EDCO Annual Conference & Showcase

February 1 – 3, 2027

Current Program

Monday, February 1, 2027

Pre-Conference Sessions

From Busywork to Business Impact: Using AI Agents in Economic Development
From Busywork to Business Impact: Using AI Agents in Economic DevelopmentMonday, February 1st 1 - 3 pm

Economic Development Professionals are constantly balancing strategic priorities with repetitive administrative tasks that consume valuable time but add little strategic value. When used properly, AI agents can help EDPs automate and streamline these activities, freeing up time to focus on business attraction, investment, community development, and relationship building.

This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to three AI agents and tools that Economic Development Professionals should explore, including Microsoft Copilot. We will examine practical applications for research, communication, data analysis, content development, meeting preparation, and other everyday economic development activities.

This is not a session on AI theory—it is about putting AI to work.

Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops (fully charged) and follow along as we work through real-world examples and practical exercises. By the end of the session, participants will have a better understanding of how AI agents can help them become more efficient, productive, and strategic in their daily work.

Register Here

Details coming soon
Details coming soonMonday, February 1st 1 - 3 pm

Details coming soon.

3:00 PM – 6:00 PM REGISTRATION OPEN

Registration Desk, Conference Centre Ground Floor, Westin Harbour Castle

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM WELCOME RECEPTION Hockey Hall of Fame, Brookfield Place, Lower Level, 30 Yonge St.

Kick off your EDCO 2027 experience at the Hockey Hall of Fame!
Celebrate 70 years of the EDCO Conference & Showcase at a special welcome reception at the Hockey Hall of Fame, where hockey's greatest moments, legends, and memorabilia come to life. Raise a glass, connect with colleagues, and mark this milestone anniversary in one of the world's most iconic venues dedicated to the history and spirit of the game.

Sponsored By:

Tuesday, February 2, 2027

8:00 AM – 7:00 PM      REGISTRATION OPEN Registration Desk, Conference Centre Ground Floor, Westin Harbour Castle

8:00 AM – 9:30 AM      BREAKFAST Frontenac Foyer

8:00 AM – 7:00 PM      EXHIBITOR SHOWCASE, Metropolitan Centre and East

Make the most of the Showcase! Meet new suppliers, discover helpful resources and tools, and connect with colleagues while exploring what's new.

8:45 AM      EDCO ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (EDCO Members Only, Frontenac Ballroom)

9:30 AM      OPENING REMARKS, Frontenac Ballroom

Sean Dyke & Cephas Panschow

EDCO Conference and Showcase 2027, Co-Chairs

Elder Opening

Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation

10:00 AM      OPENING KEYNOTE, Frontenac Ballroom

DOUG GRIFFITHS

President & CEO, 13 Ways Inc., and best-selling author

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM      REFRESHMENT BREAK AND SHOWCASE, Metropolitan Centre and East

Come see what's new at the Showcase! Explore innovative products, services, and solutions, enjoy good food and great company, and leave with fresh ideas to bring back to your community.

11:10 AM – 11:30 AM      KNOWLEDGE POD PRESENTATION, Bay Room

Presentation details to be announced.

11:35 AM – 12:30 PM Breakout Sessions (4)

Sponsored and Presented By:

This session will explore how communities can use their downtowns as vibrant community spaces and visitor destinations. Through practical Ontario case studies, panelists will demonstrate how municipalities, BIAs, tourism organizations, and event partners can work together to use festivals, events and community activations to attract visitors, animate downtowns and support local businesses.

The discussion will focus on placemaking, partnerships, programming and promotion, and how communities can leverage events to generate greater economic impact by attracting visitors, increasing length of stay and local spending, supporting downtown businesses, and encouraging repeat visitation.

Economic developers are in the business of selling every day: selling your community, your vision, and your projects. Your ability to connect authentically with businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors is the foundation of growth. In this session, Kirsten Schmidtke brings her 15 years of sales and leadership expertise to reframe sales as a tool for service, trust, and transformation. Learn how to communicate with confidence, craft conversations that resonate, and step into your role as a leader who inspires growth in others. You'll leave with both the mindset and the methods to communicate your value, expand your network, and drive meaningful impact in your community.

Moderator: Allyson Pele, Economic Development Officer, City of Kenora

Speaker: Kirsten Schmidtke, Sales and Leadership Coach

How can economic development teams support businesses when the road ahead is literally torn up? Join this dynamic panel discussion to explore how proactive economic development, BIA engagement, and city-wide collaboration can turn a core-area construction project into a community success story. Hear from municipal economic development professionals and BIA leaders, some currently in the thick of construction, and others who've emerged stronger on the other side. Discover practical strategies, lessons learned, and creative communications that helped local businesses stay informed, supported, and visible. Whether your municipality is rural, urban, or northern, this session offers actionable ideas to strengthen business resiliency during periods of disruption.

Moderator: Laura Pearce, Senior Economic Development Officer, City of Cambridge

Speakers

  • John Kiru, CEO, Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA)
  • Erica Grimes, Downtown Construction Liaison, County of Brant
  • Kara Pratt, Executive Director, Waterfront District BIA, Thunder Bay

12:35 PM – 1:45 PM Lunch in the Showcase, Metropolitan Centre and East

Recharge and refuel with lunch in the Showcase! Enjoy a relaxed meal while networking with colleagues and discovering the innovative products, services, and solutions our exhibitors have to offer. Good food, great company, and fresh ideas to take back to your community. Don't forget to get your passport stamped.

1:20 PM – 1:40 PM Knowledge Pod, Bay Room

Seeing the Future of Your Municipality

This session will explore the importance of visualizing the future development of your municipality and how to generate investments for growth. Joel Davies' presentation focuses on what other municipalities in Canada have done and are currently doing, to promote their vision for the future and to inspire economic progress. It will highlight how your future developments can be realized using photorealistic animation with specific technologies that will allow your current and prospective clients to see and interact with the described vision both in 3D and in virtual reality tours. Audience members will leave this discussion with helpful recommendations on how to execute a vision and action plan for future economic development and investments within their own municipality.

Speaker: Joel Davies, CEO, Render Developments

Sponsored and Presented by: Render Developments

1:50 PM Breakout Sessions (4)

Consumer spending remains a key focus as Canadians navigate economic uncertainty. Recent shifts in consumer spending behaviour can be difficult to anticipate. Data-driven decision-making continues to play a crucial role in helping cities and municipalities overcome various challenges as they turn to data for early indicators to inform their strategies. Sean McCormick, Vice President of Business Development, Moneris Data Services, will share Moneris spending data from key consumer spending categories, including apparel, grocery and more, as we explore how economic developers can use these insights to stay ahead in a shifting economy.

Moderator: Nicole Simone, Director, Partnerships and Investor Services, Invest Ontario

Speaker: Sean McCormick, Vice President of Business Development, Moneris Data Services

Sponsored By:

Panel discussion with the Ontario First Nations Economic Developers Association and 3 of their past EDO of the year award winners:  Kylee Tarbell (Mohawk Council of Akwesasne), Jordan Hatton (Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek), and Jason Wong (Apitipi Anicinapek Nation).  Moderated by Ryan Moore (OFNEDA) the panel will discuss relationship building, engagement, and partnership in First Nation economic development.

Speakers

  • Jason Wong,Economic Development Officer, Apitipi Anicinapek Nation
  • Kylee Tarbell, Assistant Director, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
  • Jordan Hatton, Director, Economic Development, Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek (Sand Point First Nation)

Moderator

  • Ryan Moore, Director, OFNEDA

 

Sponsored and Presented By:

Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) aren't one-size-fits-all but there are tangible takeaways that any EDO can learn through the trials and tribulations of others. This panel discussion will showcase real-world examples from three communities offering a diverse range of incentives and supports for local businesses and property owners that will provide practical insights and actionable takeaways for communities of any size. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the CIP process from development through implementation, measuring a program's success and evolving the plan to meet changing community or economic conditions.

Moderator: Stacey Kursikowski, Senior Economic Development Officer, City of Waterloo

Speakers:

  • Julia Rigato, Senior Business Development Officer, City of Toronto
  • Evan Sinclair, Planner, Strategic Initiatives, City of Toronto
  • David Wybou, Business Development Officer, County of Renfrew
  • Fran Hanover, Economic Development Officer, City of North Bay

You are invited to participate in a roundtable during the EDCO Conference as one of Ontario's northern economic development leaders.

Moderator: Stephanie Pagnucco, Director of Corporate Communications and Stakeholder Relations, Sault College

2:50 PM – 3:20 PM Refreshment Break and Showcase, Metropolitan Centre and East

Visit sponsor and exhibit booths and network with colleagues.

 3:25 PM – 4:20 PM Breakout Sessions (4)

Across Ontario, municipalities are grappling with the complex and compounding challenges of homelessness and substance use—issues that are reshaping urban cores, straining public services, and impacting economic development. This session brings together case studies from Brantford, St Thomas, Sudbury and Toronto to explore how local governments, BIAs, health agencies, and community organizations are responding with urgency, innovation, and compassion.

Moderator: Paul Jenkins, CEO, St. Thomas & District Chamber of Commerce

Speakers:

  • Tyler Campbell, General Manager of Community Well-being, City of Greater Sudbury
  • Danielle Neilson, Planner, Manager of Housing Stability Services, City of St. Thomas and the County of Elgin
  • Mary Musson, Commissioner, Community Services & Social Development, City of Brantford
  • Likwa Nkala, General Manager, West Region, Toronto Community Housing

Real estate is increasingly becoming more relevant to economic developers either as it relates to the oversight of municipal employment lands, the promotion of privately owned industrial sites, and/or navigating discussions with realtors and site selectors on the road to development. Through this session participants will learn how land use planning, real estate transactions and site preparation impact the speed, use and ultimate development of a site. Participants will learn tips on how to play an increased role in the planning pre-consultation process; how real estate terms and covenants may impact investment attraction and the importance of advanced site preparation in accelerating development.

Moderator: Cephas Panschow, Development Commissioner, Town of Tillsonburg

Speakers:

  • Peter Penner, President and Project Manager, CJDL Consulting Engineers
  • Arash Shahi, CEO and Co-Founder, LandLogic
  • Laura Thompson, Manager Economic Development, Town of Innisfil

Significant advancements in Artificial Intelligence over the past 3 years have brought AI from the future, to the now. Organizations around the world are racing towards AI to improve service delivery and make work more efficient – but for many, the challenge is figuring out where to start. How can we begin what will surely be a fast-moving technological journey that will not only challenge present-day policies and regulations, but also many of the fundamental assumptions about how we work. In this session we'll look at how the City of Barrie has embarked on the AI journey, including steps to responsibly identify and manage risks.

Moderator: Sarah Young, Senior Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer, City of Barrie

Speaker: Rob Emerson, Manager of Digital Transformation and User Experience, City of Barrie

You are invited to participate in a roundtable during the EDCO Conference as one of Ontario's big city economic development leaders.

Moderator: Clare Barnett, Economic Development, City of Toronto

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM     FIRESIDE CHAT, Frontenac Ballroom

Moderator: Brooks Barnett, Manager, Economic Development Policy, Amazon

Speakers:

  • The Honourable N. Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business, Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
  • The Honourable L. Thompson, Minister of Rural Affairs

Sponsored By:

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM Networking Reception, Metropolitan Centre and East

Join us in the Showcase for an evening of great conversation, connections, and refreshments as you network with peers and explore the latest innovations from our exhibitors. It's the perfect way to unwind, make new contacts, and build relationships that will last long after the conference ends.

Wednesday, February 4, 2026 

8:00 AM Registration Opens, Registration Desk, Conference Centre Ground Floor, Westin Harbour Castle

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Breakfast and Showcase, Metropolitan Centre and East

Start your day with breakfast and the showcase! Enjoy connecting with peers and exploring the exhibitor booths. Take your time to talk with exhibitors and discover new ideas, services, and partnerships that can elevate your community's success.

8:15 AM – 8:55 AM SPONSOR'S CONCURRENT SESSION, Metropolitan West

From Main Street to Municipal Strategy: Integrating Local Metrics with Community Intelligence

Economic growth and resilience start with understanding communities from the ground up. In this joint session, the Canadian Urban Institute and Environics Analytics show how data can connect what's happening on main streets to municipal strategy. The CUI's Main Street Metrics dashboard delivers sub-municipal insights into business and community activity, while EA's Community Profile Report aggregates data at the municipal (CSD) level. Together, these tools help municipalities link local business vitality to broader planning, investment, and development priorities.

Speakers:

  • Nader Shureih, Senior Vice President, Sales Team Leader (Public Sector, BIAs and Transportation), Environics Analytics
  • Greg Spencer, Director of Research, Canadian Urban Institute

Sponsored and Presented By: Environics Analytics

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Keynote Speaker: Linda Nazareth, Frontenac Ballroom

From Today to Tomorrow: What the Economic Trends Mean for Economic Development in Ontario

The global economy is being transformed, and the changes will have implications for Ontario. It will be a challenging time for economic development professionals as they make decisions now to shape a future that might look very different from the present. In this eye-opening presentation, economist Linda Nazareth sketches out the economic future for Ontario, looking both at the short-term issues for the business cycle and the megatrends that will weigh on the longer term. From interest rates and trade to climate and the new industrial revolution, learn what is ahead and what that could mean for economic development in the province.

Introduced by:  Carla Y. Nell, Executive Vice President, Corporate Relations, Engagement & Strategy, IESO

Sponsored by: IESO

 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Bright Ideas Competition, Frontenac Ballroom

The EDCO Bright Ideas Committee is proud to host the 6th annual Bright Ideas Competition where teams of economic development professionals present bold, creative solutions to real-world challenges. Each team has crafted an innovative concept designed to support Ontario's economic development community—and now it's your turn to help choose the winner! Watch the presentations, cast your vote, and be part of the final decision.

 

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Refreshment Break and Showcase, Metropolitan Centre and East

Enjoy the morning coffee break with colleagues and visit the sponsor and exhibitor booths. Be sure to get your passport stamped for great prizes.

11:35 AM Breakout Sessions (4)

Explore current data and trends shaping Ontario's travel and tourism sector. Learn what's driving domestic travel, which destinations and experiences are in demand, and how preferences are evolving especially in the runway to 2026 FIFA World Cup. Gain actionable insights to guide marketing, product development, and strategy in a rapidly changing tourism landscape.

Moderator: Tony Marzotto, Director, Tourism Policy Research Branch, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming

Speaker: Sina Motamedi, Team Lead, Research, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Regional Tourism and Regional Analysis Unit

Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) is a foundational strategy for economic development offices across Ontario. This session will explore how communities are evolving their BR+E programs from traditional surveying to delivering high-impact, value-added supports for local businesses. Through an engaging panel discussion and practical examples, attendees will gain insights into best practices and innovative approaches that are driving real results in communities across Ontario.

Moderator:

  • Stephen Morris, Team Lead, Economic Development Programs Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

Speakers:

  • Laura Pearce, Senior Economic Development Officer, City of Cambridge
  • Victoria Watts, Business Growth & Retention Specialist, City of Belleville
  • Brenna Carroll, Economic Development Officer, Township of Southgate

Strategic planning is a structured process used by organizations and communities to set goals, identify actions, and allocate resources to achieve economic development objectives. It helps communities address local challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and guide long-term growth, and is an essential process for navigating region-specific issues like sustainable development, indigenous partnerships, and rural-urban dynamics. In this session, ResearchFDI will aim to help you understand the importance of strategic planning in Economic Development, and how to effectively map out and implement a strategic plan for your community.

Moderator: Adam Solomon, VP, Business Development, ResearchFDI

Speakers: 

  • Adam Solomon, VP, Business Development, ResearchFDI
  • Maylene Broderick, Manager, Business Development and Investment, Invest Durham
  • Kevin Dekok, Senior Economic Development Officer, City of Brantford

You are invited to participate in a roundtable during the EDCO Conference as one of Ontario's rural economic development leaders.

Moderator: Jeff Loney, Director, Government Relations, Bruce County

12:35 PM – 1:45 PM Lunch and Showcase, Metropolitan Centre and East

Have lunch in the Showcase while connecting with colleagues and exploring our exhibitor booths. It's the perfect time to refuel, network, and discover innovative products, services, and ideas. Last chance to get your passport stamped for great prizes.

1:50 PM – 2:55 PM Ask the Experts, Frontenac Ballroom

It's back but with a fresh new twist! Get your questions ready and join our interactive roundtable with past EDCO award winners. These experts will share insider perspectives on their award-winning initiatives, from developing comprehensive economic strategies and launching innovative agriculture programs to creative tourism, workforce, and community engagement projects. They will discuss how they made their communities investment-ready, created standout marketing campaigns, and built collaborative partnerships that set their stories apart. Come and learn what made their projects successful and how their best practices can inspire the next leaders in economic development.

Sponsored By: Ontario East

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Closing Plenary, Frontenac Ballroom

AGE OF MONSTERS: Fear, Hope and the Coming World

"The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the age of monsters." – Antonio Gramsci

And we thought 2025 was rough! We're barely into 2026, and the US has invaded Venezuela, Iran is in upheaval, and Greenland is in the crosshairs. Or is it Canada? Join economic development strategist Brock Dickinson for a closer look at what's going on, including emerging political theories (Neo-Royalism!), ancient ideas being reborn (Seven Grandfathers!), and a new world of economic opportunities for our communities!

Presenter:  Brock Dickinson, Director, Economic Development Program, University of Waterloo

4:00 PM – Closing Remarks, Frontenac Ballroom

Sean Dyke and Cephas Panschow – EDCO Conference and Showcase 2026, Co-Chairs

5:30 PM – 6:15 PM President's Reception, Frontenac Foyer

6:30 PM – 9:30 PM President's Dinner & Awards of Excellence, Frontenac Ballroom

President's Dinner Sponsored By: ResearchFDI

EDCO Awards of Excellence Sponsored By: Enbridge

9:30 PM – 10:30 PM President's After Party, Frontenac Ballroom

Keep the celebration going after the Awards Dinner! Join us for the After Party — a fun-filled evening of music, dancing, and great company. It's the perfect chance to unwind, connect with friends and colleagues, and toast to another fantastic conference!

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MEMBER EVENTS

Thanks to ongoing member feedback, we develop a series of ongoing events designed to provide value to our members. Members enjoy special "members only" pricing for all events!

UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR

EVENTS FROM THE MEMBER COMMUNITY

As a benefit of membership, members can post their events to our website for display on this calendar. Check this constantly changing line up of approved events hosted by other members.

MEMBER COMMUNITY EVENTS