ABOUT IABC/TORONTO

Welcome to the IABC/Toronto chapter Web site.

As the largest chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, we provide access to products, services, activities and networking opportunities in Toronto and around the world. We help people and organizations achieve excellence in corporate communications, public relations, employee communication, marketing communication, public affairs and other forms of communication.

IABC/Toronto Member Discounts on Services and Products

We want to increase the value of your membership by working with other organizations to bring you discounts on products and/or services.

Please also refer to the IABC International website for other member discounts.

MEDIA RELATIONS RATING POINTS (MRP™)

Media Relations Rating Points (MRP™) is the new standard for evaluating editorial media coverage in Canada. Developed by the CPRS Measurement Committee, a group of public relations industry professionals, and endorsed by IABC/Toronto, this new system is designed to make it easy for communications professionals to measure, evaluate and report the results of media relations campaigns.

The MRP™ system analyses editorial media coverage by tone, customized criteria and cost-per-contact. The templates are available to view for free and can be downloaded by clicking here.

Key to the MRP system is the reach data, which is being provided by News Canada via a subscription internet service at MRPdatacom.

For more information, or to subscribe to MRPdata.com, click http://www.mrpdata.com Please note that IABC/Toronto members will receive a member discount of 10% off their MRPdata.com subscription. Please have your membership number handy when purchasing your subscription.

The MRP™ system is supported by an online forum on measurement. To learn more about MRP™ and measuring PR campaigns. please visit the PR Measurement blog by clicking http://www.prmeasurement.ca.

IABC Has its Own Insurance Plan

It is great pleasure to announce the formation of an optional group insurance plan for IABC members. Group insurance for IABC members has been available in the U.S. for years. However, no group insurance has been available for Canadian members. We believe this is a very exciting development in our programs in member care, recruitment, marketing and branding.

Thanks to work by IABC/Ottawa, a special benefits package has been designed for self- employed IABC members by CAPCORP, an Ottawa insurance broker that specializes in group insurance for associations and small groups normally not eligible for coverage offered by employers. Premiums are tax deductible.

Premiums for single members can be as low as $52.50 a month for no frills coverage. Family coverage with optional dental benefits would be $213.20 a month.

These rates are considerably cheaper than what is normally available to self-employed contractors. Optional long-term disability is also available.

Small and medium-sized companies that employ IABC members are also eligible to use this plan as group insurance for their employees.

IABC members will pay their benefits directly to CAPCORP. The chapter will not be liable for any premiums that are in arrears.

Full details of premiums and benefits can be found on IABC/Ottawa's website at http://www.iabcottawa.ca/ benefits_insurance.asp.
For information about CAPCORP, visit www.capcorp.ca. Feel free to contact Mike Hamilton at CAPCORP directly for enrolment information at 613-226-1964.