2025 PCMA Canadian Innovation Conference delegates contribute to Food Banks Mississauga

From November 16 to 18, Mississauga took centre stage as the City welcomed the 2025 PCMA Canadian Innovation Conference (CIC). Hosted by Visit Mississauga, PCMA – Canada East Chapter held its annual three-day conference at The International Centre. The event brings together hundreds of meeting and event professionals and suppliers from across Canada whose organizations are engaged in providing services related to the conduct and operation of meetings, conventions, seminars, exhibits and trade shows.

Earlier this year, PCMA – Canada East Chapter’s Community Engagement and Inclusion Committee launched an initiative to show appreciation to the 2025 conference host city by supporting local efforts to address food insecurity. This year, 400 attendees joined forces to raise more than $10,400 in support of Food Banks Mississauga, $8,393.80 through a Planner vs. Supplier Fundraising Challenge and an additional $2,080 donation was raised through a gamification challenge by Encore Canada.

Why this matters

This generous donation comes at an important time, as Mississauga continues to experience an unprecedented food insecurity crisis. More than 56,000 residents accessed food banks a staggering 421,000 times last year, marking a 58 per cent increase from the previous year. Donations like PCMA’s help food banks like Food Banks Mississauga provide improved food security for residents and better health outcomes for the community.

Strengthening Mississauga’s economy while supporting local needs

Visit Mississauga was proud to host a high-profile conference like the 2025 PCMA CIC that attracted 400 professionals from across Canada to the city. This conference not only generated significant economic activity across Mississauga’s tourism sector but also left the community with a very thoughtful gesture that will impact so many residents in need.

Mississauga continues to emerge as one of Canada’s most attractive destinations for major conferences and events. Visit Mississauga staff continue to work hard to ensure Mississauga secures winning bids for conferences and making a name for Mississauga among the business and events industries. Most importantly, the City is grateful for hosts like PCMA who make a difference in our community.

Quotes

“Visit Mississauga was proud to host the 2025 PCMA Canadian Innovation Conference in Mississauga. We’re truly grateful to the 400 delegates from across Canada who attended. The conference’s impact went far beyond overnight stays and venue rentals – together, they raised more $10,000 for Food Banks Mississauga, creating a lasting legacy for our community. This one-of-a kind gesture speaks to the power of business events and how generosity can impact the communities in which they meet.”
– Victoria Clarke, CEO, Visit Mississauga

“At this year’s Canadian Innovation Conference organized by PCMA Canada East Chapter, attendees raised $8,393.80 through a Planner versus Supplier Fundraising Challenge. An additional $2,080 donation was raised through a gamification challenge by Encore Canada to engage conference attendees. This additional donation brought the total to $10,476.80 in support of Food Banks Mississauga. We are very proud of this new initiative led by our Community Engagement and Inclusion Committee. It’s truly inspiring to see how a business event can generate meaningful impact for the local community where it’s held.” – Sandra Moniz, President, PCMA Canada East Chapter

About the organizations

Visit Mississauga is the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for the City of Mississauga. The organization is industry-led and responsible for developing a tourism strategy and leading tourism marketing and development efforts for the destination. The organization’s mandate of implementing the City of Mississauga’s Tourism Master Plan, Tourism Mississauga is committed to promoting local businesses and coordinating large-scale events within the city.

The Canadian Innovation Conference, (brought to you by the PCMA Canada East Chapter), is designed to meet the needs of meeting and event professionals and suppliers whose organizations are engaged in providing services related to the conduct and operation of meetings, conventions, seminars, exhibits and trade shows. CIC offers high calibre educational content that PCMA is renowned for in an environment customized to the Canadian market.

PCMA is the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, providing senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry. Our mission is to drive social and economic progress through business events. Headquartered in Chicago, IL PCMA has 17 North American Chapters, regional communities in APAC, EMEA and LATAM, and members in 72 countries and communities.

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• Planning and Building
• Tourism