We speak with Air Canada for an update on how the airline is navigating the disruption to business and leisure air travel as as result of the pandemic. New York City-based, Vincent Gauthier-Doré, Senior Director of USA Sales, shares perspectives on the steps Air Canada has taken to welcome passengers back. This is also our first interview with one of our MAPLE New York members since announcing our new Chapter this month. 

In the commercial real estate advisory business, our job is not to predict the future. No one can. Rather we try to interpret and understand the most current data, follow social and economic trends, keep pace with new technology, underwrite the risk in real estate decisions, and help create and execute strategies that provide our clients with the most stable and profitable long-term outcomes.

From unprecedented market volatility and historic job losses to strict public health measures forcing the closure of schools and businesses across North America, 2020 has certainly brought us all a lot of worry. Fortunately, better times may be just over the horizon. Read on to learn more about the recent stock market rally and steps you can take right now for a healthier financial future.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to proliferate in Canada and around the world since its initial outbreak in late 2019. Its impact on economies and societies has been tremendous and unprecedented. While employers face serious legal challenges in managing their workforces during these disruptive times, such challenges are not necessarily insurmountable. With careful planning and execution, employers can navigate the legal risks posed by the pandemic and maintain a stable workforce to ensure the continuity of their business operations.

We are also sharing some reflections on living and working through the pandemic from one of our friends in San Diego, DeLinda Forsythe, founder and CEO of Innovative Commercial Environments, who recently shared a thoughtful commentary on what we are all going through together. Thank you DeLinda, for the opportunity to share your thoughts with our network.

Certainly nothing is more important currently than understanding how to navigate through the pandemic as safely and effectively as possible. With this in mind, we reached out to our corporate and executive members to ask about information they are publishing and highlighting for their clients. This issue is a compilation of various articles, videos, content links, online knowledge centers and even a special webinar expressly for our community. The diversity of content is a reflection of our cross-sector community. We wish to thank our members who were able to respond for sharing these resources with our readers.

Envision a vibrant business landscape in downtown Los Angeles where technology, entertainment, and fashion industries converge as a destination for commerce, creativity and community within the perimeter of one full, city block. The future California Market Center (CMC) is DTLA’s iconic 1.8 million square foot complex currently being renovated by Brookfield Properties. Relaunching the summer of 2021 as an elevated, mixed-use creative campus, CMC is being reinvented to appeal to the rising influx of influential companies migrating downtown.

How athletes lead their personal life reflect how they perform and all of it accounts for their success. What happens off the court is just as special. Showcasing that side through content opens the opportunity to make a deeper impact.
The way people consume content has changed. Fans want to be related to, not be sold to. Having that backstory showcased in a proper way develops more core fans and allows fans to invest more into the player, team, and city. Their story resonates deeper. Working with athletes comes branding, on the personal side, as well as sponsorship.

Imagine that you are a founder of a revolutionary technology startup in Canada. Your company is about to release its blockbuster product that will disrupt the entire industry and catapult your company to fame and fortune. Your product is the result of years of research and development, and backbreaking work. Your product has cutting-edge technical features, a catchy name, and a sleek instruction manual. You have protected the product with Canadian patents and trademarks.

We are honoured to sit down this month with Ontario's lead economic representative for California, Consul and Senior Economic Officer, Ms. Chelsea Peet, to learn more about the work of her team in connecting Ontario and California together for trade, investment and innovation collaborations. Ontario is the 7th largest economy in North America by GDP, and if it were a country, it would be the 3rd largest trading partner of the U.S with California representing Ontario's second largest U.S. export market.

The Canadian Olympic Foundation reminds us that 2020 is the 10th anniversary of a true milestone in Canadian Olympic history, the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.  Emmalee Nother, Head of Communications, brings us back to those games and previews some of what is in store in February to mark their 10th anniversary.

Looking south to Riverside County in Southern California,  Jaime Hurtado, Manager of Trade Delegations and International Business Matching, answers our questions about this vibrant, diverse and growing part of our territory. We appreciate the time to catch up with Jaime and the Office of Foreign Trade. Riverside County is the first county in the United States to open an international trade office. 

As many of you may have already heard, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) comes into effect on January 1, 2020. It has been referred to as California’s GDPR (EU cybersecurity law). You may be wondering what it is and why is it important for me as a consumer and as a member of an organization.

Many U.S. based companies realize the value of onshore or boldly stated Best Shore software Quality Assurance (“QA”) and Security services from Canada. Canadians have minimum language barriers, share the same continent, have a favorable exchange rate, stable trade and government environment, and operate seamlessly in the same eastern to pacific time zones. For those who do business in the global community, these simple facts are sometimes unrealized benefits taken for granted.

This month we have the special pleasure of interviewing Thierry Weissenburger, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles. Thierry recently moved to Southern California to lead the work of a 16-member trade commissioner team based in LA and San Diego responsible for the Southern California, Arizona and Nevada territory. Thierry brings a wealth of experience to our region including past leadership roles for Canada in Northern California, Boston and Ottawa.

With the disappointing performances of recent IPOs including Uber and Lyft – both share prices have fallen significantly since their debut earlier this year –  and the failed IPO of WeWork, US companies are left wondering if going public is still a viable funding option. 

Section 7702 of the Internal Revenue Code creates a way to accumulate earnings on a tax-deferred basis and distribute lump sums or structured incomes on a tax-free basis. This creates a highly similar result to a qualified plan, but is not subject to the same requirements, rules and restrictions.

Canada is an attractive place for businesses interested in establishing a presence in another country. Canada presents a stable economy and a welcoming environment for international investors. In this article, we will discuss the ins and outs of public M&A transactions for any company interested in the Canadian market. From plans of arrangement and takeover bids, to acquiring a minority interest in a company and advising on the Investment Canada Act, find out how you can gain a foothold in Canada.

Middle market leaders increasingly recognize the heightened risk of cyber threats and data breaches that are continuing to capture headlines, but fail to realize they are prime targets for cyber attacks. That’s according to results from the RSM US Middle Market Business Index (MMBI) Cybersecurity Special Reportreleased from RSM US LLP (“RSM”), in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Clearly, there has never been a better time for California businesses to expand e-commerce operations to the Canadian market.  But before a business decides to take that potentially lucrative step, it’s vital to recognize that selling to Canada is different from selling within the U.S., and requires careful planning, especially with regard to logistics and delivery.