Convention 2023

HSA’s 52nd annual convention is set for Wednesday, April 19 to Friday, April 21, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver. The convention will be preceded by a full day of education workshops on Tuesday, April 18.

Racist Incident at the Hyatt Regency Hotel

HSA members may have heard about a racist incident at the Hyatt Regency Hotel March 10, 2023. When HSA became aware of the incident, President Kane Tse and the union's Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Heather Williams, met with the General Manager of the hotel, Patrick Gosselin, to express the union's solidarity with the BC Association for Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC), deep concern for the safety of Indigenous people at the hotel, and disappointment in the hotel's initial response to the incident. As a long-time customer, the union expressed reservation about continuing to do business with the hotel and called on the Hyatt to immediately meet the demands of the BCAAFC, which called for an apology and meaningful mandatory anti-Indigenous racism training for all hotel staff. On March 15, the hotel offered a full apology and outlined the steps it will take. HSA received thanks from the BCAAFC for our allyship, and was invited to share the BCAAFC statement, as well as the commitment from the hotel, with our members.  

We thank members who contacted us to express your attention and care to the Indigenous-specific racism that occurred.

• BCAAFC statement on Hyatt Regency Apology
• Hyatt Regency Apology

Election of President

Delegates to the 2023 convention will vote in an election for the union’s president for a two-year term. The union's president is elected in odd-numbered years.