Winter 2025 | Volume 8
Canadian Audio Visual Providers Association | Association Canadienne des fournisseurs de services audiovisuels
President’s Report Dear Members, Thanks to everyone who joined us for this year’s AGM on January 29 – we had a record turnout with almost all member companies represented. A special thank you to our volunteer board of directors for their continued support, particularly outgoing Treasurer Rennie Colelli (BB Blanc) for his service in 2024, and a warm welcome to our new board member, Jason Wagner (Fifty North Events). 2024 was our most impactful year yet, with significant progress made at the Competition Bureau and in communicating our messaging surrounding venue preferred vs exclusive services and contracting to the event planner community. In addition to the reports and data we provided to the Competition Bureau, we also published our “Venue RFP Language Template” to assist planners in receiving pricing transparency on venue exclusive services and protecting their AV supplier freedom of choice. Additionally, we also published our “Considering hiring a foreign AV supplier?” document, providing information on Canadian immigration rules surrounding foreign workers coming into Canada for events.
Platinum Sponsors:
Speaking of events, in 2024 CAVPA exhibited at Expo-Scene in Montreal and CMEE in Toronto, as well as hosting a reception at Infocomm in Las Vegas. While we will not be at CMEE in 2025, we will be back with an even larger presence for both Expo-Scene and Infocomm Orlando. In addition to trade shows, I was honored to be asked to speak at the Go West conference in Edmonton earlier this month, where I was on an expert panel covering AV topics including AV price inflation, venue preferred vs exclusive services, and tips on managing AV costs on events. The conference saw strong engagement and interest in these AV issues, with a growing awareness of the importance of addressing them earlier in the event planning process, particularly in venue contracts. With the recent trade tensions between Canada and U.S., there has never been a better time to promote a message of “Buy Canada” and supporting Canadian OWNED audiovisual companies. Earlier this month, you should have received the new CAVPA member badges (in English and French). These can be displayed on your website, social media, email signatures, and proposals to highlight that your business is not only Canadian but Canadian-owned—an important distinction. In the coming weeks and months, you will see Continued…
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