Western Canada

Sweeping over 1,500 miles eastward from the Pacific Ocean into the nation’s heart, Canada’s scenically spellbinding western provinces make for a true meetings melody. Bordering the U.S. to the south and Canada’s remote territories to the north, British Columbia, aglow in Olympic glory, and the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba resonate with Canadian frontier spirit.

From the majestic Canadian Rockies to Saskatchewan’s still-active sand dunes, this is a landscape of mythic proportions. Parts of Western Canada are prime hunting grounds for dinosaur bones. For planners and delegates, the bounty comes from digging into an all-encompassing trove of uniquely Canadian urban, cultural and natural experiences.

From big-city fun in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg to engaging secondary markets and mountain escapes, Western Canada has it all. Add a mature, multitiered meetings infrastructure and discoveries ranging from fairytale castles to the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth," and the invitation rings loud and clear: Westward go!

British Columbia
Set between the Pacific and the Rockies, Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia is newly crowned in six-ringed glory, having hosted the 2010 Winter Olympic Games last month, and its global appeal is now emphatically affirmed.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games have raised awareness of our province to an all-time high, and represent the opportunity of a lifetime for our tourism industry," says Kevin Krueger, British Columbia’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. "We believe that meeting planners and delegates will feel the incredible energy when they come here, but they will also be impressed with infrastructure enhancements, including the Vancouver Convention Centre, Vancouver International Airport, Canada Line and several new hotel properties."

Tourism Vancouver’s Shannon Donegani, manager of meeting and convention sales for the Midwest and Western U.S., echoes the enthusiasm.

"Delegates and attendees are more familiar with Vancouver thanks to the media coverage and cache that an Olympic Host City receives," she says, pointing to the destination’s many attributes. "We offer all the facilities that you would expect of an international city, but we are also right on the edge of nature, providing planners with a range of venues and activities that’s hard to match."

Impressive and inspiring, the Vancouver Convention Centre—tripled in size to nearly 500,000 square feet as of April 2009—was designed "to open minds and feed imaginations." It does just that; from the fish habitat built into its foundations to its six-acre living roof, the facility feels alive. Animating, too, are the ocean and mountain views from spaces such as the five-story-high ballroom, the largest among Canadian convention centers.

Hosting over 350 events annually, the center, which welcomes MPI’s 2010 World Education Congress this July, is within walking distance of more than 13,000 hotel rooms, including two adjacent properties, the Fairmont Waterfront and the brand-new, 400-room Fairmont Pacific Rim, as well as the Pan Pacific Vancouver, located in the same building.

Another Vancouver newcomer is the 220-room waterfront Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, which opened in January.

Just 15 minutes from downtown, Grouse Mountain offers stunning Vancouver panoramas along with year-round event facilities and activities. Coast Mountain Photography’s Photo Hikes, combining group hikes with professional photography instruction, is a great memory maker.

Home to the award-winning Vancouver International Airport, neighboring Richmond is also celebrating its Olympic gilding.

"The 2010 Olympic Winter Games put Richmond in the spotlight as an exciting and dynamic host destination. Now that we know what it’s like to welcome the world, we want to invite the world back!" says Tourism Richmond’s director of sales, Gayle Morris.

Her message to planners?

"Richmond has international brand-name hotels, top-rated facilities, excellent accessibility and endless cultural, culinary and leisure experiences—we make it easy for you to plan, organize and impress," she says.

Providing almost 4,500 guest rooms and over 130,000 square feet of combined meeting space, Richmond also offers eclectic alternatives that include the BCIT Aerospace Technology Campus, the Golden Village, home to over 300 Asian restaurants, and the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, one of coastal B.C.’s last surviving 19th century salmon canneries.

The Westin Wall Centre Vancouver Airport just opened in Richmond, and last year, the new Canada Line rapid transit debuted, linking Vancouver International Airport and Richmond to downtown Vancouver.

Across the Strait of Georgia and some 60 miles southwest of Vancouver is B.C.’s capital city of Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

If Vancouver is about the future, then charming Victoria is about the past.

"Victoria prides itself on its heritage architecture, picturesque Inner Harbour and walkable downtown core," says Kelly Pitt, Tourism Victoria’s sales manager for meeting and incentive travel. "With nonstop flights from Calgary, Toronto and San Francisco and close proximity to Vancouver and Seattle, it’s also an easy destination to get to."

Especially charming is the Victoria Conference Centre, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year by completing an expansion incorporating the landmark Crystal Garden Building. Originally a glass-clad conservatory, this heritage gem boots the center’s capacity to 73,000 square feet.

With major meetings hotels including the Hotel Grand Pacific and the fabled Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria is also home to regal venues such as the Royal BC Museum and the century-old, event-capable Hatley Castle.

Two meetings-ready hotels recently opened in Victoria: the 126-room Parkside Victoria Resort & Spa and the 60-room Hotel Rialto.

Comparable in size to the Netherlands, Vancouver Island boasts the mildest climate in Canada and is replete with intriguing experiences and destinations.

"With a variety of meeting venues for small or large gatherings, exciting experiences for the adventurous, awe-inspiring landscapes and delectable culinary experiences, Vancouver Island is a perfect destination for work and play," says Dave Petryk, president and CEO of Tourism Vancouver Island. "Vancouver Island has continually been voted as a top North American Island destination, and once here, you’ll experience our island hospitality for yourself."

With over 10,000 square feet of flexible space, the 192-room Tigh-Na-Mara (Gaelic for "House by the Sea") Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre is Vancouver Island’s largest resort conference facility. In the harbor city of Nanaimo, the Vancouver Island Conference Centre flexibly accommodates 1,300 delegates.

Unique off-site venues include the rustic Strathcona Park Lodge and the First Nations’ Quw’utsun’ Cultural & Conference Centre.

Two hours north of Vancouver along the Sea to Sky Highway—widened and upgraded for the Olympics—awaits Whistler, for 13 years running Skiing magazine’s top ski and snowboard resort in North America. Also basking in Olympic triumph, Whistler boasts approximately 10,000 guest rooms and more than 150,000 square feet of conference space in a variety of venues.

In addition to the Whistler Conference Centre, with approximately 40,000 square feet of usable space, the year-round resort offers an impressive range of meeting space among hotels such as the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, the newly renovated Westin Resort & Spa, Hilton Resort Whistler, Four Seasons Resort Whistler and the new AAVA Whistler Hotel (formerly the Coast Whistler Hotel).

Located 6,069 feet above sea level with breathtaking 360-degree mountain views, the Roundhouse Lodge offers 15,000 square feet of function space.

Alberta
Texas-sized and with the spirit and hospitality to match, Canada’s fourth-largest province proudly wears five (four natural, one cultural) UNESCO World Heritage Site crowns. As Canada’s "Rocky Mountain Playground," Alberta’s A-list appeal starts in the principal meetings destinations of Calgary and Edmonton.

Combining rich Western traditions with chic cosmopolitanism, Calgary is a burgeoning epicenter for the arts, business and major events.

"Calgary is known as a modern, safe, urban city with exceptional amenities and facilities, world-class service and hospitality, and truly unique experiences and attractions," says Randy Williams, Tourism Calgary’s new president and CEO.

Reflecting on many premier events in 2009 that Williams says solidified Calgary’s international reputation as a great host city for meetings and events, he is looking optimistically ahead.

"The Global Petroleum Show in 2010, the World Junior Hockey Championships and the Inter-American Development Bank Annual General Meeting in 2011 are just three major events that have chosen Calgary as host city," he says.

From its main group venue, the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, with 130,000 square feet of space, and meetings-ready hotels such as such as the Hyatt Regency Calgary, Westin Calgary, The Fairmont Palliser and Marriott Calgary, planners can fan out to evocative off-site venues such as the Military Museums and the Gasoline Alley Museum—with the annual Calgary Stampede, "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth," a cultural must.

With over 1 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space and over 13,000 guest rooms, "Festival City" Edmonton, the provincial capital, is also in a strong competitive position for both national and international business.

"Edmonton remains one of Canada’s best values and friendliest cities in which to meet and play," says Glenn Duncan, managing director of tourism development for the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation.

With the fastest-growing airport in Canada, Edmonton’s airlift capabilities are elevating the city’s viability as a premier business destination, along with a set of new convention-specific programs and unique conference planning tools. With outstanding facilities like the Shaw Conference Centre and the Mayfield Inn & Trade Centre, Duncan says, Edmonton always exceeds the expectations of planners and delegates alike.

The high-tech Edmonton Expo Centre opened in December with single-event capacity of 25,000 delegates, and Edmonton will also debut several new mid-range hotels over the next two years.

Both Calgary and Edmonton serve as gateways to the Rockies (just an hour from Calgary), where three of Alberta’s five national parks are located, including Banff, which is Canada’s first national park and turns 125 this year. Among the world’s top travel destinations, Banff is home to world-class skiing and top-flight golf. Styled after a Scottish baronial castle, the fairytale Fairmont Banff Springs is a global icon, while the nearby Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, overlooking its namesake, jewel-like mountain lake, boasts 36,000 square feet of meeting space and outdoor adventure options galore. Banff’s leading conference facility, the Banff Centre, will open its new Kinnear Centre this July, featuring 21,000 square feet of multifunction meeting space.

Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Situated above North Dakota and Montana, landlocked prairie province Saskatchewan, the "Land of Living Skies," is a tapestry of topographical treasures.

"It is no secret that Saskatchewan has a monopoly on natural splendor, breathtaking vistas and exhilarating outdoor adventure," says Lynda Haverstock, president and CEO of Tourism Saskatchewan. "At the same time, opportunities abound for planners shopping for an interesting, affordable and centralized destination."

International airports in Saskatoon and provincial capital Regina provide welcoming gateways and convenient access to hotels, venues and amenities accommodating a wide range of groups, Haverstock says.

Saskatoon’s main venues include the TCU Place-Saskatoon’s Arts & Convention Centre and Saskatoon Prairieland Park, while Regina’s conference standouts include the sprawling, multifacility Evraz Place, totaling 940,000 square feet of space; the Conexus Arts Center; and for iconic off-sites, the RCMP Heritage Center, celebrating Canada’s fabled Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Manitoba (which means "great spirit") is Canada’s third prairie province. Its capital and largest city is cosmopolitan Winnipeg, Canada’s Cultural Capital for 2010. According to Destination Winnipeg’s sales manager for meetings and conventions, Rachelle Normand, it’s an appointment certain to heighten the appeal of "creative hot-bed" Winnipeg.

"Highlighting the prevalence of art in Winnipeg, this designation and the incredible programs and events that go with it will only enhance the visitor experience here," Normand says, noting Winnipeg’s proven track record of success for hosting national and international conferences and events.

Running the gamut from name brands to historic castles, the city’s conference-ready hotels include the Delta Winnipeg, connected by skywalk to the Winnipeg Convention Centre (where a proposed expansion is under discussion); the Victoria Inn Hotel and Conference Centre; and the Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre, which just added 35,000 square feet of meeting space.

Popular off-sites include the Royal Canadian Mint, Fort Gibraltar and Manitoba Museum, while unique group activities include the scholar-led "Hermetic Code" tour of the Manitoba Legislative Building’s mystical symbols.

—Regular contributor Jeff Heilman has now covered all of Canada’s provinces for Meetings Media; just the three territories remain.