The Canadian International AutoShow originally planned to offer a virtual presentation in February 2021, but those plans have now been canceled.
The news follows the recent cancellation of the Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS), which was set to be held in January. Both events suffer from a lack of automakers confirming their participation, as OEMs instead have chosen to focus on getting their operations on track amid a second wave of the pandemic.
“Our manufacturers, their teams and our dealers have had to adapt and adjust their business plans, lives and budgets in an unprecedented way over the past eight months,” said Jason Campbell, General Manager of the AutoShow, adding that they remain focused on the in-person show in February 2022.
The original plans for an online event included hosting a “unique manufacturer-led” virtual presentation born from months of discussions and a joint review of multiple virtual platforms with the show’s manufacturer partners. However, the auto show team could not guarantee that OEM brand participation levels would fall in-line with what consumers would expect from a live event.
“Every manufacturer has redoubled their team’s digital efforts to support what has become an ever more critical part of their operational plans during this pandemic,” said David McClean, Director of Marketing at the AutoShow. “We are now focused on reimagining a dynamic online experience to support the many manufacturers and AutoShow partners that still want to engage with the enthusiastic audience that the AutoShow delivers.”
McClean said they want to provide consumers with engaging content so they can learn about the latest products while also supporting the spring buying season for dealers — which they will do by presenting a digital showcase of OEMs and automotive content called the “Total Automotive Experience” on AutoShow.ca.
More information about the showcase is anticipated in the coming weeks.
