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Jan 7, 2023

TIABC Voice of Tourism Newsletter – January 6th, 2023

TIABC

CEO MESSAGE

Happy New Year! I trust you enjoyed a break from the daily grind to vacation elsewhere or spend time with loved ones over the holidays, and that you’re looking forward with great anticipation to what 2023 will bring.

The week before Christmas I shovelled aside a mountain of snow at the end of my driveway to find a spot for a bin of compostable materials, as well as another bin of recyclables to be picked up by one of the city’s waste management trucks. Alas, it never came. Seems the amount of snow was too much for even large, heavy vehicles to negotiate.

Two weeks hence, after jamming every last piece of cardboard, paper and plastic left over from the holidays that I could fit into an overflowing recycling bin, I again shunted it to the curb for pick-up, even more mindful of what it contained given new federal regulations now in effect.

In case you are not aware, the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations (SUPPR) are part of the federal government’s plan to address pollution, meet its target of zero plastic waste by 2030, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The new regs prohibit the manufacture, import and sale of single-use plastic checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws. It is important to note that there are some exceptions to the rules, as well as a staggered timeline over the next 42 months for various stages of implementation.

From a tourism and hospitality perspective, the new regulations require attention, particularly for restaurants, bars, and other businesses with food service operations. As my colleague Mark von Schellwitz of Restaurants Canada explained to CTV news earlier this week…because the consumer appetite for takeout and delivery has increased (particularly since the start of the pandemic) and is unlikely to regress, so too has the need for items like plastic spoons, knives and forks.

Although the restaurant industry is completely aligned with and supports the goal to reduce waste from single-use plastic items, efforts must be balanced against safe, affordable, and available alternatives, not to mention consistent standards for waste management practices in communities across British Columbia and Canada…something that by and large does not exist at present.

You may recall that TIABC delivered a series of recommendations last July as part of the province’s consultation on preventing plastic and single-use waste in BC (a copy of the submission can be found on our website)…many of which align with those of Restaurants Canada and other industry sectors. Suffice it to say, a sufficient adjustment period beyond the protracted implementation of the new federal regs may still be necessary for some tourism and hospitality businesses to further help with recovery, among other reasons.

Another regulation in place as of January 1st is the federal government’s two-year ban on foreign ownership of residential dwellings in order to put the brakes on Canada’s frenzied housing market where limited supply, bidding wars, and other factors contributed to skyrocketing costs…save for recent months where higher interest rates have cooled things down somewhat.

Although recreational properties like cottages are exempted from the ban, as are communities with a population of less than 10,000, there are still many nuances within the regulations to cause uncertainty and directly impact the sale of vacation homes in ski resorts by way of example.

To be sure, there are many other regulations, new pieces of legislation, or consultation processes to be introduced this year that TIABC and/or our sector partners will respond to. Case in point, the province is taking an in-depth look at how to ensure gig work (i.e. income-earning activity outside conventional long-term employment relationships such as ride-hailing or food-delivery apps) is fair for workers and sustainable for businesses. There are others listed below.

While a series of round-table discussions on this issue were held in November and December around BC, an online questionnaire has been open to residents for a number of weeks. Note…the deadline for response is 4pm TODAY so please take a few minutes to respond pronto HERE.

Now that my garbage, compost, and recycling bins are all virtually empty, my task to conclude the first week of the new year is to box up old Christmas decorations, clothes I no longer wear, and impractical household items gathering dust in my garage to drop off at the local thrift store. Staying true to the old adage that one person’s trash is another person’s treasurer, I am confident these items will be recycled and put to good use by someone else instead of being thrown in a bin for pick-up by a late waste management truck destined for the landfill.

Walt Judas,
CEO, TIABC

Related Posts

TIABC CEO Walt Judas, BCHA's Ingrid Jarrett, DBC's Josie Heisig, Destination Vancouver's Michael Drake and Vancouver Deputy Mayor Mike Klassen were among the speakers honouring some 800 frontline workers at the recent Vancouver Tourism Awards Gala masterfully emceed by Fast Signs Paul LeBlanc at the JW Marriott Parq Hotel.

The Gala annually celebrates both monthly winners throughout the year, as well as all nominees. This year's featured speaker was BC Paralympian Josh Dueck who won a silver medal in skiing for Canada at both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Paralympics. His message of passion, perseverance and possibility earned him a standing ovation.

Huge kudos to Peggie Terry, the Board of Directors and the entire Vancouver Tourism Awards team for another outstanding gala.

📷: Rhonda Dent
TIABC’s Walt Judas, TOTA’s Ellen Walker Matthews and Travel Penticton’s Thom Tischik connected at the opening reception of the TOTA Summit in Vernon this week. Walt was one of the Summit speakers and spoke about the new political landscape in BC following last week’s provincial election. 

At the TOTA AGM on Tuesday, TIABC Director Sandra Oldfield was elected as TOTA’s new board chair.
TIABC CEO Walt Judas presented to delegates at the Kootenay Rockies Summit in Nelson where he spoke about what the final election results will mean for the tourism sector in BC.  He also moderated a panel discussion on emergency management featuring BCHA's Ingrid Jarrett, HatchComms' Kate Colley, and Kootenay Rockies Tourism's Corrine Bundschuh. The Kootenay Rockies region represents about 10% of British Columbia's annual tourism revenues.
CEO Walt Judas spoke about TIABC's advocacy priorities at the Northern BC Tourism Association (NBCTA) Summit in Prince George this week. It was the first in-person NBCTA conference in five years and attracted close to 100 delegates including Smithers tourism operator Al McCreary who is the past president of ABLE BC.

Delegates heard from several speakers on topics ranging from tourism crisis communications preparedness and sustainability, to AI and trail building with Indigenous partners. The Summit continues through Thursday with sessions on place making, innovation and marketing.
🍁 Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂 

In observance of Thanksgiving, our offices will be closed on Monday, October 14th. We will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, October 15th. 

Wishing you a joyful and safe Thanksgiving Holiday with family, friends, and loved ones.
2025 BC Tourism Industry Conference 

We’re excited to share that the conference program overview, registration rates, and hotel room booking details for the 2025 BC Tourism Industry Conference are now available to view on our website.

Explore the program overview. While detailed timing will be released later this fall, we're pleased to announce that the program will return to the Wednesday-to-Friday format. Mark your calendars for March 5-7, 2025, and stay tuned for updates on keynote speakers, engaging sessions, networking opportunities, and more.

Visit the conference website through link in bio! 👆🔗 

We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver next year!