Amidst the challenges of planning an event during the COVID-19 outbreak, the safety of conference attendees and support of broader public health objectives have always been our top priorities. Sadly, after much deliberation and consideration of information and direction from local and national health authorities, PIBC, CIP, and the Conference Steering Committee have taken the difficult decision to cancel this year's 2020 Elevation conference.

To say we are disappointed would be an understatement. We have seen the enormous efforts of our volunteers and staff who have dedicated hundreds of hours to plan and host a motivating and challenging conference, as well as the over 175 presenters who were excited and ready to share their knowledge, ideas, and inspire our profession beyond best practice. We are incredibly grateful for the time and effort everyone has put into bringing Elevation 2020 to fruition and appreciative of our sponsors and exhibitors for their commitment and support during these uncertain times.

Important notes for registered delegates:

• If you are a registered delegate, you will receive a full refund on your registration fees by May 1, 2020.
• If you booked a room at the Fairmont Château Whistler using the conference group code, your reservation is being automatically cancelled through the Fairmont.
• Please adjust or cancel any other travel or accommodation plans you may have made related to attending the conference.
• Please click here to visit the conference website for the latest cancellation details.

We are pleased to note that PIBC will be continuing to partner with CIP, and we will still be bringing a future joint national conference - Elevation 2.0 - to Whistler, BC in 2022. Please see below for our future conference dates.

Future PIBC & National Conferences:

• PIBC Annual Conference - Whitehorse, Yukon, June 15-18, 2021

• CIP National Conference (Navigation) - Halifax, NS, July 6-9, 2021

• CIP-PIBC Joint National Conference (Elevation 2.0) - Whistler, BC, July 5-8, 2022

• PIBC Annual Conference - Sun Peaks, BC, May 29 - June 2, 2023

In the coming months, we'll be working with CIP to explore ways to bring remote learning and to recognize planning excellence to you in a safe, virtual manner, so please stay tuned. This will be in addition to PIBC's current online learning and webinar programming this year.

We'd like to thank our hundreds of delegates, many of whom are actively involved in managing and responding to the current pandemic in their own communities, forging new strategies and reimagining place, space, and practice in these challenging times. We admire your leadership and the adaptability and resiliency of the planning profession. Thank you!

For any questions regarding the cancellation of Elevation 2020, please contact Wendy Vance at wvance@cip-icu.ca.

For any other questions or general inquiries with PIBC, please contact info@pibc.bc.ca.

Best wishes for health and safety,
Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC)