INDUSTRY INSIGHTS & UPDATES FOR MARCH 18, 2022

ADD YOUR VOICE TO ESSENTIAL FEDERAL ADVOCACY

Over the past two weeks, the Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses has launched a timely new phase of national advocacy, and your participation is essential. Reopening steps in recent weeks are encouraging, but the return of large-scale visitation will take time, and there are immediate steps necessary to support businesses across the sector.

The Coalition put forward three key steps necessary to support the survival and recovery of the tourism sector:

• Removing barriers at the border, including testing requirements that have deterred international visitors and business events;
• Extending and adjusting the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program – including extending the program to September, maintaining full wage and rent subsidy rates, adjusting seasonal eligibility, and lowering the revenue loss threshold; and
• Investing resources into a dedicated tourism and hospitality labour strategy so that operators have the workforce required to ramp up capacity

This week the news that testing requirements are being removed for arriving passengers is very encouraging. It illustrates the importance of articulating clear policy paths.

As a member of the Coalition, Destination Toronto is calling on the federal government to deliver on the other two essential steps to recovery and asks that you, as business leaders in the visitor economy, also bring your voice to support this call. You can write to MPs and share important stories about your business using the letters and toolkit here. 

CANADA LIFTING PRE-ARRIVAL TESTING AT THE BORDER  

As of April 1, 2022, the federal government will be lifting the pre-arrival COVID-19 testing requirement at the border for fully vaccinated travellers.

​​For partially or unvaccinated travellers who are currently allowed to travel to Canada, pre-entry testing requirements are not changing. Unless otherwise exempt, all travellers 5 years of age or older who do not qualify as fully vaccinated must continue to provide proof of an accepted type of pre-entry COVID-19 test result:

• a valid, negative antigen test, administered or observed by an accredited lab or testing provider, taken outside of Canada no more than one day before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry; or
• a valid negative molecular test taken no more than 72 hours before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry, or
• a previous positive molecular test taken at least 10 calendar days and no more than 180 calendar days before their initially scheduled flight departure time or their arrival at the land border or marine port of entry. It is important to note that positive antigen test results will not be accepted.

All travellers continue to be required to submit their mandatory information in ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) before their arrival in Canada. Travellers who arrive without completing their ArriveCAN submission may have to test on arrival and quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status. Travellers taking a cruise or a plane must submit their information in ArriveCAN within 72 hours before boarding.

ONTARIO ANNOUNCES LIFT ON THE REMAINING PUBLIC HEALTH AND WORKPLACE SAFETY MEASURES 

After almost two years of COVID-19 restrictions and public health mandates, the provincial government has announced a timeline for removing all public health restrictions, including mask mandates.  

With continued improvement in trends, Ontario will remove the mandatory masking requirement for most settings on March 21, with the exception of select settings such as public transit, health care settings, long-term care homes and congregate care settings.

While this does not signal that COVID-19 has disappeared or that the pandemic is over, it does mean that we have come to a place where we know what we need to do to manage this virus and keep each other safe. 

SAVE THE DATE: SPRING BRIEFING

Save the Date for Destination Toronto’s Spring Briefing virtual event. This webinar will provide:

• Updates on Market Readiness and the latest trends
• Information on key initiatives
• Content priorities
• Upcoming meetings and events
• Ways to deepen your engagement with the Visitor Economy in the months ahead

April 11, 2022 at 9:30 AM 
More details to come 

 CONFERENCE BOARD OF CANADA REPORT FORECASTS
GROWTH IN TORONTO'S ECONOMY

The Conference Board of Canada recently released a Major City Insights report for the Toronto census metropolitan area (CMA). After rebounding by 4.7 percent in 2021, Toronto's economy is forecast to expand a further 4.1 percent this year. The report predicts a more moderate growth of 1.6 percent in 2023. 

• Toronto Star: From TTC Metropasses to the CN Tower: 15 Toronto sightings featured in Pixar’s ‘Turning Red’
  
• Toronto Sun: Guys' Getaway In Toronto Celebrates Return To 'normalcy' With A Touch Of Luxe
  

Claire Hopkinson Moving on as Director and CEO, Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation:

After 17 years of inspired leadership and exceptional achievements, Claire has decided that the end of 2022 marks the optimum time for herself and the organization to transition to new opportunities.

CoMotion Festival, Curated By Alex Bulmer, Celebrates New Ideas And Expressions By Deaf And Disabled Artists:  

With 30 professional years across theatre, television, film, radio and education, Bulmer is dedicated to intersectional collaborative art practice, fueled by a curiosity of the improbable and deeply informed by her experience of becoming blind.

Walmart Selects Toronto and Atlanta For New Global Tech Hubs:

Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) announced plans to make Toronto, Ontario and Atlanta, Georgia, two new Walmart Global Tech hubs because of their growing tech presence, connection to Walmart and broad and diverse local talent. The expansion is part of Walmart Global Tech’s plan to hire more than 5,000 associates globally this fiscal year.

New 3-Day Music Festival With Major Headliners Coming to Toronto This Summer:

Ink Entertainment is bringing a new EDM Festival to City View over the July long weekend.

If you’re a fan of EDM, you’ll definitely recognize some of the names on the festival’s lineup — Tiesto, Illenoium, and Above & Beyond, to name a few!

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