Meetings + Events

by Laura Bickle

Each week we are spotlighting how venues, planners, hotels and suppliers are reopening and re-imagining their businesses.

In today’s newsletter, we speak to Ron Pellerine, general manager at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC).

What is the current operating status?

Our sales team is currently accepting bookings and we are open for business. Based on a recent announcement by the Province of Ontario, our facility can host events of up to 50 people in every event space. We are thrilled to welcome back events safely and we look forward to supporting our customers while events adapt to a new normal. More than ever, supporting our customers, our industry, our region and local businesses is our focus.

To support the future success of the local hospitality and business events industry, we have been working closely with the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (MHSTCI) and our partners, including Destination Toronto, TIAO, TIAC, IAVM and CAEM to create solutions and best practices.

What preparations are being made to reopen your venue?

Our centre has always operated with very high health and safety standards. Our new enhanced safe events guide, ONWARD, was approved by Toronto Public Health and adheres to the Chief Medical Health Office guidance document on safe reopening for meeting facilities. It’s a comprehensive guide that prioritizes physical distancing, air circulation, cleaning and disinfection. Our team is committed to going above and beyond to support our customers and ensure that events are held in a safe and healthy environment.

The complete plan can be found on our website at mtccc.com/onward.

What is different in terms of your services?

To ensure that every event is serviced as safely as possible, our employees have undergone training to learn new protocols. The frequency of cleaning and sanitizing has been increased in all public spaces with an emphasis on frequent-contact touch points. To optimize traffic flow and physical distancing, setups for all meeting rooms have been revised and food and beverage offerings have been adapted. We’ve prepared a simple guest experience guide for attendees to understand what to expect when they visit our facility, it can be accessed at mtccc.com/onward.

What have you learned from the pandemic?

This unprecedented period of time has taught me that our industry and our organization are incredibly resilient. Even during the most unexpected and challenging circumstances, we were able to stay strong, stay positive and take the necessary steps to find solutions. Being able to pivot and adapt has never been more important.

Have you had any small meetings or events?

Unfortunately not, given the restrictions that were in place. Our focus has been on helping customers create the best plan possible for their event. We have been talking through what their event will look like and answering all of their questions. Many of the events that were cancelled in the past few months have rebooked for future years and we are looking forward to a strong calendar of events for 2021. Toronto and Canada have fared relatively well compared to other regions in the world, which may give our city an advantage in terms of our future success. 

What do planners need to know about your meetings and events offerings?

We would like planners to know that our safe events plan is thorough. It has been approved by Toronto Public Health and adheres to guidelines set by the Ontario Ministry of Health. We have a world-class, seasoned team that can handle any event and any situation. We are also committed to making their event safe and successful. Our vision statement—“We Help Our Customers Create Successful Events”—has not changed and will not change. We will be their ally during this unprecedented time and we remain committed to making their event safe and successful.