2025 Conference Agenda

Monday, October 6

6:00 pm – Relentless Transformation: 4 Lessons to Thrive in Our AI Future in 2025 & Beyond – Amber Mac, President, AmberMac Media Inc.

In this in-person presentation, tech reporter and award-winning podcaster Amber Mac will guide attendees through her four-part blueprint for not just surviving our AI future but thriving in it.

These lessons include what every leader and professional needs to know to design, grow, learn, and communicate in the age of AI, all while leading with values and making an impact in today’s world of predictable unpredictability. This is a practical, inspirational, and highly relevant talk, delivered with up-to-the-minute tech trends by one of the country’s top technology and innovation voices.

Wherever you are on your AI journey, Amber Mac will provide you with a working framework to take your skills to the next level.

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

8:00 am – Registration Desk Opens
Lobby at bottom of stairs

8:00 am – Breakfast
Imperial Ballroom

9:00 am – FDI Attraction in an Uncertain World: TCS Perspective
Jonathon Kupi – Director, Investment Promotion, Global Affairs Canada 
Grand Georgian Ballroom

9:45 am – How Airbnb Drives Economic Growth in Every Community
Hannah Parish – Country Manager, AirBNB
Grand Georgian Ballroom

10:30 am – Refreshment Break and Trade Show Walk
Imperial Ballroom

11:00 am – Breakout Presentations

12:00 pm – Seeing the Future of Your Municipality
Joel Davies – CEO, Render Developments
Grand Georgian Ballroom

12:45 pm – Lunch
Imperial Ballroom

1:30 pm – Marketing Award Winners Presentation
Grand Georgian Ballroom

2:30 pm – The Content Crunch: How the Role of Economic Developers Is Evolving and What You’ll Need Next
Steve Kirby – Vice President of Partnerships, Localintel
Grand Georgian Ballroom

3:15 pm – Refreshment Break and Trade Show Walk
Imperial Ballroom

3:45 pm – Navigating the Future of North American Economic Development: A Fireside Chat with IEDC and EDAC Leadership
Bryan Daniels – Chair of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
John Regan, Ec.D. (F) – President, Economic Developers Association of Canada
Grand Georgian Ballroom

4:15 pm – Why Your Community Isn’t Getting Noticed (and How to Change That)
Luke Panek – Director, YOLO Nomads
Grand Georgian Ballroom

5:00 pm – SESSIONS END

7:00 pm to 10:00pm – Fun Night

Unwind with us at Kurtz Orchards for EDAC 2025’s Fun Night! Enjoy drinks, delicious bites, and the perfect live duo as we mix, mingle, and make memories in a stunning orchard setting.

A bus will loop from Queen’s Landing to Kurtz Orchard (4 minute drive) beginning at 6:50pm from Queen’s Landing. The last bus will return to Queen’s Landing by 10:20pm.

Wednesday, October 8

8:00 am – Registration Desk Opens
Lobby at bottom of stairs

8:00 am – Breakfast
Imperial Ballroom

9:00 am – Annual General Meeting (all welcome, but only members may vote)
Grand Georgian Ballroom

9:45 am – Do The One Small Thing
Chris Fields – Speaker, Writer & Principal, Rynic
Grand Georgian Ballroom

10:30 am – Public-area mobile robots: Economic Impacts and Municipal Readiness
Bern Grush – Executive Director, Urban Robotics Foundation
Grand Georgian Ballroom

11:15 am – Refreshment Break and Trade Show Walk
Imperial Ballroom

11:35 am – Fireside Chat: Navigating the Canada–U.S. Trade Relationship – An Insider’s Perspective
MODERATOR: Jonathon Kupi – Director, Investment Promotion, Global Affairs Canada
Andrea Clements – Minister-Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada to the United States of America
Grand Georgian Ballroom

12:35 pm – More Than a Feeling: How Communities Turn Data into Development
MODERATOR: Sasha Bogdanovic – CEO and Co-Founder, CityViz
Izabela Bogdanovic – Co-Founder and Chief Product Offocer, CityViz
Wendy Dupley, Ec.D. – Principal, WeDu Consulting
Darren Brewer, Ec.D. – Economic Development Officer, City of Cranbrook
Grand Georgian Ballroom

1:20 pm – Lunch
Imperial Ballroom

1:50 pm – How Recent Changes in Consumer Spending Behaviour Could Impact Regional Economic Development Plans Across Canada
Sean McCormick – Director of Business Development, Moneris
Grand Georgian Ballroom

2:35 pm – Meet EDAC’s New Executive Director!
John Regan, Ec.D. (F) – President, EDAC
Grand Georgian Ballroom

3:15 pm – Sessions End

Study Tours – Registration Closed

2:45 pm – Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Canada
Please note this tour leaves before the last session at 2:45pm sharp, at the front of Queen’s Landing.
Tour should return by approx. 5:30pm.

3:30 pm – Infinite Harvest Technologies
Please meet your bus at the front of Queen’s Landing.
Tour should return by approx. 5:00pm.

4:00 pm – Shaw Festival
Please note you will be walking to the Shaw Festival and tour begins at 4pm.
10 Queen’s Parade – enter through the Box Office.

Dinner on own

Thursday, October 9

8:00 am – Registration Desk Opens
Lobby at bottom of stairs

8:00 am – Breakfast
Imperial Ballroom

9:00 am – Meet the TCS Speed Networking Session
Jonathon Kupi – Director, Investment Promotion, Global Affairs Canada
Andrea Clements – Minister-Counsellor and Senior Trade Commissioner, Embassy of Canada to the USA
Gert De Boever – Senior Investment Officer, The Embassy of Canada to Belgium and Luxembourg
Jade Chung – Senior Investment Officer, The High Commission of Canada to Singapore
Janice Vogtle, Deputy Director, Ontario Region, Global Affairs Canada
Sarah Desrochers-Coulombe – Senior Investment Officer, Global Affairs Canada
Gillianne Beaulieu – Deputy Director, Partnerships & Governance, Global Affairs Canada
Trillium Room – please come and go quietly from the Grand Georgian Ballroom

9:00 am – Municipal Sponsorship 101: How to Value & Sell Commercial Sponsorships to Municipal Assets
Myles Gallagher – President & CEO, The Superlative Group
Kyle Canter – Chief Operating Officer, The Superlative Group
Dev Ramkallie, Vice President, Canada, The Superlative Group
Grand Georgian Ballroom

9:45 am – Travel & Tourism : A Powerful Driver of Economic Development
Johanna Griggs – Executive Director, Tourism Development, Destination Canada
Grand Georgian Ballroom

10:30 am – Refreshment Break and Trade Show Walk
Imperial Ballroom

10:50 am – Breakouts

  • Track A: Unlocking European Investment: Insights from a Trade Commissioner Service Senior Investment Officer
    • Gert De Boever – Senior Investment Officer, The Embassy of Canada to Belgium and Luxembourg
    • Loyalist Room
  • Track B: Ontario East Regional Framework: Developing New Economic Development Strategies Adapting to New Realities for Manufacturers and Trade
    • Jay Amer, Ec. D. – Executive Director, Ontario East Economic Development Commission
    • Chris King, Ec. D. – CEO Quinte Economic Development Commission
    • Gillian Sheldon – Director, Investment Partnership, NGen
    • Jon Worren – Vice President, World Trade Centre-Toronto
    • Wedgewood Room
  • Track C: Beyond Marketing: What Digital Should Actually Do in 2025
    • Heather Buttrum – Principal, Rain Digital
    • Courtenay Caldwell – Director of Accounts and Operations, Rain Digital
    • Balmoral Room

11:50 pm – Unlocking Global Markets: How Your Community Can Leverage Trade Commissioner Service Support for Export Success
Janice Vogtle, Deputy Director, Ontario Region, Global Affairs Canada
Grand Georgian Ballroom

12:50 pm – Lunch
Imperial Ballroom

1:20 pm – Winning Mindshare: How PR Can Drive Business Investment
April Mason – President, VioletPR
Grand Georgian Ballroom

2:05 pm – BDO Zones: New Economic Development Tools to Accelerate Biomanufacturing Project Development
Jordan Solomon – Chairman of the Biofuel Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone Initiative & CEO, Ecostrat
Grand Georgian Ballroom

2:50 pm – Co-operatives and your Community Economic Development Plan
Kyle White – Director of Education, Co-operatives First
Grand Georgian Ballroom

3:30 pm – Refreshment Break
Imperial Ballroom

3:50 pm – Thriving Amid Economic Shifts: 10 Thoughts for Canadian EDOs on Local Growth
Bruce Peever – Partner, KPMG Public Sector Practice
Grand Georgian Ballroom

4:35 pm – How the Circular Economy Can Unlock Your Region’s Potential 
Mitchell Edgar – Manager of Economic Development, District of Saanich
Jill Doucette – CEO, Synergy Enterprises
Grand Georgian Ballroom

5:15 pm – Sessions End

6:30 pm – President’s Reception

  • Cash bar
  • Imperial Ballroom

7:30 pm – President’s Dinner (ends approx. 10pm)

Grand Georgian Ballroom

  • Marketing Awards Contenders and Cup Recipient Presentation
  • Ec.D. Recipients
  • President’s remarks
  • Incoming President’s remarks
  • Presentation of 2026 Conference