George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
Join George Brown Polytechnic, in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), for a two-day symposium.
July 29th-30th
Tourism in Canada and the Caribbean is under pressure; from climate volatility, workforce shortages, supply chain disruption, and accelerating environmental risk. What does a resilient, sustainable future look like, and how do we build it together?
Join the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) at George Brown Polytechnic, in collaboration with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), for a two-day symposium bringing together tourism professionals, researchers, policymakers, sustainability practitioners, and community leaders from across Canada and the Caribbean.
Register today, space is limited
Over two days, you'll engage in:
- Expert panel discussions and interactive workshops
- Field excursions to sustainable tourism sites
- Cross-sector networking with academics, industry leaders, and international partners
Topics include:
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation
- Sustainable tourism planning and environmental stewardship
- Workforce resilience, skills development, and retention
- Supply chain resilience and crisis preparedness
- Digital innovation for sustainable destinations
- Financing sustainable tourism
Call for Statement of Interest / Abstract
We invite proposals that are research-backed, practice-grounded, or innovation-driven.
Call for Posters & Ideas Lab Participants
Have research, a project, or an idea that could strengthen tourism resilience? The Ideas Lab and Poster Showcase is your platform.
Keynote Speaker
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The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, OJ, CD, MP
Minister of Tourism for Jamaica and Founder/Co-Chair, GTRCMC
The Hon. Edmund Bartlett is a transformative leader who is recognized globally for his wide-ranging expertise and accomplishments in both tourism and politics.
Hands-on leadership, innovative thinking and a passion for effecting positive change have been hallmarks of his over forty years of successful service to Jamaica. Mr. Bartlett was first appointed Minister of Tourism in 2007, serving until December 2011. Before this, he already had a solid record of accomplishment as an outstanding legislator in central government in both Chambers of Parliament. He served as Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting & Culture in the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Youth, Sports & Community Development from 1980 to 1989; later he served as Senator and Opposition Spokesman on various portfolios, including Tourism, from 1989 to 2007.
While serving in the shadow Cabinet following his first stint as Tourism Minister, Mr. Bartlett travelled the world forging alliances with strategic partners for global initiatives. He returned to the helm of the Ministry of Tourism following the 2016 general elections and was reappointed after the 2025 general elections.
Under Minister Bartlett’s leadership, tourism has been positioned as a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive growth, through job creation, Public Private Partnerships (PPPS), wealth creation and community transformation. He is an internationally regarded spokesperson and tireless advocate for global tourism resilience. Mr. Bartlett represents leadership in action. He sees the gaps and fills them.
Beyond his ministerial duties, Mr. Bartlett has continually championed the advancement of education, skills training and job creation as ways of improving the lives of his constituents in East Central St. James.
Minister Bartlett has been married for over 50 years and has one child and two grandchildren. His passions include cricket, dominoes and dancing.
Event Program
- Opening Remarks | 9am
Dr. Krista Holmes
Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation, George BrownDr. Gervan Fearon
President, George BrownDona Regis-Prosper
Secretary General and CEO, Caribbean Tourism OrganizationVideo Message from Mayor Olivia Chow, City of Toronto
Kelly Jackson
Vice President, Destination Development, Destination TorontoElizabeth Dove
Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network CanadaKyana Bowen
Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network CaribbeanDr. Tyrone Hall
Head of Brookfield Sustainability Institute, and Program Director of GTRCMC, George Brown- Financing Tourism Resilience | 11am
Financing Tourism Resilience: Business Risk, Tax, Concessions and Regulatory Tools
A case-study presentation and panel discussion about how tourism businesses can fund adaptation, manage risk, and stay viable under climate and market shocks. This will include examples of public policy support, regulatory risks, and financial instruments or support mechanisms that help local operators invest in resilience.Financing Tourism Resilience: Business Risk, Tax, Concessions and Regulatory Tools Speakers Speaker Title Affiliation Laura Zizzo Co-Founder and CEO Estian Partners Dr. Lloyd Waller Professor of Digital Transformation Policy and Governance and Executive Director of GTRMC University of the West Indies – Mona Dr. Hilary Becker Associate Professor Sprott School of Business,
Carleton University- From Climate Risk to Climate Action (In Conversation) | 12:00pm
From Climate Risk to Climate Action: Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Communication
A solutions-focused session on emergency preparedness, crisis communications, and what has worked since major disruptions such as COVID-19 and hurricane events. It will spotlight practical lessons, response coordination, and initiatives that protect marine and coastal ecosystems as part of tourism resilience.From Climate Risk to Climate Action: Emergency Preparedness and Crisis Communication Speakers Speaker Title Affiliation Dr. Balfour Spence Chair, GBP GTRCMC Advisory Council
Professor, Applied Disaster and Emergency StudiesBrandon University Narendra Ramgulam Deputy Director, Sustainable Tourism Caribbean Tourism Organization - Lunch & Cultural Performance | 1pm
Featuring Roots and Branches
- Keynote: The Honourable Edmund Bartlett| 1:45pm
Minister Bartlett will speak about sustainable tourism planning amidst unprecedented climate, technological and geopolitical changes, highlighting highlight priority resilience challenges and opportunities across Canada and the Caribbean. The keynote address will be followed by a brief moderated question and answer session.
- Conversation: Minister Bartlett and Dona Regis-Prosper, Moderated by Dr. Fearon | 2:10pm
This is a moderated post-keynote conversation between Minister Bartlett and Secretary General Regis-Prosper. The moderator is Dr. Gervan Fearon.
- Ideas Lab and Poster Showcase | 2:45pm
Ideas Lab: Live Pitch Session
Ideas Lab: A Facilitated Poster Showcase and Live Pitch Session Speakers Speaker Title Affiliation Dr. Nadine McLeod Researcher and Adjunct Senior Lecturer Caribbean School of Media and Communication, UWI Mona Raine Chen Student Toronto Metropolitan University Cymone Walters Student George Brown Polytechnic - Supply Chains, Transport, and Food Security in Tourism | 3:45pm
Supply Chains, Transport, and Food Security in Tourism
A solutions-focused conversation about vulnerabilities across sourcing, logistics, and food systems related to tourism. Speakers will identify practical ways to reduce disruption, strengthen local procurement, and improve resilience across hospitality and destination supply chains.Supply Chains, Transport, and Food Security in Tourism Speakers Speaker Title Affiliation Dr. Krista Holmes Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation George Brown Polytechnic Gordon Cole Assistant Vice-President North America Tropical Shipping Prof. Robert Ruggieri Professor & Program Coordinator George Brown Polytechnic Donovan White Director of Tourism Jamaica Tourist Board - Workforce Resilience | 4:45pm
Workforce Resilience: Skills Development, TVET, and Retention
This session addresses critical issues related to workforce development including labour shortages, affordability, and career-wage concerns with a focus on training pathways and employee retention strategies. Speakers will discuss approaches for collaboratively developing a resilient workforce, bringing together employers, polytechnic and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) leaders to explore the practical and human skills required to transition into sustainable tourism careers.Workforce Resilience: Skills Development, TVET, and Retention Speaker Title Affiliation Sharon Banfield-Bovell Director, Resource Mobilization and Development Caribbean Tourism Organization Dr. Cecil Cornwall Founding President and Executive Chairman Western Hospitality Institute Dr. Luz Longsworth Senior Corporate Director Sandals Corporate University Dr. Hassun Malik Provost and Vice-President, Academic George Brown Polytechnic Phillip Mondor President and CEO Tourism HR Canada - Opening Night Reception | 6pm
3rd Floor Reception Area, Limberlost Place
- Tour of Limberlost Place | 9am
Learn more about Limberlost Place, a 10-storey mass-timber, net-zero building located at Queens Quay East and Dockside Drive.
Learn more about Limberlost Place- Site Visit: Port Lands Regeneration | 9am
Site Visit: Port Lands Regeneration
- AI and Tourism Resilience Workshop: Preparing, Managing and Recovering from Crisis | 11:15am
Designed to help tourism leaders, destination managers, businesses, communities and public officials understand how artificial intelligence can strengthen resilience across the full crisis cycle, this workshop is organised around three critical moments: Anticipate, Plan and Prepare; Manage; and Recover and Thrive. Participants explore real tourism-resilience use cases, including early warning, risk and vulnerability mapping, crisis communication, situational awareness, resource allocation, damage assessment, recovery financing, workforce support and community recovery.
Specific AI tools, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, ArcGIS GeoAI, Google Earth Engine, Google Flood Hub, Power BI and other specialised platforms, are matched to the tasks they can support. Short demonstrations and videos show how these technologies work in practice.
Each section concludes with an interactive scenario in which participants use their preferred AI assistant to analyse a tourism crisis and develop practical solutions. The workshop encourages participants to embrace AI as a co-creator and decision-support partner, while reinforcing that verification, ethics, local knowledge, human judgement and institutional accountability must remain central to every resilience decision.
AI & Tourism Resilience Workshop: Insights from Jamaica Speakers Speaker Title Affiliation Dr. Lloyd Waller Professor, Digital Transformation Policy and Governance Executive Director, GTRCMC University of the West Indies – Mona - Lunch and Closing Remarks | 12:30pm
CCTRS Closing Session Speakers Speaker Title Affiliation Dr. Balfour Spence Chair, GBP GTRCMC Advisory Council and Professor, Applied Disaster & Emergency Studies Brandon University Sharon Banfield-Bovell Director, Resource Mobilization and Development Caribbean Tourism Organization Dr. Lloyd Waller Professor, Digital Transformation Policy and Governance Executive Director, GTRCMC University of the West Indies – Mona - Tour of Limberlost Place | 2:30pm
Learn more about Limberlost Place, a 10-storey mass-timber, net-zero building located at Queens Quay East and Dockside Drive.
Learn more about Limberlost Place
Catering by Chef Noel Cunningham
Chef Noel Cunningham is an award-winning Jamaican-Canadian chef, television food personality, author, and culinary consultant. As the founder of Cuisine by Noel, he is passionate about showcasing Caribbean cuisine through innovative, culturally inspired dishes. A regular guest on Canadian television and a proud ambassador for Jamaican gastronomy, Chef Noel is dedicated to celebrating food, culture, and hospitality on both national and international stages.
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