Some associations are moving activities from the United States to Canada, where favorable exchange rates, easier visa processes and lower costs make it an attractive option.
Canadian hotels and venues now offer added value as the dollar weakens under new tariffs.
A hotel room priced at $300, which will be about $211. Heather Dow, senior manager at Ontario Event & Management Plus, an association and conference management company, said the main attraction for budget-conscious organizations. Although the company serves customers in various industries, DOW focuses on medical education.
“It’s more affordable to hold meetings in Canada now,” Dow said.
On January 20, the U.S. government issued the executive order of 14161. This increases immigration screening, resulting in more visa delays. Meanwhile, Canada processes most visitor visas faster than the United States
“We have a lot of things that work for us. Value, ease of access and global support,” Dow said. “There is also a new focus on new issues entering the U.S. conference.”
Consider a conference in Canada
She said some of the associations she works with usually hold meetings in the United States to move them to Canada. An American association will meet in Canada for the first time in July.
“Our clients have seen a decline in participation from Canadians to the U.S. for conferences,” she said. “Basically because funds have been cut and participation has been frozen.”
She also noted that one of President Trump’s first executive orders eliminates the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program in the U.S. government. The executive order has a chain reaction. “Some of our spokespersons had to revise their U.S. speeches to eliminate any reference to DEI,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Dow Jones is still optimistic. On March 22-27, she helped organize the Canadian Association of Pathologists’ In-person Partner Conference at the American and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) meeting in Boston, organizing with about 100 Canadian participants.
“We came up with this idea last year and when it was accepted, we had a lot of time to plan and promote it. We never considered quitting. We are proud to be part of the program,” she said. “It’s great to see our meeting peak attending out of over 100 participants. We are strong in Canada and are planning a Canadian reception next year.”
Encouraged by success, Dow Jones plans to hold a similar Canadian peer meeting at the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) in Atlanta in November.
“We will continue to work with the American Association to generate comrades and emphasize that we are ‘becoming stronger together’,” Dow said.
