Both the Montreal International Auto Show (MIAS) and the Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS) virtual events have been canceled.
The MIAS online event was set to take place between January 20 to 24, 2021, and was meant to replace the in-person show typically held at the Palais des congrès de Montréal from January 15 to 24, 2021.
“The pandemic has certainly not spared the automotive industry (and) the non-participation of a large number of car manufacturers in this edition, despite our best efforts, (we) are faced with the tough decision to cancel the virtual show,” said Denis Dessureault, Executive Vice-President.
He said they are aware that automakers are going through a difficult period due to the pandemic and the financial consequences resulting from the crisis, and so OEMs want to limit their expenses. That issue has also impacted the CIAS event; a virtual presentation was originally planned for February 2021.
“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 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.
