June 2026

Greetings!

With the House of Commons rising and the busy summer tourism season underway, I’ll keep this note brief. 

It’s also, unfortunately, wildfire season. 

I know how challenging it is for tourism businesses to withstand emergencies and be called upon to support their communities through them. Our industry’s unique position makes access to practical, centralized, and industry-specific emergency preparedness resources so important. 

Thank you to our

INDUSTRY PATRONS

That’s why TIAC and the Government of Canada created The Tourism Emergency Preparedness Initiative. The free resource library is now live on our website, ready to help you better protect your business. Please check it out and share it widely to support your peers.  

I wish you a safe and successful summer.

Sébastien Benedict 

President and CEO 

Tourism Industry Association of Canada 

NOW LIVE!
Tourism Emergency Preparedness Resource Library 

87% of tourism operators have experienced disruptions from an emergency in the past five years, yet fewer than one-third have recovery plans in place. 

As risks from emergencies grow, preparedness is essential to protecting tourism businesses, employees, visitors and Canadian communities. With the Government of Canada, we’re helping strengthen our sector’s resilience. 

We’re proud to introduce the Tourism Emergency Preparedness Resource Library—a free, searchable hub featuring 200 resources, including latest research, Indigenous knowledge, funding opportunities, and practical guidance for emergency planning, response, and recovery. 

Please explore the resource library today and share it with your network. Together, we can better safeguard the people, experiences, and assets that power Canada’s culture and economy.  

Tourism priorities at the table 

TIAC regularly meets with industry representatives and elected officials to push for policy changes that support a thriving sector. And we’re here to help members navigate and address their issues—please contact tiac_advocacy@tiac-aitc.ca for support. 

The Air Consultative Committee 

Partners across Canada’s air travel sector are focused on modernization to improve efficiency for travellers. Growth is expected through 2026, but geopolitical uncertainty and fuel prices are shifting patterns. Together, we’re keeping a close eye on potential airport governance and ownership reforms, and continuing to push for infrastructure and passenger rights improvements. 

(L-R) Carson Baker (TIAC), Senator Karen Sorensen, Sébastien Benedict (TIAC), Thomas DeGroot (TIAC)

(L-R) Thomas DeGroot (TIAC), MP Patrick Weiler, Amy Butcher (TIAC)

Government officials 

We led several productive meetings with elected officials on behalf of our industry to promote the power of tourism for Canada, leveraging riding-based data from our Local Impact tool. Our conversations are guided by the industry’s best interests which make up our budget recommendations to improve access to labour, capital, and Canada itself. We met with: 


• Ginette Lavack, MP for St. Boniface—St. Vital 
• Chris Mallet, MP for Bay of Quinte 
• Patrick Weiler, MP for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country 
• Tony Baldinelli, MP for Niagara Falls—Niagara-on-the-Lake 
• Senator Karen Sorensen 
• Senator Patti LaBoucane-Benson 

Sébastien Benedict with David Adames, CEO of Niagara Parks Commission

Showing up for the sector 

Sébastien Benedict continues to engage with leaders across the industry at events including with the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) and the Culinary Tourism Alliance. Collaboration is critical to capitalizing on emerging opportunities and championing a unified advocacy agenda. 

L-R: Minister Rechie Valdez with John Gunter, Board Chair for the Tourism Industry Association of Manitoba at Rendez-vous Canada 2026

Government representation at Rendez-vous Canada 

Rendez-vous Canada 2026 in Toronto saw a record number of Canadian sellers, international buyers, and elected officials who stand behind the power of tourism for their communities and all of Canada. Their attendance is a testament to our sector’s work to make tourism a government priority. 

The Hon. Rechie Valdez, Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), witnessed the signing of several major business deals, as well as spoke to more than 1,000 tourism leaders about the national importance of their work and passion.  

We were pleased to also be joined at Rendez-vous Canada by... 

• The Hon. Stan Cho, MPP & Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming for the Government of Ontario 
• The Hon. Dave Ritcey, MLA & Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage for the Government of Nova Scotia 
• Michael Ma, MP for Markham—Unionville 
• Blake Richards, MP for Airdrie—Cochrane