I’m pleased to provide an update on our progress at the Business Events Industry Coalition of Canada (BEICC), now rebranded as “Meetings Mean Business Canada” or “MMB Canada” when abbreviated.

Key highlights:
• We have made significant progress with our outreach to you and other key industry stakeholders across Canada (over 50 to date) who have expressed their support for this exciting coalition-building initiative.
• A special thank you to Johanne Belanger at Tourism Toronto, Barry Smith at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and Cathy Pugh with Convention Centres of Canada for their assistance in getting the word out along with our hard-working, member-volunteer board.
• We have a new logo (see above) following our licensing agreement with Meetings Mean Business in the U.S.
• We are proud to announce the launch of our new website www.MeetingsMeanBusiness.ca which reflects our new branding and focus on advocacy. Your names and logos are proudly displayed under the “Members and Supporters” section. Should any be missing, please let us know.
• We have a new email address reflecting our new identity: [email protected]
• We have a new Twitter handle: @MtgsMeanBizCA which will be actively managed going forward. Please follow, like, retweet and encourage your organizations to do the same.
• Our conversations with TIAC regarding the creation of a permanent secretariat for the coalition are progressing in a positive direction.
• We have media partnership commitments from IGNITE and M&IT magazines that will significantly improve our visibility going forward.
• We had a podium time at the GMID in Toronto. Thank you to the MPI Toronto Chapter for this. In addition, FMAV broadcasted this and other presentations via Facebook Live and other channels.
• Thank you to everyone who is helping spread the word about the need for a single advocacy voice for the Meetings Industry in Canada

Next Steps:
• Continue dialogue with TIAC re: secretariat
• Continue activation of social media and other communications
• Continue dialogue with members and supporters re: strategic objectives, resources, data collection and aggregation, shaping our advocacy voice.

Thank you for your ongoing support. We are counting on your input to make this initiative truly successful and impactful as our industry moves into the future and faces yet-unknown challenges and opportunities.