Report by ICA Ambassador to Canada 11/30

Report by ICA Ambassador to Canada

By Martine Lavoie

Unfortunately, it is very hard for us to travel right now, especially for short trips. In Canada, we need to quarantine for 2 weeks upon return. Because we are a small family company, it means if we were to travel, we would then have to close our business for two weeks upon our return.

We can get stones in the meantime using FedEx, but it is definitely not the same thing than to visit a trade show.

What we will miss the most is meeting with our friends from the trade, the networking, and the social interaction part of it, because this business is a lot about people.

Also, we will miss getting knowledge about all what is happening in the trade, about treatments, or new trends, attending workshops, or getting the prices of the market. You can only find these things in in-person trade shows.

Hopefully the situation will get back to normal next fall (2021).