A pair of convention centres in Alberta’s capital will become two of the first venues in Canada to pursue the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Star accreditation for outbreak prevention, response and recovery.
The announcement by the Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton Expo Centre comes less than a month after the Toronto Congress Centre committed to the standard, and just days before the provincial government announced the resumption of trade shows and exhibits, effective July 17.
GBAC Star is considered the gold standard of prepared facilities. It provides third-party validation that public venues have rigorous protocols in place for thorough response to biorisk situations.
The accreditation program focuses on ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment in facilities of all sizes. It outlines best practices, protocols and procedures to control risk factors associated with infectious disease, including the virus responsible for COVID-19. The program is administered by GBAC, a division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association.
The Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton Expo Centre’s pursuit of GBAC Star supports the release of a document of protocols for the safe reopening of venues in compliance with the government of Alberta’s phased relaunch strategy.
To achieve GBAC Star accreditation, facilities must follow specific performance and guidance criteria to demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 elements, which range from standard operating procedures and risk assessment to personal protective equipment (PPE) and emergency preparedness and response measures.
The Edmonton Convention Centre and Edmonton Expo Centre are two of the city’s largest and busiest venues. Between both, there’s a total 672,000 square feet of event space. Combined, they welcome more than 1.8 million visitors each year.
