IIABC Leadership Forum 2026
IIABC INVITES YOU TO THE INAUGURAL:
IIABC Leadership Forum 2026
Water, Growth & the Future of British Columbia
Wednesday, November 25 & Thursday, November 26, 2026
Coast Bastion Hotel, Nanaimo | In person or by live stream
Two days. One room. The conversations shaping what kind of province British Columbia becomes.
This is not simply a conference about irrigation. It is a forum about British Columbia, viewed through the lens of water: growth, housing, food, climate, infrastructure, labour, technology and the economy that has to hold it all together. More than 40 leaders from government, industry, research and First Nations take the stage, all under the same roof as your course.
2 DAYS
9 PROVINCIAL PANELS
40+ LEADERS
25 TRADESHOW BOOTHS
Who you will hear from:
Stuart McNish (Conversations Live) opens with The State of British Columbia 2026. Terry Ormrod (The Toro Company) delivers The Water Truth, and Dr. Stewart Cohen (Royal Roads University) asks which decisions BC cannot afford to delay. Around the panel tables: Dr. George Abbott (BC Treaty Commission), Rob Shaw (CHEK News & Glacier Media), Aaron Aerts (Business Council of BC), Dr. Oliver Brandes (POLIS, University of Victoria), Dr. Paul Kershaw (UBC), Dr. Roslyn Kunin, Paul Pryce (BC Agriculture Council), George Anderson (Legislative Assembly of BC) and many more, with leadership sessions from Leigh Lampert, Susan Friesen and Patrick von Pander.
Nine questions. Two days. One room.
01 Who Gets Water?
Wed, Nov 25 · 11:45 a.m.
02 Does British Columbia Have a Water Plan?
Wed, Nov 25 · 1:05 p.m.
03 Is Water the New Oil?
Wed, Nov 25 · 1:55 p.m.
04 Can British Columbia Grow Without Breaking?
Wed, Nov 25 · 3:25 p.m.
05 Is British Columbia Becoming Too Expensive to Compete?
Thu, Nov 26 · 9:50 a.m.
06 Politics, Power & Public Trust
Thu, Nov 26 · 10:55 a.m.
07 The Great Labour Shortage
Thu, Nov 26 · 12:35 p.m.
08 AI Is Here: Who Wins, Who Gets Left Behind?
Thu, Nov 26 · 1:45 p.m.
09 BC 2050: Who Will Feed British Columbia?
Thu, Nov 26 · 3:05 p.m.
All prices are per person, plus applicable Canadian sales tax. Registration is final sale, non refundable and non transferable. Group rates are available when several staff attend; please contact the forum office.
In person registration includes:
✓ The full two day programme
✓ All nine provincial panels
✓ The IIABC Tradeshow, both days
✓ Networking lunch both days
✓ The President's Reception
✓ IIABC Awards Ceremony and dinner
Prefer to join online? Online attendance gives you live access to every panel and networking through the platform, with the Zoom link sent 48 hours before the Forum. Please contact the forum office for online registration.
Certified Irrigation Technician courses are also being offered at this event - check www.irrigationbc.com