PNE Fair cancelled for second year in a row

THE management of the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) on Wednesday announced that even a modified, lower capacity in-person PNE Fair will not be possible this summer.

“Despite our planning for a number of scalable versions of the PNE Fair, it is now clear that the number of guests required to make an in-person Fair financially viable will not be allowed under anticipated Public Health Orders this summer,” says PNE spokesperson Laura Ballance.

“We understand the implications this decision will have on our staff team, our exhibitor and concessionaire partners as well as hundreds of thousands of annual guests, with whom we will look for ways to connect with once informed about what the summertime Health Orders will allow. We are committed to continuing to work with the Provincial Health Office to see what might be possible as the summer progresses.”

As the largest employer of youth in the province, the PNE said it is a vital first job employer for generations of British Columbians. In total, the PNE employs 4,300 direct and up to 9,500 indirect jobs, including 4,200 CUPE 1004 members.

“Losing the second year of the PNE Fair is a massive loss of much needed employment for our members,” said CUPE 1004 President Andrew Ledger. “We are deeply concerned about the thousands of CUPE members that depend on the Fair each summer to pay their way through school or to help support their families. We do want to thank the more than 4,000 people who have engaged the www.savethepne.ca website and sent letters to the BC government to save PNE jobs, we hope their voices will be heard.”

Fast Facts:

  • The PNE Fair is the largest ticketed event in BC
  • The PNE is responsible for 4,300 direct jobs and 9,500 direct and indirect jobs
    • Job categories range from critical low barrier entry level jobs to highly skilled trades
    • The PNE provides much needed first jobs for a high percentage of new Canadians
  • The PNE generates $200 million in economic impact into the region annually
  • The PNE is the largest employer of youth in BC
  • The PNE drives 185,000 tourism visits to the Lower Mainland annually