right now, other destinations are at the booking table ahead of us. This is a big problem with significant risk for the recovery timeline for our industry.
Further to this, we know that safety is top of mind for the pandemic-era traveller and it is critical that we can begin to look at how we will pivot to support the message that Canada and British Columbia are safe destinations. Building confidence is an integral component in the return of travel.
What Can You Do To Build Confidence Now?
We encourage each of our members to utilize our COVID-19 resources to ensure you are compliant with your safety plans. Cleanliness is the cornerstone of safety as it pertains to COVID-19, and failure to ensure that spaces are disinfected and clean will have lasting impacts on your business and the reputation of our industry as a whole. We encourage you to also lean on resources from go2HR; the team has dedicated health and safety experts who will review your COVID-19 safety plan and provide recommendations and targeted feedback to help ensure ongoing compliance with current public health requirement. In addition, the BSAFE go2HR training is linked below for your convenience. We urge all businesses in hospitality to make use of this important tool to support confidence and recovery when rehiring and training your teams.
Please reach out to our team should you require more information.
Stay safe,
Ingrid Jarrett
President and CEO
British Columbia Hotel Association
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Today's update includes:
- BC Hotel Sector Transaction Market Outlook Webinar Recording Now Available
- go2HR Helps Inform Employers About Recruiting and Hiring International Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Major Anchor Attractions | Apply Now for Government Funding Program
- Glow Green for National Tourism Week, May 23-30, 2021 | Take The Pledge Today!
- The Gustavson School of Business Releases the 2021 Gustavson Brand Trust Index
- Mark Your Calendars
- TIAC's Tourism Town Hall
- John Furlong, Vision and Inspiration for Today's Service Industry
- New B SAFE training for BC's tourism and hospitality industry
- TOTA Business Building In The Face Of COVID
- Canadian Hotel Investment Conference
- Tourism Vancouver AGM
- In the News
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BC Hotel Sector Transaction Market Outlook Webinar Recording Now Available |
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On Tuesday, May 18, the BCHA presented a webinar in partnership with HVS and Colliers surrounding the transaction market outlook for British Columbia's hotel sector. Please see links below to access recordings and information. Information is also posted on our website. |
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go2HR Helps Inform Employers About Recruiting and Hiring International Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic |
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Last week go2HR hosted a lively and informative webinar to help educate tourism and hospitality employers on recruiting and hiring international works during the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar consisted of presentations from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP), and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) about their employment programs for international workers.
The webinar concluded with a panel discussion featuring Melody McLorie, Certified Immigration Consultant and Human Resources Manager at Wickaninnish Inn, and Katie Von Nostrand, Partner in the Vancouver office of Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP, about their experiences hiring international workers during COVID-19. Overall, there was great attendance at the event, but just in case you weren’t able to join us, here’s a quick summary.
The webinar focused on providing an update of key immigration program/policy changes as a result of COVID-19 that tourism and hospitality employers should be aware of. In addition, three international programs that employers can utilize to hire international workers were featured: the International Mobility Program, BC Skills Immigration Program, and the Temporary Foreign Workers Program. These programs have all undergone various changes because of COVID-19.
There was an informative Q&A period where speakers answered attendee’s questions about employer responsibilities (to foreign workers) due to COVID-19, adjusting start dates of employment contracts, and how employers can help ease the transition for international workers arriving in Canada. The panelists also shared their top tips when recruiting international workers: make sure to understand the different employment programs you have access to, ensure that you understand your obligations as an employer to international workers, and leave as much time as possible for the application process.
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Major Anchor Attractions | Apply Now for Government Funding Program |
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Anchor attractions and tour bus companies face high fixed costs because of their infrastructure and minimum staffing requirements. With funding announced in Budget 2021, the $50-million BC Major Anchor Attractions Program may offer up to $1 million per attraction through one-time grants.
Eligible expenses include payroll, rent and utility costs related to restarting or ramping up operations in preparation for gradual reopening in alignment with provincial health orders. The funding is available for not-for-profit organizations and businesses.
Applications wil be accepted until June 7 with funds provided in July 2021.
Examples of criteria and eligible organizations include:
- major anchor attractions in urban centres that receive 75,000 or more visitors per year – eligible for up to $1 million.
- major anchor attractions in rural areas that receive 15,000 or more visitors per year – eligible for up to $500,000.
- tour bus companies that serve 30,000 or more passengers per year – eligible for up to $500,000.
- examples of “turnstile” attractions eligible for the program include amusement parks, wildlife parks, botanical gardens, heritage institutions, museums, galleries and science centres.
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ABLE BC & Mathews, Dinsdale & Clarke LLP| COVID-19 Vaccination Workplace Policy
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Can employers require that employees take the COVID-19 vaccine?
With over 50 per cent of eligible British Columbians having had their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, we know employers are wondering whether they can mandate that their employees take the vaccine.
Workplace Policies Generally
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Each industry and workplace is unique, and this could significantly affect the legality of a given company's vaccination policy. The current legal environment is also incredibly dynamic. With respect to mandatory vaccination, the government could, on short notice, introduce guidance or legislation that considerably alter this legal analysis.
- In the absence of legislation, an employer cannot force an employee to be vaccinated. However, an employer may be able to implement policies, which require vaccination if an employee wishes to remain employed.
- Any workplace policy, including one that would mandate employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, must be reasonably necessary and connected to the workplace.
- For example, a mandatory vaccination policy could be considered reasonably necessary if an employee is employed in the healthcare sector or is required to have frequent close contact with members of the public. However, if the employee is working from home or in an office that has sufficient safety precautions in place, the policy may not be considered reasonably necessary.
- The fact that a mandatory vaccination policy may be justifiable in long-term care homes does not necessarily mean it would be justifiable in liquor service environments.
- Liquor service environments also have a variety of safety precautions in place that have proven to be effective in reducing transmission of the virus, including face masks, physical distancing, barriers, sanitization, and hygiene practices.
- If challenged, the employer will generally bear the onus to justify, on health and safety grounds, that implementing a mandatory vaccination policy is necessary. I.e., the employer will have to explain how the currently available safety precautions are not sufficient to mitigate the risk of transmission. This may be particularly challenging as case numbers drop and the majority of the population becomes vaccinated.
- Given this, employers should not assume that a mandatory vaccination policy is going to be legal. As noted above, it will depend on the nature of the workplace itself, with a particular regard to the level of exposure to individuals who are especially vulnerable or at-risk.
Click below for the following:
- Human Rights Considerations
- Privacy Considerations
- Employee Morale
- Preliminary Recommendations
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For more information, please refer to Mathews, Dinsdale & Clark's nationwide guidance on the issue.
If you have any questions or concerns or would like assistance in drafting a policy for your workplace, contact Ryan: randerson@mathewsdinsdale.com or 604-638-2042.
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Glow Green for National Tourism Week, May 23-30, 2021 | Take The Pledge Today! |
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May 23 - 30, 2021 is Tourism Week in Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) is leading the national campaign to recognize Canada’s tourism economy, and the impact it has on every community across the country.
How to get involved:
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Take the pledge, post your commitment through social media channels and encourage your followers as well as colleagues and peers to do the same.
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If you have a programmable lighting system, light-it-up in Tourism Week’s “Glowing Green” on your region’s day, or all week.
The BCHA and Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) is asking hotels to participate in the following ways:
- Send us a photo/video of your hotel “Glowing Green” for tourism week (15 seconds or less!)
- Send us a quote about the resiliency of the hotel industry, or why the industry is special to you.
- Send us a video or quote about why Canadians should pledge to travel in Canada this summer – and visit your hotel! (15 seconds or less!)
To learn more about Tourism Week and access our branding toolkit, please visit TourismCounts.ca.
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The Gustavson School of Business Releases the 2021 Gustavson Brand Trust Index |
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"We are proud to present our seventh annual edition of the Gustavson Brand Trust Index, wherein we explore the role brand trust plays in the minds of consumers and employees when assigning their loyalties to organizations and recommending a brand to their friends and family.
The Index demonstrates the importance of businesses managing their brands in ethical, transparent and authentic ways that are good for people and the planet, while still recognizing the need for profits. The Index creates a vehicle for private-sector engagement in societal progress. It thus aligns well with our thought-leadership for good business in the 21st century"
- Saul Klein, PhD Dean, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
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TIAC’s Tourism Town Hall series is an event partnership between the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Destination Canada, and the local host partners.
Town Halls allow tourism operators to provide first-hand input on issues affecting their business and the tourism industry in this time of COVID and provide feedback on government policy for the recovery and rebuilding of our sector.
Register now for a Town Hall in your province!
British Columbia – Thursday, May 27
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John Furlong, Vision and Inspiration for Today's Service Industry
This event is intended specifically for Private Club staff (ideally hourly heart of house and front of house team members).
Friday May 21,10:00 AM PST (1:00 PM EST) – no registration required, simply visit, www.ohboy.ca/tcc
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New B SAFE training for BC's tourism and hospitality industry
B SAFE is a new 90-minute, online course oriented toward staff in BC’s tourism and hospitality industry. The training aims to provide staff with a strong foundation in COVID-19 health and safety protocols, and to assist them in understanding ever-evolving best practices. Upon successful completion of the course, participants are awarded a certificate that demonstrates their knowledge of and commitment to COVID-19 health and safety. go2HR's objective is for B SAFE to become an industry standard: a recognizable indicator of the extent to which health and safety is a priority for BC’s tourism and hospitality employers. B SAFE stands for BC Safety Assured For Everyone Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport, B SAFE aims to build community and staff confidence in the health and safety protocols of BC’s tourism and hospitality industry as the province navigates and emerges from the COVID-19 era.
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Business Building In The Face Of COVID
10 Steps To Take Now For Short And Long-Term Success
In a time of great uncertainty, how can tourism & hospitality business operators plan ahead, prepare for the summer season, and take advantage of the available resources? During this free webinar including time for Q&A with Professor Mark Ziebarth of Okanagan College, you will learn 10 steps to take now to plan ahead for short and long-term business success.
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Save the date!
Registration will open next week where we will announce our keynote speakers and sessions.
Are you interested in sponsoring? Please contact Stephanie for further details.
This is a milestone event you will not want to miss!
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Tourism Vancouver | Notice of 2021 Annual General Meeting
Tourism Vancouver Members: take notice that the 118th Annual General Meeting of the Metro Vancouver Convention & Visitors Bureau, doing business as Tourism Vancouver will be held:
- Date: Thursday, June 24, 2021
- Time: 3:30PM - 5:30PM
- Location: BC Place Stadium (Hybrid Virtual)
The following formal business will be considered at this meeting:
- Presentation and approval of the agenda and minutes from the October 29, 2020 AGM
- Presentation and approval of the audited 2020 financial statements & appointment of auditors
- Presentation of the 2021-2022 Board of Directors
- Reports from the Board of Directors and CEO
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BC's circuit breaker "will be over" next week: Horgan | News
The provincial government hinted on Thursday that by next week, British Columbia's circuit breaker will come to an end. The announcement was made during a joint press conference involving Premier John Horgan, Health Minister Adrian Dix, and...
Read more
dailyhive.com
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COMMENTARY: British Columbia's cruise ship industry...
British Columbia's once-mighty tourism industry has taken a brutal pounding during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now the sector is worried about yet another hit if American cruise ships are allowed to bypass B.C. ports on their way to Alaska. That...
Read more
globalnews.ca
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Covid News: New Cases in Nursing Homes Fall Dramatically ...
Nursing home residents, considered among the most vulnerable to Covid-19, appear to receive significant protection from vaccination, according to research published on Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. In a letter to the editor,...
Read more
www.nytimes.com
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Rick Antonson: Fortune favours the bold. Are we bold...
Opinion: Many residents and decision makers and political leaders in 1996 "could imagine" the potential of the 2010 games. Others waited until the games were a huge success before they said, "I knew it was a good idea all along." Can you imagine ...
Read more
theprovince.com
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