The Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada announced that the 2020 edition of Canada Night has been cancelled due to ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 restrictions and concerns for the health and safety of participants. Originally scheduled for November 3, 2020, Canada Night was to have taken place during the Automotive Aftermarket Parts Exposition (AAPEX) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Citing uncertainty around cross-border travel restrictions and concerns about the ability to maintain social distancing both while travelling and while attending a gathering of this size, the Canada Night Committee of AIA Canada decided that the best course of action was to cancel the event. The need for many companies to reassess travel expenses and sponsorship dollars in the wake of the financial cost of measures to control COVID-19 also played a part in the decision.
“This has been a hard year for the aftermarket — one where we’ve all had to make difficult choices,” said J.F. Champagne, president of AIA Canada. “Cancelling Canada Night is not a decision we took lightly. But at the end of the day, we have to do what is best for the health and safety of our members and our industry.”
Canada Night is an annual celebration of the Canadian automotive aftermarket, hosted by AIA Canada. It has been a highlight of the aftermarket’s social calendar since 1971, offering attendees an unmatched opportunity to connect, network and socialize with industry peers from across Canada and around the world.
Despite this year’s setback, plans are already in the works for Canada Night’s return to AAPEX in 2021.