C anada’s a large country, and given the scope and size of its geography, the work of CERC’s regional committees is all the more important to the association. Not only do they help CERC form a direct link with all its members far and wide, they also help members in each region strengthen their bonds with each other. Equally important, the committees are able to specifically address the needs and concerns of relocation professionals unique to their respective geographies. “The regions are different to a point, especially if you look at Toronto and Vancouver versus Calgary, for example,” explains Charlotte Christophersen, chair of the CERC Regional Chairs Committee, which serves as a central source for assisting the separate regional committees. “Toronto and Vancouver have been booming, so it’s a matter of helping clients find accommodation and deal with the cost of living. In Calgary, there’s been a lower volume of relocations for some time since the oil and gas industry downturn in 2014. Mont- real and Ottawa have stayed fairly consistent.” CERC has five committees at the regional level: the Pacific Region Committee, Western Region Committee, Central Region Committee, Capital Region Committee and Eastern Region Committee. Each group is mandated to meet regularly to organize professional events that are of interest to relocation specialists in their area. This includes topic-specific information sessions that allow CERC members to network with their peers and learn of new developments impacting their livelihood. To provide a glimpse into the important work of these groups, here is a look at what they’ve been up to lately and what lies ahead. CENTRAL REGION COMMITTEE “The Central Region Committee is a well-oiled machine,” says CERC Central Region Committee co-chair Lisa Hulet, of SIRVA Relocation. “We have a great mix of tenured professionals, as well as newcomers to the industry.” Most recently, the Central Region Committee hosted two very successful information sessions: one on March 6 dedicated to Business Travel and Duty of Care, and another on May 8 on Privacy and Data Security in the Mobility Space. At the latter event, three speakers took to the stage to address the growing concern of cyber security: an IT specialist from Allpoints Relocation, a chief infor- mation security specialist from SIRVA Relocation, and a privacy officer from PwC. Next was a Summer Social in early June, and coming up is the annual CERC Conference in Montreal in September as well as a fall immigration session in Toronto in late October or November. Finishing off the year will be the popular annual Christmas gathering. “Our wonderful Christmas mixer will be held in early December,” says Hulet. “As we were very crowded last year – what a wonderful problem to have! – we are changing venues. We will ensure it is a larger space and closer to Union Station.” Central Regional Committee members include: Katherine Bouchard (co-chair), Weichert Workforce Mobility; Chris Zarkadoulas, Sun Life Financial; Elizabeth Navia, Manulife Financial; Heather Lake Wellington, GMP Group Mortgage; Kristy Kozluk, Mover One; Matt Regush, Skyview Suites; Michael Deane, All Points Relocation. REGIONAL REPRESENTATION By Treena Hein CERC’s regional committees boost the association’s impact at the local level COMMITTEE CORNER 44 PERSPECTIVES Fall 2018