The City of Abbotsford has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for other uses of TRADEX that may not include shows or events. We are calling on Mayor Henry Braun and the City of Abbotsford to keep TRADEX as an events facility. The City of Abbotsford plans on making a decision on May 10th, 2021 so we must send a message to the Mayor and City Council as soon as possible.

TRADEX is the only facility of its kind in the Fraser Valley as it is the only one capable of holding large-scale, well-attended events. Almost 300,000 people attend events at TRADEX each year, which results in a direct spend of $14.8 million dollars in the Abbotsford community. These events, many of which have been at TRADEX for two decades, support hundreds of local small and family-owned businesses who live in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley.

Losing an event venue like TRADEX, that drives significant visitor spending in the fall and winter months, will handcuff many of Abbotsford’s key businesses – particularly hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses. This will be devastating to the long-term recovery of Abbotsford’s tourism and hospitality sector.

Additionally, the events held at TRADEX generate hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for charities including Vancouver Firefighter Charities; BC Children’s Hospital; Canadian Cancer Society, Abbotsford Food Bank; Abbotsford Lions Club; Starfish Pack Program; Mamas for Mamas; Knights of Columbus; Girl Guides of Canada; Your Choice to Donate; Hope for Women; Bikers Against Child Abuse; and many more.

Losing TRADEX as an events venue would cause the following events to relocate to venues outside of the Abbotsford area, or even out of the Fraser Valley altogether:

• Vancouver Motorcycle Show
• Earlybird RV Show
• Snowbird RV Show
• BC Sportsmen's Show
• West Coast Women’s Show
• West Coast Christmas Show
• Pet Lover Show
• Fraser Valley Home & Garden Expo
• BC Classic & Custom Car Show
• The Olde Farmhouse Vintage Market
• The Health and Wellness Show
• Pacific Agriculture Show
• Coastal Swap Meet
• Westcoast Small Home Expo
• APNA Truck Show
• MCC Festival for World Relief
• CanWest Hort Expo
• Metalworking & Manufacturing Expo
• The Convenience U CARWACS Show
• Creativ Festival WEST
• Skills Canada BC
• Volleyball BC

Please sign this petition to urge Mayor Henry Braun and the City of Abbotsford to keep TRADEX as an events venue.

Even better, please write to Mayor Braun and the City Council to tell them how you feel about keeping events at TRADEX:

• You can contact the Mayor and City Council by using this contact form.
• You can contact Mayor Braun by email directly at mayorbraun@abbotsford.ca.