Destination Canada

Legacy and Impact Study

Project's Mission

The Business Events Impact and Legacy Study is a multi-year project between Destination Canada (DC), GainingEdge, and #MEET4IMPACT. This initiative aims to position DC as a global leader in leveraging the long-term benefits of business events. Through analyzing 16 past and future events, the study seeks to uncover and showcase “beyond-tourism” impacts, including knowledge exchange, innovation, and socio-economic development.

By highlighting these medium- and long-term outcomes, the project will differentiate DC’s brand, strengthen key economic sectors, and drive meaningful benefits for Canadian communities.

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Project's Vision

The study envisions a future where business events serve as strategic tools for advancing Canada’s global competitiveness, economic resilience, and community well-being. The findings will inform evidence-based strategies to:

Support Canadian sectors such as Agribusiness, Advanced Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Technology, Life Sciences, and Finance & Insurance.
Highlight the medium- to long-term legacies of business events, including policy advancements, sectoral innovation, and talent development.
Provide actionable insights to help Canadian destinations deliver impactful, future-focused events.

Through this research, the project aims to identify the type, scale, and scope of events that are most likely to generate transformational benefits, such as novel ideas, research collaborations, trade deals, and policy changes.

Project's Objectives

Provide evidence of medium- to long-term social, economic, and environmental benefits of business events in Canada.
Develop case studies showcasing events that resulted in significant investments and sectoral advancements.
Offer actionable insights on the types of events that most effectively drive investment, innovation, and community development.

Research Questions

What is the nature and breadth of the social - economic – environmental benefits that business events generate for Canadian communities, event organizers & participants and actors of the business events industry, in the medium and long-term?

To what extent do business events support the development strategies of the following sectors: Agribusiness, Advanced Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Technology, Life Sciences and Finance & Insurance?

How can Destination Canada Business Events contribute to the stimulation of the generation of effects that are most important to its partners and stakeholders?

Methodology

This study is grounded in the BE Impactful Framework, using each capital as a lens through which to see the positive social impact generated by business events across the country. Preliminary findings indicate that intellectual outcomes from event activities often have a profound impact on sectoral development by altering mindsets and practices within sectors, attracting new resources, and fostering innovation.

Data Collection

Stakeholder mapping
Outcomes mapping / Outcomes harvesting
Mixed Methods: Quantitative. Qualitative, Comparative

Key Informant Interviews:

DMO
Local Chair(s)
Int’l Ass.
Key partners in destination

Documentary Data:

RFP/Bid
Event documents / web
Partner documents
Articles & media

Surveys & Testimonials:

BE Impactful Framework Survey
Participants evaluation
Onsite « pop-up » interviews

Our expertise

Analysis

Qualitative data analysis through MaxQDA: categorization of outcomes -> Outcome harvesting
Survey – Quantitative analysis (occurrence, frequency, correlation)
Substantiating of hypotheses
Contribution analysis

Project's Outcomes

Preliminary Findings: 3 Prevalent Captials from our BE Impactful Framework

Intellectual Outcomes:
Business events play a pivotal role in sectoral development by generating new ideas and theories, fostering professional training and development for students and experts, and facilitating the exchange of best practices and industry standards.

Social Outcomes:
Business events strengthen sectoral ecosystems by enabling formal network development, consolidating communities of practice, and fostering international collaborations. They also promote the inclusion of diverse perspectives and raise awareness of pressing social issues.

Political Impact:
Through strategic engagement, business events enhance sectoral visibility by gaining government recognition, influencing political leadership, and expanding media coverage to global audiences.
These interconnected outcomes underline the transformative potential of business events in shaping knowledge, building communities, and driving policy engagement.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

The Iceberg, along with the Global Destination Sustainability Movement, is providing storytelling support for this study.

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Anticipated Outcomes

Comprehensive Evidence: Demonstrating the long-term social, economic, and environmental benefits of business events for Canadian stakeholders.
Actionable Insights: Identifying enabling factors and best practices for collaboration to enhance event legacies and community impact.
Sectoral Growth: Strengthening key Canadian industries through investment attraction, talent development, and global partnerships.
Destination Competitiveness: Positioning Canadian cities as leaders in hosting impactful, sustainable events.

Year One Insights Report

Read the Insects the Feed the World Case Study

Recognition and Impact

We are thrilled to celebrate Destination Canada's recent accolades, including the 2023 IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award and Smart Meetings' Platinum Choice Awards for 2024!. These prestigious honors highlight the exceptional work being done to measure and amplify the long-term social, economic, and environmental benefits of business events. Through the Business Events Impact and Legacy Study, Destination Canada, in collaboration with GainingEdge and #MEET4IMPACT, continues to lead in showcasing the transformational power of events for communities and industries across Canada.

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