Over the past 4 months Destination Canada has added 12 fresh new videos to its Agents Training Hub. Covering all provinces and territories with the exception of Alberta, Nunavut and Northwest Territories and with the addition of specific Parks Canada and Indigenous Tourism content, the videos average between 20 – 30 minutes and provide a rapid introduction to key areas of Canada that British holiday makers travel to. The training hub was first launched in mid-June 2020 and included interviews with key tour operator industry partners providing key reasons to visit Canada, highlights and tips on selling the country to your clients.
“We are delighted to have Provincial and Territorial focussed webinars along with our friends at Parks Canada and Indigenous Tourism on our Training Hub. They give an excellent overview of the regions and product to help agents get to grips with selling Canada and putting together the perfect itinerary for their clients”, said Adam Hanmer, Travel Trade Manager, Destination Canada.
Agents can find the videos here : https://www.destinationcanada.com/en/canada-specialist-program-united-kingdom
New Hotel openings
These entrepreneurial Canadian hoteliers are forging ahead with new hotel properties and experiences. They look forward to welcoming visitors when the time is right:
Ace Hotel brings its Seattle brand to Canada, landing in Toronto this fall, with the brand’s second foray into building a hotel from scratch. Room design will likely stay on par with other Ace Hotels by including acoustic guitars, record players and an on-trend selection of vinyls. Ace Hotel Toronto is inspired by the multicultural amalgam of the city, built on Toronto’s rich traditions and history of innovation.
Opened in July, Montreal’s Griffintown Hotel is a $46-million project spearheaded by a group of local investors. The 14-storey building, a short walk from the Lachine Canal, includes 114 fully equipped condo-style apartments that can be booked for short-, medium- and long-term stays, with discounts offered for rentals of seven days or more.
The first Sutton Place property in Atlantic Canada, Sutton Place Hotel Halifax began taking reservations in September this year. An integral part of Nova Centre, the one-million-square-foot mixed development space includes the newly debuted Halifax Convention Centre. The hotel features 262 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, with an onsite contemporary restaurant and lounge and underground parking.
Adding to Halifax’s hotel scene in 2021 will be Marriott International’s first Autograph Collection hotel in Atlantic Canada and Halifax’s first five-star property, Muir. The 110-room hotel is slated to open as part of Queen’s Marque, a $200-million mixed-use development in Halifax’s historic waterfront area. Celebrating the rich history and modern culture of Atlantic Canada, the hotel’s tagline is “born of this place” and will be a showcase for Queen’s Marque’s investment in local art of over $7 million. Muir will also feature a premium restaurant and lobby bar, a 1,000-square-foot event gallery, and access to an 8,000-square-foot wellness centre equipped with an array of fitness equipment, hydrotherapy and halotherapy salt room.
On Canada’s west coast edge, in the town of Tofino, British Columbia, Hotel Zed opened its doors in late August. Like its locations in Victoria and Kelowna, Hotel Zed Tofino rebels against the ordinary. With a luxurious take on the retro-chic Hotel Zed brand, Hotel Zed Tofino exudes 1970s swank and features fun and unforgettable amenities, including:
- The world’s first bike-through lobby
- A secret arcade jam-packed with retro games that are changed out regularly (think Donkey Kong Jr. and Ms. Pac Man)
- A psychic’s den, complete with crystal ball and drop- in tarot card reader
- A light-up mini disco. Featuring a fog machine, glittery sequin wall and mirrored disco ball, this spot was made for guests in the mood to boogie. Bonus: the LED floor lights up to interact with patrons’ dance moves and tunes
Hotel Zed Tofino is part of the Tribal Park Allies, a community of businesses committed to the ecological protection and restoration of the Tribal Parks ancestral gardens and the resurgence of Tla-o-qui-aht culture and governance, and has committed to collecting a 1% voluntary fee from its customers for the cause. A mini book called ʔiisaak in the Garden (Respect in the Garden), placed in every guest room, tells the history of guardianship and activism in Tofino.
Canada Wins
In September, Alberta Distillers’ Albert Premium Cask Strength – a smooth spirit crafted from 100 percent Canadian-grown rye grain and pure water from the Rocky Mountains – was named the best whisky in the world by the prestigious Whisky Bible. The whisky is made from 100 percent rye grain and water from the Canadian Rockies. After being tasted alongside more than 1,252 whiskies in this year’s judging, Alberta Premium Cask Strength was noted by renown reviewer Jim Murray as, “a succulence to the oils, balanced perfectly by ulmo and manuka honeys ensure for the most chewable Canadian mouthful possibly ever….and yet this is constantly salivating, from the very first nanosecond…Truly world-class whisky from possibly the world’s most underrated distillery. How can something be so immense yet equally delicate? For any whisky lover on the planet looking for a huge but nearly perfectly balanced experience, then here you go. And with rye at its most rampantly beautiful, this is something to truly worship.”
Milestones
50 Year Celebration of the world’s longest skateway
Along the Rideau Canal National Historic Site (Ontario), visitors can play on the world’s largest skateway: 7.8km of skating along the historic Rideau Canal, which winds through the heart of Ottawa towards Dows Lake. The Rideau Canal Skateway was first opened during the 1970–1971 season and occupies a section of the Rideau Canal which stretches all the way from Ottawa to Kingston, along Ontario’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fifty-year highlights include: 1979 the launch of Winterlude with The Skateway at centre stage, 1980 the International Outdoor Curling Challenge is launched at Dows Lake and becomes an annual tradition,1981 a culinary tradition – the Beaver Tail – is introduced, 2005 the Skateway is recognized by the Guinness Book of World records as the largest naturally frozen ice rink in the world, 2018 Lonely Planet names the Skateway of North America’s most spectacular winter destinations, 2018-2019 The Skateway welcomes over 1 million visits, a new record!
Canada on Screen
Emmy sweep: Schitt’s Creek, the small Canadian show about a fish-out-of-water family, made history at the Emmy Awards in September with a comedy sweep: the show earned all four main acting awards, and also became the most awarded comedy in a single year. Filmed in Goodwood, Ontario – a picturesque town just north of Toronto, where Schitt’s icons Bob’s Garage, Rose Apothecary and Cafe Tropical congregate at one main intersection – Schitt’s Creek wrapped its final season in April. All six seasons are currently available to stream on Netflix.
Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy went back to school to learn about Canadian Indigenous history and contemporary culture – and since sharing the news with his followers, more than 180,000 have signed up to join the journey. Bonus: the Emmy award winning, Toronto-born actor, writer, producer and director not only took the University of Alberta’s free 12-week “Indigenous Canada” course; he also co-hosted discussions every Sunday with the university’s professors.
Green Canada
Driven by a passion to develop affordable, cutting-edge electric vehicles, Vancouver-based Electra Meccanica recently introduced the single-seater, commuter-friendly SOLO, and is currently developing elegant, two-seater electric roadster TOFINO. The cars are truly a step towards the future, reducing drivers’ gas bills to zero, eliminating environmental impact and boasting 99% fewer parts than a combustion engine. Sustainability has never looked better. Check it out here : https://electrameccanica.com/
Virtual Canada
November 26-29: Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto Presenting progressive, distinct and exceptional fashion, textiles and crafts by Indigenous artists, Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto is led by Indigenous women committed to exploring the deep connections between mainstream fashion, Indigenous art and traditional practice. This year’s celebration is virtual and can be accessed through : https://ifwtoronto.com/
2021 Marks 100 years since the discovery of Insulin by Canadian Frederick Banting
Why do we celebrate World Diabetes Day on November 14th?
Canadian Sir Frederick Banting ,discovered insulin in Toronto, Ontario in 1921, marking 2021 as the 100th year since its discovery, with his assistant Charles Best and JJR Mcleod , thus saving millions of peoples lives. Banting was born on November 14th, 1891 in Alliston, Ontario, the youngest of five children.
Banting trained as a physician . It is not clear what motivated him to research into Diabetes as he had no research experience, but it is known that a childhood friend of his died of diabetes at a young age.
He was injured at the Battle of Cambrai in WW1 and was awarded the military cross for heroism in 1919.
He returned to Toronto post war and took up the post of Resident Surgeon at the Hospital for Sick Children but moved to London, Ontario after he did not secure a place on the hospital staff and started his own practice.
The first people ever injected with insulin were Banting and Best themselves.
Aged 32, He was the youngest ever candidate to receive the Nobel Laureate in the field of Physiology/Medicine and shared his money with Charles Best who was not acknowledged.
In 1934 Banting was knighted by King George V – one of the last and only Canadians to have been recognised in this way.
He refused to accept money for the patent and it was eventually sold by Best and Mcleod for $1.00
Additionally, In 1938, Banting’s interest in aviation medicine resulted in his participation with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in research concerning the physiological problems encountered by pilots operating high-altitude combat aircraft. Banting headed the RCAF’s Number 1 Clinical Investigation Unit (CIU), which was housed in a secret facility on the grounds of the former Eglinton Hunt Club in Toronto.
During the Second World War he investigated the problems of aviators, such as “blackout” (syncope).He also helped Wilbur Franks with the invention of the G-suit to stop pilots from blacking out when they were subjected to g-forces while turning or diving. Another of Banting’s projects during the Second World War involved using and treating mustard gas burns. Banting even tested the gas and antidotes on himself to see if they were effective
Banting was also a recognised amateur painter, including members of the Group of 7 amongst his acquaintances. One of his paintings sold for $30,000 in Toronto.
He was killed in a airplane crash in Newfoundland and Labrador, on his way to the UK .
Banting House National Historic Site of Canada
His original practice in London, Ontario is now Banting House and a National Historic Site of Canada. London, Ontario is approx. 190km from Toronto.
Banting lived at the house in London for ten months, beginning in June, 1920. He attempted a private medical practice and when it was unsuccessful, he began working at the University of Western Ontario; his research for a lecture there was what inspired his 25 word idea that provided the key to discovering insulin, and prevented the certain death of those affected by diabetes. Banting returned to the University of Toronto to begin his research on insulin in the spring of 1921 with the first patient injected on 11th January, 1922.
Banting House is dedicated to the story behind the discovery of insulin, as well as Banting’s life and career. Its galleries focus on everything from his time spent in London, to his contributions in both World Wars, to his efforts as an artist. Some notable artifacts include Banting’s original art, desk, medicine cabinet, and bed frame, as well as his Military Cross, the KBE, and his official replica of the Nobel Prize. Banting House was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997.
Flame of Hope
A “Flame of Hope” was lit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother[44] in 1989 as a tribute to Dr. Frederick Grant Banting and all the people that have lost their lives to diabetes. The flame will remain lit until there is a cure for diabetetes. When a cure is found, the flame will be extinguished by the researchers who discover the cure. The flame is located at Sir Frederick Banting Square in London, Ontario, Canada beside the Banting House National Historic Site of Canada
Time capsule
A time capsule was buried in the Sir Frederick Banting Square in 1991 to honour the 100th anniversary of Sir Frederick Banting’s birth. It was buried by the International Diabetes Federation Youth Representative and the then Governor General of Canada. It will be exhumed if a cure for diabetes is found.
For more information on Banting House please go to : https://bantinghousenhsc.wordpress.com
For more information on what to do and see around London, Ontario : https://www.londontourism.ca/
Stay updated
https://travel.gc.ca/ – Information on how to have a safe and enjoyable journey when you are travelling in Canada.
https://www.canada.ca/en – latest information on who can travel to Canada.
For more media information please contact Ms. Nim Singh, Destination Canada, singh.nim@destinationcanada.com 0207 389 9983 (not for publication)