When I was asked to write this article, my first reaction wasn’t excitement. It was anxiety. I started sweating. My instinct was to redirect the request to someone else who specializes in this topic — someone who could speak to carbon offsets and waste audits with real authority. Sustainability is, without question, the subject I know the least about. But shying away from what we don’t know isn’t going to help any of us grow. So I decided to…
Great events are not only remembered for the moments they create, but also for the culinary experiences shared around the table. Food has become an opportunity for planners to connect people, tell a destination’s story and offer attendees an authentic taste of the place they are visiting. Many venues incorporate locally sourced and seasonal ingredients into menus to showcase regional flavours and support local farmers and producers. Chefs are increasingly looking to nearby farms, fisheries and producers to shape…
Something is happening in the corporate events industry that hasn’t happened at this scale before. Live, in-person events aren’t just recovering from years of virtual-first programming—they’re surging past pre-pandemic levels with higher attendance expectations, larger production footprints, and audiences that arrive with fundamentally different standards for what a corporate event should feel and look like. For corporate planners, the message is clear: showing up is no longer enough. The audiovisual production behind the event is now inseparable from the…
Think back to the last corporate event you attended. While you may not remember every presentation or agenda item, chances are you remember the atmosphere, the conversations, and perhaps even what was served. That’s because food and beverage have evolved far beyond simply feeding guests—they’ve become an integral part of the overall event experience. As an event planner, I’ve seen firsthand how thoughtful food and beverage choices can completely transform an event. They influence how guests interact, how long…
Alberta has major venue developments underway in both Edmonton and Calgary that are designed to accommodate a growing population, attract major national and international events, and strengthen the province’s position as a premier destination for live entertainment and tourism. Two major venue developments in Edmonton are set to expand the city’s capacity to host concerts, festivals, conferences, sporting events, and community celebrations while supporting downtown revitalization and tourism. One of the most significant developments is the proposed Event Park…
by Heather Reid I’ve been an event planner since 1994. That means I’ve planned through the September 11 terrorist attacks, SARS, the Great Recession, COVID-19, and now an era defined by economic uncertainty, labour shortages, cybersecurity threats, climate emergencies, supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and geopolitical instability. Looking back over more than 30 years, one thing has become abundantly clear to me: the role of the event contract has fundamentally changed. When I began my career, event contracts were often viewed as…
by Shannon Byck and Joe Nishi Every event planner knows the feeling: your boss/client/co-workers have an idea to plan an event and this lands on your desk. At first, the budget you have been provided looks healthy enough but by the time you are finalizing menus, AV, transportation and those last-minute “must-have” additions, budgets can disappear faster than a tray of champagne at a networking reception. The good news? Smart budgeting does not mean sacrificing attendee experience or surviving on…
Not long ago, I watched a special guest unexpectedly rise from their seat and join a finale on stage. It wasn’t rehearsed. It wasn’t scripted. It wasn’t part of the run of show. The audience was already on its feet. The performers were fully immersed in the moment. The room, 3,000 people strong, was buzzing with energy, joy, and connection. What had begun as a carefully planned event had transformed into something else entirely. For a few minutes, nobody…
When I founded my event business in 1988, there were only five event planning companies in Vancouver, British Columbia. Fast forward to today, and I recently heard there are more than 700. It seems everyone is an event planner these days — caterers, florists, DJs, audiovisual companies, and countless others. At least, that’s what they claim. But are they really? When I started Bright Ideas Event Agency, I was completely on my own. I had no formal training, no…
Canada has long understood that sovereignty is strengthened through infrastructure. We see it in the roads that connect communities, the ports that move goods, the power grids that sustain our economy, the broadband networks that connect our regions, and the public buildings where civic life takes place. Physical infrastructure is easy to understand because it is visible. That is the traditional infrastructure argument: the things a country builds, extracts, moves, powers, and protects are not just economic assets. They are…
