Three big business gatherings in Christchurch have been cancelled or put on hold.
Tuesday's Canterbury Software Summit at the Hotel Grand Chancellor was called off, alongside the Champion Canterbury Awards, the city's top business event run by the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce.
The awards were set to be presentedlast night but have been postponed.
Next week's national Property Council conference with about 200 delegates has been postponed as well.
The property specialists were planning to converge at Kilmore St's Christchurch Convention Centre, many staying at the Hotel Crowne Plaza and Millennium Hotel.
They were to hear from Mayor Bob Parker, Finance Minister Bill English and Chris Gudgeon, national president of Kiwi Income Property Trust.
The council, representing real estate bosses with investments of $5 billion-plus, has deferred the event due to start next Wednesday.
Council chief executive Connal Townsend said the decision to extend the state of emergency made it impossible to meet.
Staff at his national office were talking to Christchurch-based members.
"Their first priority over the next few weeks must be to clean up and reconstruct their own businesses and their city. We are determined that this year's conference will go ahead," Townsend said.
The chief executive of Canterbury Employers, Peter Townsend, said he had hoped last night's awards would go ahead but the extent of damage meant they had to be postponed.
NOT ON * Canterbury Software Summit, scheduled for Tuesday.
* Champion Canterbury Awards 2101, last night.
* Property national conference, next week.
