Message from the CEO
Back to It and More Energized Than Ever
It has been a busy summer. Between preparing for the conference, and building new partnerships with organizations committed to expanding employee ownership, the EOC team has been anything but quiet.
We have been meeting with advisors, business owners, and sector partners from coast to coast, finding more ways to reach the people who need to hear about employee ownership at exactly the right moment in their journey. Those conversations have reminded us, again, of how much this community has to offer; and how much demand there is for what we are building together.
As many of you go on vacations and we move closer to a new school year, here is what is coming: more webinars this fall, new resources going up on the website, and we are actively working to make select resources available in French so we can better serve business owners and advisors across francophone communities Canada-wide.
We are also welcoming so many new members to this community, many of whom will be joining us at the conference for the first time. We have been building new partnerships with organizations across the country that share our commitment to keeping Canadian businesses Canadian-owned, and we are always looking for more ways to reach owners and advisors where they are.
This issue also brings the news many of you have been waiting for: a robust speaker lineup and the full agenda for our conference in October. We are thrilled with what is taking shape in Vancouver. Whether you are coming for the tax and legal sessions, the economic big picture, or the peer conversations with employee-owned companies, there is something in this program for you.
As always, there is a place for your voice in this community. Thank you to the volunteers, speakers, sponsors, and partners who have given so generously of their time and expertise this summer. We would not be here without you.
We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver on October 20.
Warmly,
Justine Janssen
Chief Executive Officer (Interim),
Employee Ownership Canada
In Case You Missed It: Conference Updates
Labour Day Pricing: Savings Until September 15
Early bird pricing has officially ended, but before regular rates kick in we are offering a Labour Day discount on all ticket levels, available through September 15. If you have not secured your spot yet, this is your window. And if you know someone who should be in the room, pass it along.
| Registration Type | 2026 Labour Day Rate (until Sep 15) | 2026 Regular Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Member Reg. incl. Individual Membership | $1,150 | $1,224 |
| Member Reg. incl. Business Membership | $1,175 | $1,249 |
| Member Reg. incl. Service Provider Membership | $1,225 | $1,299 |
| Member Registration | $975 | $1,049 |
| Non-Member Registration | $1,124 | $1,199 |
Book Your Room Before You Miss It!
Group Rate Available at the Pinnacle Harbourfront
The conference is seven weeks away and our room block will not last. If you are joining us in Vancouver, we strongly encourage you to book your hotel now.
We have secured a group rate at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel; the same property where every session, meal, and reception takes place. Staying on site means no commute between sessions, easy access to the networking that happens in the hallways and at dinner, and harbour and mountain views to end the day on.
The Pinnacle is a four-star property in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour neighbourhood, steps from the waterfront and Stanley Park, with an indoor pool, fitness centre, and P2B Bistro & Bar on site. It is a great hotel in a great location, and the group rate makes it the obvious choice.
Rooms at the group rate are available until the block fills. Book early.
Speakers Announced
We have been working hard to finalize our speaker lineup, and we are excited to share where things stand. This year’s conference brings together more than 25 speakers from across the employee ownership ecosystem: business owners, legal and financial advisors, economists, policy voices, and practitioners doing this work every day.
- The Honourable Christy Clark, Former Premier of British Columbia, Senior Advisor, Bennett Jones LLP & Podcast Host
- Senator Tony Loffreda, Senator, Senate of Canada
- Kevin Milligan, Professor of Economics and Director, Vancouver School of Economics at UBC
- Aaron Schroeder, CEO, Brightspot Climate Inc.
- Alexandra (Ali) Spinner, Partner, Tax and Estate Planning, Crowe Soberman LLP
- Andrew Dey, ALBA Business Advisory Services
- Brendan Friesen, CFO, Centra Windows
- Candice Hartwell, Partner, VEER Business Advisors Ltd.
- Chad Friesen, President & CEO, Friesens Corporation
- Chris Caners, Director, Brightspot Climate
- Craig Busch, CEO, Busch Systems
- Daphane Nelson, Business Analyst, CoActive Developments Worker Co-op
- Dean Psarras, Partner, Dale & Lessmann LLP
- Doug Ndegwa, President & CEO, Spartan Controls
- Elizabeth Nolin, Director of Design & Implementation, Rewrite Capital Advisors
- Jennifer Williams, Founder, Ownership Design Group
- Jeremy Herbert, Partner, Felesky Flynn
- Jon Shell, Chair, Social Capital Partners
- Kira Gregson, Partner, Sequeira Partners
- Lana Gordin, Director of People and Culture, Centra
- Larry Sparks, CEO, Confluence Group
- Melanie Russell, President and Senior Managing Director, Kalex Partners Inc.
- Michael Fotheringham, Chief Executive Officer, Taproot Community Support Services
- Odia Reimer, VP of People & Culture, Friesens Corporation
- Rachel Bachmann, Head of Strategic Initiatives, Institute for Economic Democracy
- Rob Germain, CEO, CHEK Media
- Robert Postlethwaite, Founder & Managing Director, Postlethwaite Solicitors
- Dr. Shelley Poole, Managing Director, Wellington HR
- St. John McCloskey, Associate, Clark Wilson LLP
- Wesley Novotny, Partner, Bennett Jones LLP
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Thank You: July Webinar Recap
On July 22, we hosted Exit Options for Selling Owners, a practical session designed to give business owners a clear-eyed look at the full landscape of succession paths. Joanna Phillips (Rewrite Capital Advisors) and Kira Gregson (Sequeira Partners) walked through five exit options side by side, Employee Ownership Trusts, Employee Share Ownership Plans, management buyouts, private equity, and strategic acquisitions; covering timelines, deal structures, due diligence, and what the post-sale experience typically looks like for the owner.
The session drew on the reality that there is no shortage of options for selling owners, but understanding what each one actually means in practice for your timeline, your team, and your payout, is not always straightforward. If you missed it, the recording is available below.
Coming Up: September Webinars
We have two sessions lined up this September, and both are worth sharing widely.
Preparing for Management Succession: Leadership Transitions for Employee Ownership
September 15, 2026 | 1:00 PM ET | Free
Management succession is one of the most consequential decisions any business faces and in an employee-owned company, the stakes are even higher. Leadership transitions affect governance, employee confidence, and the long-term health of the ownership model itself.
Pete Walker, CEPA (Boughton Riverview Consulting) and Larry Sparks, CMC, PMP (The Confluence Group) will walk through what good succession planning looks like in practice, what to put in place before a transition begins, and how to set your successors up to lead with confidence. Live Q&A included.
Ideal for leaders and owners of employee-owned companies, business owners considering an EO transition, and advisors supporting succession planning.
Life After the Sale: How an EOT-Owned Business Changes Day-to-Day
September 30, 2026 | 1:00 PM ET | Free
Selling your business to an Employee Ownership Trust is one thing. Understanding what running that business looks like the day after is another. How does control shift to the trust? Who makes decisions? How does employee voice factor in, and how are financials communicated to staff?
Jennifer Williams, Founder of Ownership Design Group, has advised businesses through and after EOT transitions and serves as a trustee advisor for EOT-owned companies. She will walk through the governance and operational realities of an EOT-owned company; the things most owners wish they had understood before signing. Live Q&A included.
Ideal for business owners seriously considering an EOT, leadership teams inside newly EOT-owned companies, and advisors supporting clients through or after a transition.
FEATURE: Conference Agenda Announced
The full agenda for the 2026 Canadian Employee Ownership Conference is here. Across three days, the program features multiple stages and breakout rooms, more than 25 speakers, and sessions covering the full range of what employee ownership looks like in practice; from tax and legal frameworks to governance, financing, culture, valuation, and the big-picture economic case for keeping Canadian businesses Canadian-owned. Whether you are a business owner exploring your options, an advisor deepening your expertise, or a leader inside an employee-owned company, there is something in this program for you.
EOC Community Voices
“For me, it’s a way to create longevity in what we’ve created, make it last beyond me so that it has more infrastructure, deep roots in the community, and continuity in what our product, thought, and social leadership is.”
~ Craig Busch, CEO, Busch Systems Int’l Inc.
“It feels like an overnight success that was years in the making.”
~ Pete Walker, Director of the Board, Employee Ownership Canada
Corporate Knights writer Christina Palassio traces the road to permanence for the EOT capital gains tax exemption; from the advocacy push that made it happen to the business owners already putting the model into practice. The piece features voices from across the ecosystem, including several speakers joining us in Vancouver this October, and makes a compelling case for why this policy shift matters well beyond the business community.
Get Involved
Become an EOC Member
Membership gives you access to tools, insights, and a growing national network. A 3-month free trial is available.
Join the EO Ambassador and Volunteer Network
We often need volunteers and will reach out when opportunities arise. If you would like to be considered for future volunteer roles, add your name to our volunteer list below. We are grateful to those who have already expressed interest in supporting employee ownership across Canada.
