Jehovah’s Witnesses Bring Annual Convention Back to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, for First Time in Five Years

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are bringing their annual convention back to Victoria this month, the first time in five years. Between 5,000 and 6,000 people are expected to fill the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre from June 16 to 18. The gathering marks the first mass annual event for the religious group since the pandemic.

Jeremy Bradley, a spokesman for Victoria Jehovah’s Witnesses, said the convention is one of the largest in the region this year and is expected to bring significant economic benefits. He said 1,500 hotel room nights have been booked over the three days, and that restaurants, shops and attractions are expected to benefit from delegates. Bradley said some attendees would extend their trips for vacations or shopping.

According to Bradley, the convention brings together Jehovah’s Witnesses from 33 congregations on Vancouver Island and Powell River. He described the event as significant, “especially coming out of COVID.” He said this year’s theme is “exercise patience,” which he called a timely message after the pandemic left many people feeling stressed. The theme is offered as a message of patience during a hard stretch, a picture of comfort for people worn down by difficult years (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

The group has held conventions in Greater Victoria since 1956, usually at the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre in Colwood. The last convention in the area was held at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in 2018, the source says, as delegate attendance has grown.

Paul Nursey, chief executive of Destination Greater Victoria, said the tourism marketing group has worked with the religious group for several years and considers the convention an important economic driver for the region. He said that while the group spends less per delegate than corporate conventions, its large numbers and potential for repeat visits are significant.

Destination Greater Victoria said its conference business is recovering after a near shutdown during the pandemic. The agency forecasts 82,000 delegate days this year across 19 “citywide” conferences, which are major events requiring the simultaneous use of many hotels, restaurants and other venues. Another 30 smaller conferences are booked at the Victoria Conference Centre. Before the pandemic in 2018, the centre hosted 120,000 delegate days, generating $1.3 million in revenue.

Source: Read the original report