Destination Canada fund helps bring more meetings to Canada

Destination Canada’s multimillion-dollar International Convention Attraction Fund (ICAF), launched in March 2024, has already supported 21 successful bids made by Canadian Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) to host high-value major international conferences.

Created and administered by Destination Canada, and funded by the Government of Canada, the ICAF is a vital component of Destination Canada’s strategy to establish Canada as a leading destination for hosting business events.

This is especially important as many Canadian destinations have yet to meet the business-events activity level seen before the pandemic. Because booking decisions for business events are made between two and ten years before a conference takes place, this program is essential to secure future editions of these conferences and to recover booking pace.

The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, pointed out that: “Competition for international events is fierce – and Canada is winning! Thanks to our historic investments through the International Convention Attraction Fund, we’ve already landed 21 major conferences. These events showcase the best of our country to some 51,000 overnight delegates from around the world – who spend twice as much as leisure travellers – while creating opportunities for our businesses. We look forward to welcoming the world to Canada.”

The three-year program offers financial commitments of up to $1 million per event bid by eligible Canadian destinations, and is part of an overall investment of $50 million from budget 2023 for the attraction of major international conferences to Canada.

Since its launch earlier this year, the ICAF has received a lot of applications for events across the country, and now stands at 21 confirmed conference wins.

These won events are expected to:

• Attract over 51,000 overnight delegates to Canada
• Lead to an anticipated direct economic impact of over $122 million
• There are currently 30 additional event bids awaiting decisions by event owners

Marsha Walden, President and CEO, Destination Canada, said: “This fund is the cornerstone of our competitiveness in attracting major international conferences to Canada. Canada has shown up with our destination partners where it matters, at the top major business events in our key markets.”

And Walden continued: “The impact of this work is clear. The results speak for themselves, and this is just the start. The top conferences this fund has secured will bring the best and the brightest minds to Canada: healthcare innovators, energy and resource visionaries, trailblazers advancing AI and technology.”

Canadian cities including Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Quebec City, Victoria, Calgary, Ottawa, and St. John’s have successfully secured several prestigious events of different sizes, reinforcing their status as premier destinations for hosting international business events. ICAF-supported bid wins include:

• The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2025 (AAIC25), taking place in Toronto, Ontario, with an anticipated direct economic impact of $18.8 million
• The 2027 World Road Congress, taking place in Vancouver, British Columbia, with an anticipated direct economic impact of $10.2 million
• The 2028 World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, taking place in Montreal, Quebec, with an anticipated direct economic impact of $6.6 million
• The 2025 International Symposium on Avian Influenza, taking place in St. John’s, Newfoundland, with an anticipated direct economic impact of $524,468
• The 2028 International Geological Congress (IGC), taking place in Calgary, Alberta, with an anticipated direct economic impact of $15.4 million.

The ICAF supports bids for events that fall within Canada’s key economic sectors, including advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, life sciences, natural resources, digital industries, and finance and insurance.

In addition to the ICAF, Destination Canada’s comprehensive business events strategy encompasses robust marketing campaigns and a significant Canadian presence at major industry sales events where the Canadian Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) ecosystem can generate valuable leads.

Business events are an important part of the tourism industry for Canada with approximately $47 billion in direct economic impact for Canada and supporting over 240,000 jobs.

Go to www.destinationcanada.com for more.