How Business Events Montréal is redefining impact in the events industry
Mindful meetings Industry News
Measuring the true impact of business events has long been one of the industry's most persistent challenges. In recent years, destinations and their association partners have become increasingly aware of the significant societal impact, and subsequent ripple effects, generated by professional events. But knowing your event has been impactful and being able to accurately measure the extent of that impact, where it’s being felt and by whom, hasn’t always been a simple task.
To that end, Business Events Montréal has taken the bull by its proverbial horns with its participation in the development of ImpactAIQ, an AI-powered impact measurement and reporting platform co-led by event transformation agents #MEET4IMPACT and event management software platform Gevme.
In a nutshell, ImpactAIQ’s overriding ambitions are to, first and foremost, measure and deepen understanding of the impact of business events with the goal of inspiring transformation across the events industry. And second, position Montréal as a destination keenly focused on the societal and economic advancement of the city.
How ImpactAIQ works
In short, ImpactAIQ leverages artificial intelligence to process large volumes of qualitative and quantitative data in the creation of detailed impact reports following meetings and events. These reports are developed through a collaborative evaluation process led by the organizers of the event in partnership with Business Events Montréal, with methodological support from #MEET4IMPACT.
Following the evaluation process, the actual report texts are generated using ImpactAIQ. The analysis in the reports draws on multiple data sources, including post-event surveys, session feedback, semi-structured interviews, digital platform analytics and operations records collected before, during and after the business event. Put another way, it delivers the rich data the events industry needs to evaluate performance and measure real impact.
Creating a legacy of positivity
Business Events Montréal is the first destination organization to partner with ImpactAIQ to measure events. This partnership goes a long way towards reinforcing Montréal’s reputation and role as a catalyst for innovation and lasting change.
As a city that cares deeply about positive legacy, the development of ImpactAIQ demonstrates Business Events Montréal’s commitment to attracting business events that bring positive impact to the city while helping them adopt impact management and measurement strategies to better understand and demonstrate their contributions.
The ImpactAIQ effect: case studies
The following two case studies underline ImpactAIQ’s far-ranging ability to measure event achievements, determine event value, obtain reusable results and align with destination priorities.
Case study #1: Canadian Circular Economy Summit 2025
The resounding success of the 2025 Canadian Circular Economy Summit (CCES) — 970 delegates and more than 250 on the waiting list — came from the powerful synergy between an ambitious event and Montréal’s collaboration-ready, circular innovation ecosystem. Home to a strong network of SMEs, policy innovators and research institutions, Montréal offered a robust local foundation from which to spotlight scalable solutions, host site visits and connect global and national actors to Québec’s circular ecosystem.
Business Events Montréal played a central role in facilitating partnerships with local enterprises, ensuring site visits and coordinating operational elements.
Before ImpactAIQ
- No clear structure for assessing contributions beyond economic impact.
- Data scattered across multiple sources and formats.
- Narrative difficult to communicate and rarely reusable for reports, partnerships or communications.
After ImpactAIQ
- Five structured impact dimensions aligned with Business Events Montréal’s framework for measuring and managing the impact of business events.
- Nine stakeholder groups were actively engaged, including event organizers, the local event committee, partners, researchers and the hospitality sector.
- Four documented outputs: measurable results, circular purchasing practices, policy alignment and innovation funding.
- Contributed to updating Canada’s Circular Economy Action Plan.
Case study #2: National Conference on Ending Homelessness 2025
The annual National Conference on Ending Homelessness organized by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) is Canada’s leading national event dedicated to preventing and reducing homelessness. Each year it brings together researchers, frontline workers, program managers, policymakers and people with lived experience. It serves as a unique forum for sharing knowledge, circulating best practices and testing new solutions.
Hosting the conference in Montréal was a strategic opportunity for the city’s ecosystem of community and advocacy organizations. It strengthened both Montréal’s social impact and its economic reach, while firmly positioning the city as a hub for social innovation and forward‑thinking public policy. Business Events Montréal played a pivotal role by supporting efforts to attract the conference and embed it in the local ecosystem.
Before ImpactAIQ
- Measurement focused mainly on participation and satisfaction, with a narrative that was difficult to consolidate.
- Data not integrated across stakeholders and organizations within the homelessness ecosystem.
- Systemic impacts — such as mobilization, coordination and follow-up actions — were difficult to make visible.
After ImpactAIQ
- Four structured impact dimensions, aligned within a framework for measuring and managing the impacts of business events.
- Four stakeholder groups actively engaged: event organizers, the local committee, partners and community organizations.
- Interviews with federal stakeholders indicated that the announcement by the Canadian Minister of Housing and Infrastructure of the first investments from the Innovation Fund to Reduce Homelessness (IFRH) has since been used by public servants as an internal lever to push for more ambitious policies.
Future case studies will include the most significant sports event in the city since the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, UCI Road World Championships, which was held in Montréal from September 20-27, 2026. ImpactAIQ will measure economic outcomes, social engagement, media coverage and more.
ImpactAIQ illustrates Business Events Montréal’s broader commitment to understanding and demonstrating how business events deliver not only tourism outcomes, but also profound societal, economic, academic and policy‑level impact.
Is your event a good fit? Contact Charlotte Laurin today to explore what could be possible.