Some associations are moving events from the U.S. to Canada, where favorable exchange rates, easier visa processes, and lower costs make it an appealing alternative.
As the U.S. dollar weakens under new tariffs, Canadian hotels and venues now offer added value.
A hotel room priced at $300 CAD translates to about $211 USD. A major draw for budget-conscious organizations, said Heather Dow, a senior manager at Ontario-based Events & Management Plus, an association and conference management firm. While the company serves clients across industries, Dow focuses on medical education.
“It is now more affordable to host meetings in Canada,” said Dow.
On January 20, the U.S. government issued Executive Order 14161. This increases immigration screening, leading to more visa delays. Meanwhile, Canada processes most visitor visas faster than the U.S.
“We have a lot of things working for us. Value, ease of entry, and global support,” said Dow. “There is also a new concern about entry to the U.S. for a conference.”
Conferences Considering Canada
A few of the associations she works with that typically have their conferences in the U.S. are moving them to Canada, she said. One American association will be meeting in Canada for the first time in July.
“Our clients are seeing a decline in participation from Canadians traveling to the U.S. for meetings,” she said. “Largely because funding has been cut, and there are freezes on participation.”
She also points to ripple effects from one of President Trump’s first executive orders eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the U.S. government. This executive order has had ripple effects. “Some of our speakers have had to modify their U.S. presentations to eliminate any reference to DEI,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Dow remains optimistic. At the recent United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) conference in Boston, March 22-27, she helped organize a Canadian Association of Pathologists in-person companion meeting with about 100 Canadian attendees.
“We came up with the idea last year, and when it was accepted, we had lots of time to plan and promote it. At no time did we consider withdrawing. We were very proud to be part of the program,” she said. “It was exciting to see attendance for our meeting peak at over 100 participants. We were Canadian strong and are planning on having a Canadian reception next year,” said Dow.
Encouraged by the success, Dow is planning a similar Canadian companion meeting at the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) in Atlanta in November.
“We will continue to collaborate with our American associations to generate comradery and emphasize we are ‘stronger together,’” said Dow.
