Premier Legault,

At the risk of repeating ourselves, let us start with a clear introduction: the entertainment industry, like restaurants, hotels and business tourism, has been one of the most heavily impacted economic sectors of the pandemic.

Your government recently announced that starting Feb. 7, indoor event venues could accommodate guests at half capacity, up to a maximum of 500 people.

As for outdoor events, a maximum of 1,000 participants must be respected.

No announcement has yet been made regarding rules that will eventually apply to summer shows and events.

For the cultural industry, this announcement is wholly inadequate.

After two years of uncertainty and ever-changing health measures, we are asking for a clear plan that outlines how activities will fully resume because the challenges we face this time around are becoming insurmountable.

In our case, it is untenable to deal with week-to-week reopening announcements.

MISSION PROFITABILITY: IMPOSSIBLE

To begin, it is important to reiterate that easing health measures may be perceived as a safety valve for a public eager to reconnect with the cultural scene, but this is not the case for event organizers and show promoters.

For many of them, in addition to being a logistical headache, a venue that can only open at half-capacity is operating at a loss.

Scheduled shows must therefore be cancelled.

Many will not be able to financially overcome another period of activities at reduced capacity.

LOSING CONFIDENCE

The lingering uncertainty over when activities will resume has also led to a loss of confidence among artists and their teams.

Shows have been postponed too many times and we are now witnessing an unprecedented wave of cancellations.

Confidence among international artists has also deteriorated.

Since indoor and outdoor events always have to deal with reduced capacities and health restrictions, it has become increasingly difficult for us to convince international artists to come and perform in Quebec.

Other cities in Canada or the United States have taken dates that were originally intended for us.

This tendency is not harmless: what is taking shape is a market breakdown that is benefitting others.

Need we remind you that nowhere in North America do tours have to deal with restrictions as severe as here in Quebec?

While Quebec was once a mandatory stop for North American tours, our lack of coherency, when compared with health measures enforced elsewhere, is now threatening our presence on tour dates of international artists.

LABOUR CRISIS

This wave of the pandemic is weighing very heavily on the mental health of artists and workers in our industry.

Moreover, a predictable but regrettable consequence of the current situation will be increased labour shortages and expertise in our industry, already undermined by the labour shortage affecting all sectors.

Who still wants to work in such an unstable industry that is subject to ever-changing rules?

UNSUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL RISK

This lack of predictability for resuming outdoor events is also very concerning.

Events are an important socio-economic driver and an exceptional showcase for tourism, but they take on a considerable financial risk each year.

Organizers commit staggering sums of money to production and programming costs, assuming the risk of replenishing coffers in a few days at most.

How many festivalgoers will they be able to accommodate?

How much independent revenue will they be able to generate?

Without a solid plan, how can someone make a calculated bet without exposing themselves to extremely significant financial losses?

It is hard to plan and coordinate seamless operations and ensure customers enjoy their experience when we don’t know where we are going.

Experience from venues and major events around the world proves that they are widely safe.

If we want the cultural industry to get back on its feet and be a driver of collective happiness and significant economic benefits, now is the time to restart it.

What we respectfully ask you, Premier Legault, is to announce a date when indoor and outdoor events can be held at full capacity.

  • Nick Farkas, Senior Vice President, Booking, Concerts and Events, evenko
  • Laurent Saulnier, Vice President, Booking Cultural Events & Spectra Festivals, L’Équipe Spectra
  • Michel Sabourin, Spokesperson, Association des salles de spectacles indépendantes du Québec (ASSIQ), President, Club Soda
  • Martin Roy, Chief Executive Officer, Regroupement des événements majeurs internationaux (RÉMI)
  • François-G. Chevrier, General Director, Événements Attractions Québec (EAQ)
  • Patrick Kearney, President, Regroupement des Festivals Régionaux, Artistiques et Indépendants (REFRAIN)
  • Patrick Rozon, Vice President for French-language content, Just for Laughs, General and Artistic Director, ZOOFEST
  • Anne Hudon, Chief Executive Officer, BLEUFEU and Festival d'été de Québec
  • Louis Bellavance, Vice President Content and Artistic Director, BLEUFEU and Festival d'été de Québec
  • Thomas Grégoire, General and Artistic Director, Festivoix
  • Pascal Lefebvre, President, Igloofest and Piknic Électronik
  • Wayne Zronik, President, Business Operations, Live Nation Canada
  • Jon Weisz, General Director, Les Scènes de Musique Alternatives du Québec (Les SMAQ)