We hope that the start of spring is bringing positive change to your day-to-day operations. Some days it has felt that even that little bit of extra daylight at the end of the day is a big win. Last month we wrote you as we were about to start the BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference, and it was an incredible three days. It is hard to pick even a handful of highlights, but a few that stand out include:
Seeing so many of our industry colleagues in person and not on a computer screen!
The National Town Hall, where we heard from Beth Potter, President and CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Michelle Ferreri, Member of Parliament and & Shadow Minister for Tourism and Susie Grynol, President of the Hotel Association of Canada. The energy and passion they have for our industry was something that will not soon be forgotten.
The BC Tourism & Hospitality Awards Gala. We were remiss in sharing with you that we were nominated with our colleagues in the Fraser Valley for the Community Contribution & Impact Award. This award recognizes an individual, organization or consortium that has demonstrated social responsibility through efforts to enhance social and cultural impact, help foster collaboration, and build resiliency in the community. Our recognition was for how we all worked together last year, particularly through the Lytton fire and flooding last fall. We are so proud to have made a top-three finalist and congratulate our colleagues at the British Columbia Tourism Resiliency Network for winning this award. Congratulations also go to SKY Helicopters, a top-three finalist for the Innovation award. More details on their project are below.
Before we have you catch up on what is happening in our industry with the bulk of our newsletter, we wanted to mention another business in Langley that has received some recognition lately. I recognize that each month these newsletters can contain a lot of information. As we have heard so many times over the past two years, consuming the news and updates available to us can feel like "drinking from a fire hose." We do our very best to gather what we think is important for you to know for these monthly newsletters. Then if we can think of groups of stakeholders for whom a particular piece of information is more relevant than others, we will send a follow-up email to ensure you have seen it.
Last fall, our September Newsletter included the opportunity to participate in a program offered by Destination BC. The Power Up! program provided digital mentorship in various areas that a business could select an area to focus on. Our friends at Junction Consulting were one of the companies that businesses could be paired with. Early Bird Farms, one of the newest tourism products in the Township of Langley applied and was accepted to the program and had the opportunity to work with Junction Consulting. The Power Up! program has now wrapped up, and Junction Consulting wrote a great article that summarizes the lessons learned from working with Early Bird Farms and 15 other businesses that we thought you might find interesting.
The resources we have seen be made available in the last two years have been a source of light in some not-so-bright times. The good news is that while some of the most challenging impacts, such as travel restrictions, have improved, these resources continue to be made available. If there is an area you need support, never hesitate to reach out. We can't guarantee to have the answer, but the more we know about the help our community needs, the easier it is for us to advocate for support.
Erinn and Daniella
REMINDER: TOURISM LANGLEY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
You are invited to Tourism Langley's Annual General Meeting taking place on April 26th, 2022 from 7:00 - 8:00 PM via Zoom.
In order to manage voting, if you wish to attend the AGM an RSVP is required via the link below. Everyone who RSVP's will receive a link to access the AGM.
LOCO BC has obtained free rapid tests and KN95 masks for front-line businesses in the lower mainland through the Canadian Red Cross. If you require rapid tests or masks for you or your staff, fill in this quick survey as soon as possible and LOCO BC will plan to drop them off to you in the next 10 days.
TOURISM HR CANADA LAUNCHES POST-PANDEMIC GUIDE TO HIRING
Tourism’s workforce issues did not begin with the pandemic, but COVID has heightened and amplified the problem. The reality is that the sector is facing greater competition for workers than it did before, and it’s expected to get worse.
The tools in this guide are intended to help tourism businesses get started on the path to recovery, with both short-term and long-term strategies to attract, retain, and grow a skilled workforce. Now Hiring covers a range of essential HR practices, tips to implement them, and practical checklists and forms to help tackle key issues.
NEW CHANGES TO THE TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM TO ADDRESS LABOUR SHORTAGES
On Monday, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced important changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program under the Workforce Solutions Road Map which will provide hoteliers with better access to the program.
Since early this year, there has been a significant campaign to press the Government to make immediate changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker program to help relieve the labour burden for the sector. Recommendations included prioritizing access for employers, expedited processing, recognition that low-skilled workers are key to our economic rebirth, and the need make the process easier and worth the effort.
Effective immediately:
Addressing seasonal peaks, there will no longer be a limit to the number of low-wage positions that employers in seasonal industries. In addition, the maximum duration of these positions will be increased from 180 days to 270 days per year.
Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA’s) will be valid for 18 months, an increase from 9 months. (Prior to COVID-19, LMIA’s were valid for 6 months).
The maximum duration of employment for High-Wage and Global Talent Streams workers will be extended to three years. This will help workers qualify for permanent residency, contributing to our long-term workforce.
Effective April 30th:
Accommodation and Food Services will be among seven sectors in which employers will be allowed to hire up to 30% of their workforce through the TFW Program for low-wage positions for one year. The policy that automatically refuses LMIA applications in regions with unemployment rate of 6% or higher will end.
With the lifting or easing of many pandemic health and travel measures, Canada’s tourism employers are looking ahead to a busier summer season, but are facing a depleted workforce.
Tourism HR Canada’s student work placement program, Propel, has been extended for an additional two years. Propel connects post-secondary students with meaningful, paid work-integrated learning placements and provided tourism and hospitality employers with wage subsidies to support these placements.
The program is actively accepting applications for the upcoming summer semester.
Click here for full details on the Propel Student Work Placement Program and a link to the application portal.
SMARTMOVE AIMS TO REDUCE LABOUR MARKET SHORTAGES
A partnership between Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC) and Small Business BC, SmartMove helps to reduce labour market shortages by connecting small businesses with qualified newcomers to Canada. The goals of this program is to support small business owners with hiring qualified workers, improving employment prospects for job-ready newcomers.
Small Business Owners or Managers – Businesses in the Lower Mainland recruiting within the next four to six months
Immigrants to BC – Newcomers seeking employment aligned with their skills and training
This program will be cohort based. The first cohort has already started but you can apply for an upcoming cohert. Each cohort is 3 months, with continued follow up to help small businesses find quality newcomer job seekers for their open positions.
For more information on SmartMove and to apply, click here.
PROGRAM TO HELP TOURISM BUSINESSES CAPITALIZE ON DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES
In March, the Government of Canada launched the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) to help Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) realize their full potential by adopting digital technologies.
Announced in Budget 2021, the $4 billion program is an investment of $1.4 billion in grants and advisory services to SMEs from the Government of Canada and up to $2.6 billion in loans from the Business Development Bank of Canada to help businesses cover the costs of implementing new digital technologies.
The program provides funding and expertise to businesses, as well as training and work opportunities for young Canadians.
Businesses will be able to apply for two different kinds of support through the CDAP:
Stream 1: Grow Your Business Online, will help SMEs take advantage of e-commerce opportunities
Stream 2: Boost Your Business Technology, will help businesses with the development and implementation of digital adoption strategies
Is your organization striving for a broader understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)? Wondering how hiring students and hiring in general can support your goals? Have you considered the barriers students and staff from equity seeking groups encounter during the job hunting, interviewing, and on-boarding process—and how your organization can make adjustments?
Join Talent MATCH and Talent 4 Non-Profits as they welcome Akanksha Thakur (she/her), the Project Lead for ACE-WIL’s EDI Resource Hub and the EDI Program Manager at TransLink. Akanksha will present an overview of the EDI Hub, highlighting the barriers that employers and student-employees face, and the resources that were built in response—including tips on inclusive job postings and interviewing, information on accessibility, power dynamics, and much more.
Help LOCO BC measure the impact of buy local campaigns in B.C. This year has been especially active with the federal Shop Local funding providing $5.5 Million to organizations and campaigns throughout B.C.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: GO2HR LAUNCHES SAFER SPACES
Safer Spaces: Creating Sexual Harassment Free Workplaces in BC’s Tourism and Hospitality Industry, is a three-year initiative developed by go2HR to raise awareness about and help prevent sexual harassment in tourism and hospitality workplaces. The Safer Spaces initiative has two foundational components:
An extensive education and information campaign to help raise awareness about sexual harassment and provide resources to help prevent it
The creation of two industry-focused online training courses; one for employers and supervisors and the other for workers
REMINDER: FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS AVAILABLE FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
With the ongoing provincial health orders restricting capacity and closing certain venues, below is a list of federal and provincial supports available to tourism businesses:
Click HERE for a complete list of industry resources.
UPCOMING WEBINARS FROM SMALL BUSINESS BC
Destination BC has partnered with Small Business BC to offer free access for tourism business stakeholders across the province to online education supporting COVID-19 recovery. Upcoming webinars include:
To access the webinars free of charge, register online using coupon code DBC3034
DESTINATION BC LEARNING CENTRE
Did you know that Destination BC has a Learning Centre that provides access to FREE resources and tools, best practices, workshops, and training programs for BC’s tourism industry?
New content is added regularly for tourism businesses to grow their skills in eight subject areas: digital marketing, experience development, social media marketing, travel trade & travel media, applying insights, safety & emergency preparedness, accessible tourism, and the Super, Natural British Columbia® brand. You can access it HERE.
COLLATERAL MATERIALS
Tourism Langley has a variety of printed materials that we make available to you, such as Pads of Tear Off Maps, Circle Farm Tour Brochures, Fraser Valley Ale Trail Brochures, Experiences Guides, Food & Wine Guides and Explorer Newspaper. Please use our order form to request the items you would like to have. Once we receive your order, we will reach out and deliver them to your door!
STAKEHOLDER NEWS
Congratulations to SKY Helicopters for being recognized at this year's BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference Awards Gala for Innovation in Marketing.
The Innovation award recognizes an individual, organization or consortium that developed, promoted and implemented an innovative product, initiative, customer service or tourism experience, or marketing campaign this past year.
With the disruption to the global tourism industry for the second year; SKY Helicopters understood that inbound tourism could no longer be a viable source of customers for the foreseeable future. SKY focused attention on Greater Vancouver communities and created opportunities and solutions for those looking for an outlet for adventure. By engaging with the local customer base through a full re-working of our tourism experiences, SKY was able to provide the best in BC backcountry adventure, and become a part of our guest’s lifestyle by creating memories to last a lifetime.
Finalists in the Innovation category included the new multi-million dollar Malahat Skywalk attraction on Vancouver Island and the Wine Growers of BC., with the award presented to Malahat Skywalk.
In preparation for its triumphant return to full in-person programming following online and hybrid festivals the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Odlum Brown Fort Langley Jazz and Arts Festival is thrilled to announce the most extensive free programming in its history.
The 2022 Festival will feature a combination of in-person ticketed shows and free community events between July 21 - 24, 2022. The festival is also thrilled to announce that all of the six community stages located throughout the village will be connected by a FREE shuttle that will run on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24, allowing Festival guests to experience all of the magic of music and art throughout the historic Fort Langley village.
The line-up for free and ticketed shows will be announced on April 30th, International Jazz Day. Tickets for the headliner shows will go on sale in early May.
Featured FREE 2022 events across six stages throughout the Village of Fort Langley on Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24th can be found in the following news release.
If you have any exciting news you would like us to share in our monthly newsletter, please email daniella@tourism-langley.ca.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The following events are scheduled for this month:
