Delegates for the 17th Annual Growing the North Conference are welcome to join us for a Pre-Event Networking Mixer hosted by the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the TARA Centre at Evergreen Park in the County of Grande Prairie. Admission is included in your conference registration. You will also be able to register for the conference and pick up your badge to avoid lineups! The Taste of the Peace Local Market will also be open!
Join us for an evening of networking, appetizers, refreshments including a cash bar and door prizes. For directions to the venue, please visit www.evergreenpark.ca.
8:00 AM: Registration Open
8:30 AM: Welcome
9:00 AM: PLENARY KEYNOTE: Leonard Brody – Futurist
10:00 AM: Networking Break
10:30 AM: PLENARY SPEAKER: Chris Sankey – Indigenous Reconciliation
11:30 AM: Lunch
12:00 PM: FOUNDER SPOTLIGHT: CIA Solutions – Water Worlds Movie
12:30 PM: PLENARY SPEAKER: Mark Parsons – Chief Economist, ATB
1:30 PM: BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
2:30 PM: Networking Break
3:00 PM: PLENARY KEYNOTE: Doug Stephens – The Future of Competitive Advantage
4:00 PM: Close of Day One
8:00 AM: Registration Open
8:30 AM: Welcome
9:00 AM: PLENARY KEYNOTE: Anne Belliveau – Cirque du Soleil
10:00 AM: Networking Break
10:30 AM: PLENARY SPEAKER: Explore Edmonton: The Development of the Northern Sky Corridor from Edmonton to the NWT
11:30 AM: Lunch
12:00 PM: FOUNDER SPOTLIGHT: Tough Enough to Talk About It – Grassroots to Groundbreaking: Mental Health Leadership in Industry
12:30 PM: PLENARY SPEAKER: Peter Nelson – Senior Economist, Labour Market Information Council
1:30 PM: BREAKOUT SESSIONS:
2:30 PM: Networking Break
3:00 PM: PLENARY KEYNOTE: Mike Downie – Telling Canada’s Story
4:00 PM: Close of Conference
2026 marks the return of a popular feature of our conference! We are hosting the Taste of the Peace Local Market!
14 vendor booths will be located in the main foyer of the TARA Centre in Evergreen Park where the conference is taking place. The market will be open Tuesday, February 17 from 5:00-7:00 PM during the opening registration mixer, then Wednesday, February 18 and Thursday, February 19 from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM during the conference. Booths will offer locally produced food, beverages, or hand-crafted products for sale to attendees of the conference representing a variety of items from across the Peace Region.
For more information, please contact info@growingthenorth.com.
Economic Developers Alberta is offering three courses of interest on Friday, February 20 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Evergreen Park following the conference:
Economic Development for Elected Officials (EO) – Registration Link
Fundamentals of Rural Economic Development (RED) – Registration Link
Mental Well-Being for Community Leaders(MW) – Registration Link
Or you can register by going to EDA Events Page.
Schedule subject to change. For more information, email info@growingthenorth.com. The conference takes place at Evergreen Park in the County of Grande Prairie. For venue information and directions, please visit www.evergreenpark.ca.