Meeting in the Capital 2019

OTTAWA-GATINEAU’S 2019 GUIDE TO CORPORATE EVENT PLANNING

in the Capital

THE

KNOCKOUT EVENTS OF THE YEAR

The stories behind Fight for the Cure and other top galas, conferences and corporate parties in Canada’s capital

Iconic event spaces

that aspire to inspire Overlooking the city’s premier landmarks and the UNESCO World Heritage Rideau Canal, the magnificent design includes five new event spaces with a signature 600-seat Canada Room, divisible into 3 equal parts with floor to ceiling windows, an abundance of natural light and breathtaking views.

Let our talented culinary team create that special menu just for you as we are reinventing the ‘art’ in culinary arts and focused on delivering unparalleled experiences.

RESERVE NOW! Call or email us today to book your meeting or special event.

613-232-5713 meetingsandevents@nac-cna.ca

2 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

SPONSORED CONTENT

“We have creative spaces for meeting magic.”

— Nelson Borges, food and beverage general manager

NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE Situated in the heart of downtown, the National Arts Centre is a space known for celebrating music, theatre and dance that’s also filled with character and charm that can enhance meetings, galas and other special events.

Celebrating their 50th birthday, the building underwent a dramatic facelift ahead of the Canada 150 celebrations in 2017 that give the Elgin Street facility a tasteful combination of modern and traditional design elements. Each of the new event rooms are outfitted with large windows that flood the space with natural light and provide panoramic views of Parliament Hill, making it a top choice for both corporate and private events.

On the upper level are the new event spaces including the Lantern Room, which offers soaring ceilings and exterior LED screens that reflect colourful moving pictures onto the interior space. Additionally, Le Salon on the main floor is the only room that’s kept its original design from the day the NAC first opened. With large handcrafted aluminum doors, a hexagonal shape and large skylight chandelier, Le Salon is a room rich with history and traditional flare.

Along with its eye-catching architecture, the NAC also offers a variety of in-house services. Partnering with top-notch technical teams, they can assist with everything from video presentations to digital conference calls. The NAC also has a team of highly experienced chefs who prepare all the food in-house for catering and provide ample parking spaces in a heated garage, making it easy for guests to leave their coats in the car and dress up for the occasion.

Whether it is a daytime business meeting or a sunset wedding, the National Arts Centre ensures its events are always memorable.

FACTS & FIGURES

28,000 7,000

Total event space in sq. ft.

Largest meeting space room in sq. ft.

7

Number of meeting rooms

1,000 800 600

Theatre capacity Reception capacity

Banquet capacity

Available parking: Onsite Daily rental rate from $2,625

SALES CONTACT PHONE: 613-232-5713 EMAIL: meetingsandevents@ nac-cna.ca nac-cna.ca/en/meetings

ONSITE SERVICES

ACCOMMODATIONS

MAJOR EVENTS

UNIQUE FEATURES

In-house catering

Lower rates during off-season

Weddings

Audio-visual capabilities and free high speed WiFi

Walking distance to hotels

Corporate meetings, conferences and fundraisers

Large windows and natural light in every event space

Restaurant, patio and coffee shop

Modern and historical style rooms

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Political presentations and panel discussions

Fully heated parking garage Onsite catering

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 3

OPENING LETTER

Canada’s foremost meeting destination A message from Ottawa Tourism president and CEO Michael Crockatt

O

ver the past few years, Ottawa has blossomed into Canada’s foremost meeting destination for Canadian and international visitors with a demonstrated track record of hosting some of the most extraordinary large-scale meetings and events.

In 2018, our meetings and events team confirmed 113,000 room night bookings representing 76,000 delegates for meetings and events due to take place in the upcoming years.

In 2019, Ottawa Tourism will be welcoming more than 160 events with a total economic impact in excess of $50 million. Some notable conferences coming to Ottawa in 2019 include the Open Government Partnership Global Summit (May 29-31, 2019), CANSEC 2019 (May 29-30, 2019) and the International Metropolis Conference (June 24-28, 2019). These events shine a light on our city, contribute to increased visitation to the capital, and ultimately boost the local economy.

Ottawa Tourism released its Economic Impact of Tourism Study in early 2019, clearly demonstrating the importance of tourism for the local economy when we consider the annual visitor spending of more than $2.2 billion and an impressive $3 billion in economic output for the local region.

We know with certainty that tourism is one of the best opportunities our city has to boost the local economy. Each and every one of us has the power to grow the tourism sector through strategic efforts that will benefit residents and local businesses.

In spring of 2019, Ottawa Tourism,

In 2019, Ottawa Tourism, the Shaw Centre and Invest Ottawa will launch ThinkOttawa, a new initiative that will support Ottawans in their journey to entice and attract even more international conferences to Canada’s capital.

along with our friends from the Shaw Centre and Invest Ottawa, launched its brand-new initiative, ThinkOttawa. Together we will build a network of leaders who share the common goal of showcasing their areas of expertise, their business efforts and their industry’s opportunities across the city and across the globe. ThinkOttawa will support Ottawans in their journey to entice and attract even more international conferences to Canada’s capital.

Ottawa Tourism is also gearing up to welcome the city’s eagerly awaited light-rail transit system. This brandnew infrastructure will revolutionize the way people meet in Ottawa, making our city more accessible, connected and easier than ever to navigate.

Meeting planners will have easy access to several new neighbourhoods with more venue options and the ability to discover the lesser-known parts of our dynamic city.

Our city is seeing an increasing number of new hotel and meeting space offerings:

In January 2019, the Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Downtown and Homewood Suites by Hilton, Ottawa Downtown, opened in the same building, offering separate check-in desks but sharing amenities such as a pool, restaurant and meeting space; • The luxurious reResidences suites hotel opening on Sparks Street this June will offer a theatre, business centre, yoga studio, an incredible sky lounge and more; • A new Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ottawa Downtown East hotel is currently under construction on King Edward Avenue; • Earlier this year, Le Germain Group announced plans for its Alt Hotel Ottawa Airport, scheduled to open by the end of 2020; • And let’s not forget the swanky Le Germain Ottawa hotel that opened in spring 2018 in a multi-use building after a $100 million investment in the redevelopment of the Arts Court complex.

In August 2019, Ottawa Tourism will host Destination Canada’s GoMedia Canada 2019, a prestigious marketplace and conference that will welcome more than 130 international travel journalists to our city, leading to impressive social media and traditional media coverage for Ottawa.

We stand at an exciting moment in time, defined by the charm that has always made Ottawa special, while becoming known as a modern and energetic hub of innovation. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for Ottawa as we continue to build on our solid reputation.

•

Michael Crockatt President and CEO Ottawa Tourism

4 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

IF CANADA WAS A CITY, THIS WOULD BE IT O ttawa tells Canada’s stories like no other place. Discover what our country’s all about by visiting national museums and historic landmarks, strolling through welcoming and diverse neighbourhoods, and exploring the great outdoors right in the heart of the city. Bring your meeting or convention here and put it on a national stage.

OTTAWATOURISM.CA/MEETINGS Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 5

WHAT’S INSIDE

PUBLISHER Michael Curran

“Keep speeches short, have great music (and) offer great spots to mingle.”

– Patrick Nadeau, executive director of the Ottawa Riverkeeper, on some of the elements that make the charity’s annual gala a hit with an ever-growing guestlist. Read the story on page 10.

8

How I did it

A behind-the-scenes look at the successful strategies employed by the organizers of:

8 Fight for the Cure

9 Stars of the City

10 Greenspon Granger Hill’s rebranding party

11 TiECon Canada

11 Ottawa Riverkeeper gala

12 Welch’s 100th anniversary party

charitable events in the capital, as well as major conferences and conventions.

18 Food & drink

Inspiration from Ottawa bartenders for creating

memorable cocktails.

20 Decor

Design trend insights and in-demand accessories.

21 Music

Ottawa DJs share their top tracks for

corporate events.

22 Venues

Detailed information on nearly 100 possible

locations for your next event.

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Sam Cooley Michael D’Alimonte Elizabeth Howell Joe Koraith Rosa Saba Lisa Thibodeau CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tanya Connolly-Holmes GRAPHIC DESIGNER Celine Paquette SALES & MARKETING Wendy Baily Eric Dupuis Victoria Stewart

OTTAWA-GATINEAU’S 2019 GUIDE TO CORPORATE EVENT PLANNING

in the Capital

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Mark Sutcliffe PRESIDENT Michael Curran

THE

KNOCKOUT EVENTS OF THE YEAR

The stories behind Fight for the Cure and other top galas, conferences and corporate parties in Canada’s capital

Scott Whitteker is the CEO of Fight for the Cure.

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

13 What’s on in Ottawa-Gatineau?

A calendar of the top social, business and

EDITOR Peter Kovessy

Meeting in the Capital is Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to corporate meetings and events planning. This special annual feature from the Ottawa Business Journal highlights the city’s biggest and best business, charitable and social events, in addition to providing practical event logistics takeaways and providing a comprehensive overview of venue spaces in the National Capital Region.

www.obj.ca © 2019 Ottawa Business Journal Meeting in the Capital is published once per year by the Ottawa Business Journal. This publication contains information considered accurate at the time of printing. However, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without the written permission of the publisher.

The Ottawa Business Journal is published by Great River Media Inc. All original contents copyright ©2019 by the Ottawa Business Journal.

Information and opinions in Meeting in the Capital are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.

Information contained herein has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable.

While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, this is not guaranteed. Company listings are considered current at press time.

PRINTED IN CANADA

6 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

BROOKSTREET & THE MARSHES GOLF CLUB Ottawa’s Premier Four-Diamond Hotel, Golf, Dining, Spa & Conference Destination • •

30,000 sq ft of flexible meeting space

25 meeting rooms, including 3 ballrooms and an outdoor pavilion •

•

State of the art audio visual technology •

276 modern guestrooms & suites

•

3 restaurants, café & daily live jazz

Championship golf course, 9 hole short course & mini putt •

Spa, gym, indoor & outdoor pools •

Endless recreational activities

w ww. m a r s h e s g ol f cl u b.c o m Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

w w w. b ro o kst reet .c o m MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 7

HOW I DID IT

How they did it Every year, hundreds of local professionals across all sectors either volunteer to help run or are tasked with organizing events. Whether it’s a corporate celebration, fundraiser or annual general meeting, these events often challenge organizers to go outside their comfort zone and develop new skills.

Here are the stories of a half-dozen individuals who have risen to the occasion and learned several lessons along the way.

SCOTT WHITTEKER IS THE CEO OF FIGHT FOR THE CURE.

PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON

8 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Fight for the Cure boxing gala From fighter to event planner

S

cott Whitteker is a boxer with years of experience.

So, in 2008, when Whitteker got involved with Fight for the Cure – an Ottawa-based charity boxing gala – he had all the tools he needed to help train fighters and coordinate some of the bouts.

But, in 2017, when Whitteker took over the reins to become the annual charity event’s chief organizer, he quickly realized that event planning requires an entirely different skill set than duking it out in the ring.

“I didn’t know all the small things,” says Whitteker. “What do I price my tables at?

How do I keep track of food allergies and intolerances? It’s a huge task you would never think of when organizing a boxing event.”

Catering to the needs of more than 1,000 spectators and a group of whitecollar competitors wasn’t easy, says Whitteker, adding that organization is key.

“You have to document everything.

Every move that you make. You never know when you have to go back and find out who you were talking to and about what.”

FFTC isn’t your average boxing event. Instead of professional athletes competing, white-collar workers trade in their business wear for boxing gloves and act as the event’s headliners.

That wasn’t always the case.

Originally, FFTC focused on amateur, competitive boxing matches. The first event raised about $500 for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.

As time went on, Whitteker and his team realized that the crowds were more excited by the white-collar bouts than the amateur fights and shifted the focus to include more corporate one-on-one matches.

Last year, FFTC became an exclusively white-collar boxing event, raising more than $230,000. The 2019 goal is $400,000.

The significant increase in fundraising has a lot to do with the competitors themselves, all of whom are Ottawa-based professionals.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

“By switching to that white-collar model, we can really leverage our competitors’ networks to do a lot of the fundraising for the event,” said Whitteker.

Bringing in 12 new competitors every year also helps the event grow organically.

Past competitors stay engaged in the event as alumni, says Whitteker, training with the new batch of fighters and buying a table to watch with their friends and family.

“I don’t think any of the event tables are going to make it to the public this year … We’re sold out before the launch,” says Whitteker. “As an event planner, it doesn’t

get much better than that.”

A network of alumni is an asset FFTC didn’t always have, nor do many new events.

An early sponsorship from Heart & Crown Irish Pubs helped FFTC get off the ground in the early years.

Whitteker recommends that anyone launching a new charitable event secure an anchor supporter.

“Getting a headline sponsor like Heart & Crown is gigantic,” says Whitteker. “All of the costs that happen before the event, early sponsorship floats all those costs.

It saves you from having to go into your own pocket and keeps the books in the green.”

— By Michael D’Alimonte

STARS OF THE CITY

Sharing stories of tourism excellence Ottawa’s tourism and hospitality industry is staffed by legions of front-line staff who go to extraordinary lengths to create memorable experiences for guests.

Driving guests to 6 a.m. appointments, loaning business suits and returning a lost teddy bear to his owners in France are just some of the stories celebrated in recent years at Ottawa Tourism’s annual Stars of the City gala.

Each year, organizers must find these inspiring tales and use them to build pride across the wider industry.

Recognition starts practically from the moment nominations are received, says Karen Best, Ottawa Tourism’s director of membership.

“When we receive a nomination, we will notify the employer of the person that is nominated,” she says. “They get a copy of the nomination and they get a star pin, along with a certificate from Ottawa Tourism saying that they’ve been

nominated as a Star of the City.”

Best begins gathering submissions in the middle of August and looks for nominations “that have a great story to it, that make you go ‘Wow.’” From there, an Ottawa Tourism committee sorts the nominations into categories, and submits roughly a half-dozen to a panel of judges for consideration.

Judges independently choose their top three picks before the entire committee comes together as a whole to vote on the recipients. The picks are kept secret until the night of the nomination, when they are revealed on stage at Algonquin College.

“The event is not a typical sit-down event,” Best says. “There are noise blowers and flags and clapping.”

Organizers plan to shake up 2019’s event with a stand-up reception, instead of having people remain seated.

— By Elizabeth Howell

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 9

ABOVE: THE OTTAWA RIVERKEEPER GALA RECENTLY MOVED LOCATIONS TO THE ROYAL CANADIAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, OVERLOOKING THE OTTAWA RIVER. LEFT: PATRICK NADEAU IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OTTAWA RIVERKEEPER.

Ottawa Riverkeeper fundraising gala Building a connection to the cause With knee-deep snow blanketing the grass, and heaps of ice clinging to the Rideau Falls, the Ottawa Riverkeeper team wastes no time in beginning preparations for their springtime celebration.

The charity’s annual gala is now in its seventh year and has quickly become an occasion not to be missed on Ottawa’s social calendar. Drawing in community members, business leaders and local celebrities, the Riverkeeper Gala raises money to protect and improve the quality of the Ottawa River, and offers guests an unforgettable evening on the water.

But, as a relatively new event in the city, organizers had to work hard to build up the event’s profile and create an experience that would keep guests coming back year after year.

Lara Van Loon, a former Ottawa Riverkeeper and current gala committee member, and executive director Patrick Nadeau shared a few behind-the-scenes

snapshots at what makes the annual event a success.

FIRST STEPS As with any event, there needs to be a well-established plan in order to ensure everything gets done on time. With the gala scheduled for late May, Nadeau says the team begins discussing the party in early fall. A critical step is to also put together a gala committee that makes key decisions on everything from decorations to food.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION As the gala grows in popularity, so too does the size of the venue. Switching locations every few years has become part of the Riverkeeper Gala experience, which Van Loon says keeps the event new and exciting, but also allows for more people to attend.

With approximately 500 guests last

year, and more expected in 2019, their current partnership with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society has been the perfect solution. The building at 50 Sussex Dr. backs onto the Ottawa River, has sweeping views of Rideau Falls and a large grassy area.

Finding a location that fits your guests, but also connects them directly back to the cause has been a crucial step in their planning process, say Van Loon and Nadeau.

“We offer opportunities at every venue for guests to take notice of where they are and quietly step away and appreciate the river,” says Nadeau. “It’s all deliberate.”

FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERS One of the challenges of running a successful event can be allocating the funds necessary to create a glamorous atmosphere for guests.

“Anyone that wants to run an event like this has to go out and find the partners and sponsors who are in it for the right reasons and really support your vision because those are the ones that keep coming back year after year,” Nadeau says.

Nadeau and Van Loon have found that foundational assistance in the Insurance Bureau of Canada, which recently signed a multi-year partnership agreement with the Ottawa Riverkeeper.

GUEST LIST The Riverkeeper Gala attracts a diverse audience that includes veteran members of the business community as well as younger executives at some of the city’s hottest startups.

“I think we try to create a space of innovation and a place to share ideas of how to protect the river. That’s a cause everyone can get behind,” says Van Loon. That, paired with stylish furniture, carefully selected food and specialty performances, gives the event a distinctive flair.

“We deliberately try to be unique,” says Nadeau. “We try and keep speeches short, have great music, offer great spots to mingle and relax, and of course it’s primarily outside which is special.”

— By Lisa Thibodeau

10 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

FROM LEFT, GREENSPON GRANGER HILL PARTNERS TINA HILL, LAWRENCE GREENSPON AND ERIC GRANGER. KEYNOTE SPEAKER GOPI KALLAYIL, THE CHIEF EVANGELIST OF BRAND MARKETING AT GOOGLE, DURING THE 2018 EDITION OF TIECON CANADA.

TiECon Canada

Bringing global expertise to Ottawa Organizers of the annual TiECon Canada conference know entrepreneurs are typically eager for the nugget of advice, mentorship or insight that can help propel a startup into a successful business or accelerate the evolution of a rapidly growing company into an industry leader.

But those same entrepreneurs have competing demands on their time, which means extra care and consideration need to be applied to a conference that aims to “connect Ottawa entrepreneurs to what’s happening in the world.”

That’s why organizers of TiECon Canada – the flagship conference hosted by TiE Ottawa, the local chapter of the global entrepreneurship organization – put so much effort during the planning stage into ensuring their program stays relevant year after year.

“We keep a constant eye on what is current and what is impacting entrepreneurs.

Working with our sister chapters in Silicon Valley, Boston and Toronto helps us identify the topics of interest to entrepreneurs in those hubs,” says TiE Ottawa chair Bharat Rudra.

One of the characteristics that makes TiECon Canada stand out from other conferences is a speaker roster featuring industry experts that hail from all around the world.

TiE Ottawa does not pay its speakers, but uses its global network to source them for TiECon. Extensive research is undertaken to prepare a shortlist of speakers that will Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

fulfil the conditions – relevance, availability and willing to travel to Ottawa without remuneration.

Organizers have learned the importance of identifying many more potential speakers than available slots.

“The success ratio is usually one in five for keynotes and one in three for panel speakers,” said Rudra.

He’s also learned the value of having contingency plans in place.

During the last edition – which attracted some 500 attendees with topics such as “Blockchain Unchained” and “AI Avalanche” – a keynote speaker cancelled at the last minute. Compounding the challenge, a second speaker expressed doubts about being able to attend at the last minute due to health issues.

“We were fortunate to find an equivalent speaker three days before the event,” Rudra says. “It doesn’t matter how well you plan, there will always be an unexpected challenge. The best thing is to be prepared for the unexpected.”

Looking ahead, TiECon Canada organizers are hoping to expand the event by marketing it to prospective attendees in Montreal, Kingston and Toronto – which, Rudra says, will bring even more opportunities to Ottawa businesses.

“This will be a great opportunity to showcase … Ottawa as an entrepreneurship hub,” he says.

— By Joe Koraith

GREENSPON GRANGER HILL REBRAND Lessons from an event-planning veteran If practice makes perfect, Lawrence Greenspon, an Ottawa-based lawyer with more than 30 years of experience, is something of an expert.

No, not just when it comes to being a legal professional. Greenspon, a partner at Greenspon Granger Hill, is actively involved in 30 to 40 social and charity events every year, either as a host or organizer.

Greenspon doesn’t have a formal background in event planning, but over the years he’s learned what can make or break a successful social gathering in Ottawa.

“If there’s anything that takes away from an event, it’s too may speeches,” said Greenspon.

Speeches that go on too long, he says, can make an event run late.

And if it’s a weeknight event, one can expect folks will be looking to head out the door by 10 p.m.

“You don’t want to be doing a live auction or thank-yous to a half-empty room,” he says.

Continues on next page

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 11

Continued from previous page Greenspon applied his event planning acumen in May 2018 when Greenspon Granger Hill was in the midst of an internal restructuring.

To celebrate the newly formed firm, Greenspon and his team decided to organize a rebranding party.

While the event, a 150-person gathering at a local restaurant, was a far cry from the 400-person-or-more events Greenspon helps to organize, the firm’s party highlighted three tenets of successful event planning: the space, food, and invitations.

“Firstly, you want to get a location that’s going to accommodate your numbers comfortably,” says Greenspon.

Prohibition House, located right next door to the firm, was the obvious choice for the event. Greenspon had dined at Prohibition several times, so he knew the calibre of food and drinks that would be served, and had seen that the space was definitely large enough.

With the location and gustatory elements of the event set, building a roster of invitees was among the final key planning tasks.

Spending time contemplating who you want to be in attendance – and why – is important, says Greenspon.

The rebranding party had a business development component.

As such, other lawyers and judges the Greenspon Granger Hill team regularly appear in front of were invited, along with friends and family.

While guests were happy to help the firm celebrate its milestone, Greenspon says it’s important for event organizers not to underestimate Ottawa’s packed social calendar and the busy schedule of many professionals.

As such, anyone organizing an event should understand that inviting attendees requires persistence and, often, a human touch.

“It’s not something that can be done by email anymore,” says Greenspon. “You have to be prepared to spend some time on the phone speaking to people.”

— By Michael D’Alimonte

Welch’s 100th anniversary Marking a milestone It wasn’t long after Brittany Leach started working at Welch LLP that she was tasked with helping to plan and organize a monumental occasion for the company: A 100th anniversary party aimed at ushering in a new century of operations for one of Canada’s oldest accounting firms.

“I had just started so it was kind of getting thrown into the fire a little bit,” says Leach, Welch’s events coordinator. “The event took over nine months of planning and preparation while simultaneously organizing our regular yearly events.”

Overall, the party – held last September at the National Gallery of Canada – was a huge success, drawing more than 600 party guests who were also invited to view several exhibitions at the gallery itself.

Here’s how Leach and the rest of the Welch team planned and executed the event:

THE DRAWING BOARD Months before the actual party took place, Welch managing partner Micheal Burch selected the National Gallery as the venue before handing over the event to the rest of the team.

“I have a background in weddings, so I’ve worked (at the Gallery) before,” Leach says, adding that her internal team worked with the venue coordinator to get the layout of the event.

Leach says the team was looking for a cocktail-style event that would facilitate conversation and mingling among clients, current and past employees as well as members of the community to commemorate Welch LLP’s milestone together.

CREATING A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE In order to make this event truly about Welch, Leach worked with the company’s then-

marketing director Kyle Turk to arrange for the creation of a huge company logo to be planted on the venue’s dance floor. Every guest was also given a 76-page hardcover book commemorating the business, from its history to its people to its legacy.

“We kept the décor to a minimum since the venue itself was so beautiful,” Leach says. “We brought our 100-year theme in – Deep Roots in the Ottawa Community – by adding a greenery archway that guests could walk under to enter the great hall.”

TOP MUSICAL TALENT

Organizers were fortunate that Burch knew Canadian music icon Jim Cuddy personally, making the frontman of Blue Rodeo a natural choice to help entertain guests. However, it took some serious logistical finesse and collaboration with the Gallery to help with hosting such a big name in the music business.

“There are many great companies in Ottawa that have the equipment and experience dealing with large performances so I think it was important that we consulted with them as well,” says Leach.

TEAMWORK AND TIMING For the night of the actual event, Leach and Burch’s executive assistant, Virginia Dodsworth, drew up a highly detailed timeline of exactly when everything was happening so they could direct vendors, speakers, performers and caterers as necessary.

“When planning a large event that has many different aspects to coordinate, having a solid team to work with is a huge advantage and one that I was very grateful for,” Leach says.

— By Sam Cooley

12 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

ABOVE: Iman Mohamed, director of health policy at BIOTECanada, gets a lesson from Greg Roger, a member of the Elmdale Lawn Bowling Club, on how to play the game, during the launch of Lawn Summer Nights in 2018. BELOW: From left, Steve Gallant hams it up with Ringside for Youth ambassador Gerry Cooney and 2018’s special boxing guest, Andre Ward, at Ringside for Youth, in support of the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa.

PHOTOS BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

Steel Toes & Stilettos Gala

Ottawa’s business and social calendar A SELECTION OF UPCOMING GALAS, FUNDRAISERS, SPECIAL EVENTS AS WELL AS MAJOR CONFERENCES IN CANADA’S CAPITAL

Research by Lisa Thibodeau

JUNE 2019 Tech Tuesday

Marshes Golf Club A monthly networking event and celebration of new innovations and ideas within the tech community.

First Tuesday of every month wesleyclover.com/events/techtuesday

Redblacks Women’s Training Camp

TD Place A women’s football fundraiser organized by the OSEG Foundation to support girls in sports.

Summer/Fall 2019 ottawaredblacks.com/womenstraining-camp

Ringside for Youth

Shaw Centre Top-notch amateur boxing in support of the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa.

June 6, 2019 Ringside.ca 613-883-4425

U.S. Ambassador’s 4th of July Party

ICOLD 2019 Annual Meeting and Symposium

Forty Under 40

AccelerateOTT

International Metropolis Conference 2019

Polo in the Park

Shaw Centre Hosted by the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, this conference will discuss the importance of migration, diversity and integration both within Canada and internationally.

June 24-28, 2019 Internationalmetropolis2019.ca

Wesley Clover Parks Dog agility races, a hat competition, food vendors and of course a polo match are all on deck for Polo in the Park. Get dressed up and enjoy the day in support of the Rotary Club and Wounded Warriors Canada.

July 6, 2019 Polointheparkottawa.com 613-215-0672

JULY 2019

Jehovah’s Witnesses 2019 Annual Convention

Shaw Centre A week-long event discussing the latest advances in dams, sustainability and hydropower.

June 9-14, 2019 Icold-cigb2019.ca National Arts Centre Top minds share secrets for success as attendees mingle with like-minded entrepreneurs at this one-day business conference.

June 11, 2019 accelerateott.ca

Wabano Centre Igniting the Spirit Gala

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre This year’s Trees of Peace themed gala will include a dinner, raffles and an Indigenous dance performance in celebration of National Aboriginal Day. June 20, 2019 wabano.com/events 613-612-5482

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Hilton Lac Leamy A celebration organized by the Ottawa Business Journal and Ottawa Board of Trade honouring some of the brightest and best young leaders.

June 21, 2019 fortyunder40.ca

Lawn Summer Nights

U.S. Ambassador Residence A celebration of U.S. Independence Day at a summer feast and community celebration.

July 4, 2019 ca.usembassy.gov

Elmdale Lawn Bowling Club Participants lace up their lawn bowling shoes to raise money for cystic fibrosis research.

July 2019 lawnsummernights.com

Canadian Tire Centre Members of the Jehovah community take part in this multi-day convention.

July 11-14, 2019 jw.org/en

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 13

and helps to fund wishes at the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Sept. 27, 2019 Childrenswish.akaraisin.com 613-656-0489

Light Up the Night

Aik Aliferis’ Residence Enjoy cocktails, food and live music at this outdoor celebration in support of Bruyère and its patients.

Fall 2019 bruyere.org 613-562-6319

Diwali Fundraiser and Awards Gala

Infinity Convention Centre In celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, guests are treated to an evening of food, drinks and an award ceremony honouring leaders in the community. All proceeds from the event support the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health.

Fall 2019 Netipcanada.org From left, Rhonda Beck, Caitlin Crooks and her wife, chiropractor Sasha Hamid (Byward Chiropractic Clinic + Massage Therapy Centre), at the horse racing table at the 2018 Welch LLP’s Grand Casino: Betting Against Cancer. PHOTO BY CAROLINE PHILLIPS

Camp Smitty Golf Tournament The Marshes Golf Club This annual golf tournament and dinner is the perfect way to spend a summer evening and help send kids to summer camp.

July 16, 2019 campsmittygolf.ca

AUGUST 2019 Gourmet on the Gridiron

TD Place Attendees join Ottawa Redblacks players and coaches on the field for a four-course meal in support of youth sports initiatives.

August 2019 Osegfoundation.ca 613-232-6767

2019 AMO AGM and Annual Conference

Shaw Centre A conference that brings together municipal leaders from across Ontario to discuss key topics such as engagement, infrastructure and leadership.

Aug. 18-21, 2019 Amo.on.ca

BGCO Gala

Tomlinson Family Foundation Clubhouse “A Night in the Secret Garden” is the first event of its kind for the Boys and Girls Club and will immerse guests in a carnival-like atmosphere with dinner, drinks and entertainment.

Aug. 29, 2019

Broadway for Bruyère

National Arts Centre Enjoy a performance of the famous Come From Away musical while supporting Ottawa’s Bruyère Hospital and Continuing Care.

Aug. 29, 2019 bruyere.org 613-562-6262

SEPTEMBER 2019 The RIDE

Tunney’s Pasture Grab your helmet and bicycle and sign up for the ride, a 120-kilometre challenge to raise money for The Ottawa Hospital and new medical treatments.

Sept. 8, 2019 Dotheride.ca

Red Dress Charity Golf Tournament

Loch March Golf Course This all-female golf tournament raises funds for the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre.

Sept. 9, 2019 Foundation.ottawaheart.ca 613-696-7000

Lumière Gala

Brookstreet Hotel With a focus on the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, this year’s Lumière Gala “Fire and Ice” will supply guests with an array of food, wine, fireworks and live music for a memorable evening.

Sept. 10, 2019 brookstreethotel.com/lumiere 613-271-3582

The President’s Breakfast for the Community

Shaw Centre Enjoy a tasty breakfast with the Ottawa Hospital’s president while hearing about future plans for the hospital and the impact donations have made on patients’ lives.

Sept. 17, 2019 ohfoundation.ca/our-events

Harvesting Hope at the Farm

Saunders Farm Similar to the spring Hope Blooms event, Harvesting Hope is a celebration of the season filled with food and live music in support of mental health research and treatment at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital.

Sept. 19, 2019 qchfoundation.ca/our-events 613-721-4731

Merkburn Holdings Golden Anniversary Party

National Arts Centre Join Merkburn Holdings in celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Sept. 20, 2019 Merkburn.com

The International Conference on Residency Education Shaw Centre The world’s largest event focusing on residency education.

Sept. 26-28, 2019 Royalcollege.ca

Heroes Challenge

Vincent Massey Park Competing in mental and physical challenges, this team-building competition brings coworkers together

Snowsuit Fund Gala

Fairmont Château Laurier Dinner, dancing and drinks at a glamorous gala that raises money for purchasing and distributing snowsuits to children in need.

Fall 2019 snowsuitfund.com 613-746-8719

OCTOBER 2019 Soirée Salus

French Embassy An evening of networking with community leaders at the home of the French ambassador to Canada while raising funds for housing and support for those living with severe mental illness.

Oct. 3, 2019 salusottawa.org/soiree-salus

Ottawa Real Estate Forum

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre Discussions on leasing, financing, marketing and developing commercial real estate.

Oct. 17, 2019 realestateforums.com

Fight for the Cure

Hilton Lac-Leamy Some of the best in business step into the ring for a friendly fight and to raise money for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation.

Oct. 19, 2019 Fightforthecure.ca

United Way Schmoozefest

Horticulture Building A networking event for attendees to meet like-minded change makers in the city.

Oct. 24, 2019 unitedwayottawa.ca/get-involved 613-228-6700

14 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

2019 International Leadership Association Annual Global Conference

Shaw Centre A learning and networking event with workshops and panel discussions on how to boost and focus on leadership skills.

Oct. 24-26, 2019 ilaglobalconference.org

Welch Grand Casino

Shaw Centre Roll the dice and place your bets at this fundraising event for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. Enjoy prizes, a DJ and an array of casino games.

Oct. 25, 2019 thegrandcasino.ca

Ottawa Hospital Gala

The Westin A night of elegance filled with specialty food and wine, live music and an award ceremony honouring the best in medical research.

Oct. 26, 2019 ohfoundation.ca/our-events 613-761-4295

Ottawa Network for Education Spark Soirée

Infinity Convention Centre A fundraiser to give children a healthy breakfast every morning.

Oct. 26, 2019 onfe-rope.ca/events-and-training

TEDxOttawa

Location TBD Leading thinkers and doers give short and highly engaging talks at this event devoted to ideas worth spreading.

Fall 2019 tedxottawa.ca

NOVEMBER 2019 Trees of Hope Benefit for CHEO

Fairmont Château Laurier Get into the festive spirit by decorating a Christmas tree with your coworkers and taking part in some friendly competition while raising money for CHEO. November 2019 to Jan. 4, 2020 Treesofhope.ca

Martini Madness

Ottawa Tourism Stars of the City Awards

Algonquin College A celebration of the front-line staff who create memorable and meaningful experiences for guests to Canada’s capital.

November 2019 starsofthecity.ca/evening

Steel Toes and Stilettos Gala

Shaw Centre Community members, local athletes and business owners share a meal and raise money for Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa.

Nov. 2, 2019 habitatgo.com/events 613-749-9950

An Unlikely Pairing

Ashbury College Grab a meal from a local food truck and pick up a glass of specially selected wine at An Unlikely Pairing, the annual gathering in support of youth and Christie Lake Kids.

Nov. 7, 2019 christielakekids.com/events 613-742-6922

Malhotra Family SHARE Party

Andaz Byward Market Honouring a new charity each year, the Share Party is an opportunity to meet other community members interested in building, growing and sharing through fundraising.

Nov. 8, 2019 Malhotrafoundation.org 613-233-6030

AFP Philanthropy Awards

National Arts Centre An annual awards ceremony honouring individuals and workplaces making substantial contributions to the community.

Nov. 13, 2019 community.afpnet.org

Blue Door Gala

Infinity Convention Centre Referring to the blue door at the Ottawa Mission, this fundraising event includes dinner, an auction and networking opportunities with other local business leaders.

Nov. 14, 2019 613-234-1155 ottawamission.com/bluedoorgala

Lago Bar and Grill Good food, martinis, work by local artists and a silent auction in support of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.

November 2019 613-806-7956 crohnsandcolitis.ca

Ashbury College Ball

TiECon Canada 2019

Best Ottawa Business Awards

Brookstreet Hotel Business leaders, owners and enthusiasts gather at this annual conference to hear from entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

November 2019 Tieconcanada.org 613-909-7541

Location TBD Help support the students of Ashbury at this glamorous event including food, live entertainment and a silent auction.

Nov. 16, 2019 ashburyball2018.com The Westin The Best Ottawa Business Awards (BOBs) recognize the most successful and innovative companies and business leaders who are driving economic growth and prosperity in the nation’s capital.

Nov. 22, 2019 bestottawabusiness.ca

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Ottawa’s premier full-service, event production and exhibit design company offering turn key solutions for the integration of stage design, lighting, sound, audio-visual and décor to create and customize events with uniqueness beyond expectations!

www.eventdesign.ca 613.739.3442 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 15

SaaSNorth

Shaw Centre Learn about and discuss the latest tech innovations in the SaaS universe at this two-day event.

Nov. 26-27, 2019 saasnorth.com 604-449-2284

DECEMBER 2019 Chanukah Ball

Canadian War Museum Celebrate Chanukah with dinner, dancing and the Emerging Generations group who work to support young professionals in the community.

December 2019 jewishottawa.com 613-798-4696

Luck!

Host your next event at Algonquin College Experienced. Versatile. Affordable.

Find out more at algonquincollege.com/conference

Arts Court Studio Join local artists in celebration and support of Ottawa’s art scene.

Dec. 5, 2019 ottawaartscouncil.ca

JANUARY 2020 Taste in the Glebe

Third Avenue, The Glebe This long-standing cocktail party raises money for the Community Development Fund, which helps support families and children in need.

January 2020 gnag.ca

FEBRUARY 2020 Charity Skiathon

Ski Hill TBD Hit the slopes with the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa and enjoy a dinner and après ski later in the evening.

February 2020 Skiathon.pagecloud.com

TEDxKanata

Brookstreet Hotel Join the local community in listening to inspiring and engaging talks by speakers from across the region.

February 2020 tedxkanata.com 613-254-8778

Canadian Culinary Championships - Gala Finale

Shaw Centre Canada’s Great Kitchen Party regional culinary events culminate in the grand finale, the Canadian Culinary Championships, which will be held in Ottawa for the first time in 2020.

Feb. 1, 2020 greatkitchenparty.com/ca/culinary-championships

Kaleidoscope of Hope

Infinity Convention Centre Supporting youth mental health and drug addiction services, this chic soirée includes live music and eyeopening guest speakers who have benefited from its fundraising efforts.

Feb. 7, 2020 kaleidoscopeofhope.ca

16 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Hong Kong Canada Business Association Ottawa Chinese New Year Gala

Location TBD Ring in the Chinese New Year with friends and food at this unique networking celebration.

February 2020 ottawa.hkcba.com

MARCH 2020 Legacy Conference

Shaw Centre Event inspiring young people with a passion for business and entrepreneurship.

March 2020 Legacycan.ca

Ottawa Bootstrap Awards

A relic of the Cold War

, this 4-storey underground bunker was the epicentre of Canada’s defence against nuclear attack. Now a National Historic Site, this atomic-age artifact is a museum with a lot more than history to offer.

With more than six unique rental spaces and a capacity of 20 – 120 people, this 100,000 square foot wonder is the perfect place to book you next meeting or corporate event.

Marshes Golf Club A celebration of local businesses that have found success with limited or no outside financial assistance.

March 3, 2020 theottawanetwork.com

Evening in the Maritimes

Hilton Lac-Leamy Live music and a traditional east coast lobster dinner in support of Citizen Advocacy, a charity raising money for people living with disabilities.

Spring 2020 Eveninginthemaritimes.com 613-761-9522

Dress for Success: Stepping Out

Lago Bar and Grill An evening of fashion and friends that raises money to supply women with business attire and the tools to help them reach their professional goals.

Spring 2020 steppingout.ca 613-680-2311

VENUE BOOKING: Jennifer Fink 613-839-0007 ext. 237 3929 Carp Road, Ottawa (Carp) ON K0A1L0

j.fink@diefenbunker.ca

Politics and the Pen

Fairmont Château Laurier Honouring some of the best political writing in Canada, Politics and the Pen is an evening to celebrate literary culture and fundraise for the Writers’ Trust.

Spring 2020 writerstrust.com/events 416-504-8222

Discover TechNATA

Brookstreet Hotel Part career fair, part product exhibition, TechNATA is the perfect place for businesses and talent to show off what they have to offer.

Spring 2020 discovertechnata.com 613-236-7029

IoT613

Canadian Museum of History Talking all things internet, this two-day conference showcases the best in the business and imparts valuable skills from cybersecurity to the newest advances in network technology.

Spring 2020 Iot613.ca

Looking for a unique venue?

• We offer a variety of rooms to accommodate small meetings and conferences of up to 300 guests;

• Complete catering services featuring a healthy homemade menu, made with local products;

• A turnkey service to help you with all of your event needs; including audio visual requirements, custom room set ups and personalized customer service;

• Accommodations on campus Our academic institution hosts a wide range of events each year. We offer rooms with charming features and are located just outside of the downtown core.

For more information: reservations@ustpaul.ca

ustpaul.ca

223 Main Street, Ottawa ON

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 17

FOOD AND DRINK

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MEZCAL PALOMA Andrew McDow, Bar Laurel

For decades, La Paloma has been among the most popular cocktails enjoyed in Mexico. The classic blend of grapefruit and tequila creates a simultaneously sweet, sour, bitter, salty and altogether refreshing cocktail that is a true crowd pleaser.

Andrew McDow, bartender at Bar Laurel, understands the wide appeal of La Paloma and offers patrons a version of the Mexican mixed drink that comes together pretty easily.

Casamigos Mezcal is the star ingredient of the Mezcal Paloma, which adds a wonderfully smoky flavour to the cocktail. Clarified and carbonated red ruby grapefruit juice is the only other addition. A salted wedge of grapefruit is added as a garnish, which isn’t just for show, says McDow, as “the salinity pulls out the refreshing, bright bitterness of the grapefruit.”

At Bar Laurel, McDow and the team use a centrifuge to clarify and then carbonate their own grapefruit juice. But you may not have the time or tools to do that on your own. Instead, McDow says you can simply use a 2:1 ratio of fresh grapefruit juice and soda water as a substitute.

BAPAS KNEES

Tristan Bragaglia-Murdock, Union Local 613

Refreshing heat meets floral sweet in this riff on the classic prohibition-era Bee’s Knees cocktail.

Gin, lemon and honey combine in what is arguably the most popular drink at Union Local 613, the Bapas Knees. But as bartender Tristan BragagliaMurdock describes, the drink is more than just three ingredients in a cup.

“We do what’s known as a ‘fat wash’ on the gin,” says Bragaglia-Murdock, describing a process where beeswax is melted down and infused into the gin. The alcohol will pull flavours and textures from the oily wax and, after straining the mixture, you’ve created an “unctuous, very floral and honeyed gin,” he says.

A lavender-sage lemon cordial and a chiliinfused honey syrup are mixed into the Bapas Knees to add a bit more nuance to the flavour profile. The end result is a tart-but-refreshing cocktail with a mild bite that is certain to please the palettes of guests.

Pho to co ur te sy

Ottawa bartenders share their signature cocktail recipes, along with helpful hints on how to add some special flair to each creation.

itan Lev a n Ela of

18 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

REPLY ALL Shannon-Blue Nanibush, Fauna

Versatility is an asset in a cocktail. Being able to substitute an ingredient or alcohol on the fly means you never have guests wanting for a drink. Fortunately, Shannon-Blue Nanibush, bartender at Fauna, is here with a cocktail that can adapt to a change in occasion: The Reply All – a fitting name for a versatile drink.

An approachable beverage no matter your mixology skill-level, the Reply All is a mixture of gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon and grapefruit juice, with some simple syrup and soda to top things off. Without too much fuss you have a drink that’s “well

balanced, not too sweet or too sour and very easy to adjust to certain tastes,” says Nanibush.

For example, you can switch out the elderflower with Aperol, or any other liqueur that fits your fancy. The gin can be

Jeffrey Roberts,

The Urban Barrel Co. swapped out for vodka if that’s what folks prefer. Whatever the mixture, you’ll have a cocktail that’s equally adaptable and delicious.

Maple syrup isn’t just a quintessentially Canadian topper Phot of pancakes. It can also make oc ou rte for a rather unique addition to an sy amazing cocktail. Case in point: The Salty Beaver, created by Jeffrey Roberts of the Urban Barrel Co. A twist on the classic Old Fashioned, The Salty Beaver brings together Canadian whisky with bitters and citrus flavours beneath a velvety maple syrup foam. The foam comes together rather quickly and adds “sweetness and mouth feel” to the cocktail, says Roberts, who has more than 20 years’ experience in Ottawa’s bar and food scene.

To imbue even more Canadian

Nader Salib, Common Eatery spirit into the cocktail, Roberts A splash of heat and colour is welcome to any large gathering. That’s doubly true during a long, suggests using North of 7’s fourcold and dark Ottawa winter. Fortunately, summer is only a sip away with The Unicorn, created by grain whisky in the Salty Beaver.

Common Eatery’s Nader Salib.

The Ottawa-based distillery’s Akin to a spicy margarita, The Unicorn is a magical blend of tequila, triple sec, lime juice and four-grain whisky “has a bourbon “alicorn syrup” (pink simple syrup) that creates a cocktail vibrant in colour and flavour. nose of caramel, vanilla and a sharp “It’s great for any type of business event because the last thing you think of when you taste it oaky flavour” that blends perfectly is tequila,” says Salib, adding how he personally hates tequila but frequently has this drink when with the sweet-and-citrus tones of out with friends. the drink.

To add a layer of complexity to the bright pink drink, Salib and the team at Common smoke the tequila and infuse habanero into the alicorn syrup. The smoky flavour matches perfectly with the spicy undertones of the habanero and heightens the flavour dimensions of the cocktail.

THE SALTY BEAVER

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THE UNICORN

FINAL FRAISE Elana Levitan, Town

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Ph ot o

If you’re catering to a large crowd, sometimes it pays off to keep things simple. Not that anyone sipping on a Final Fraise, created by Elana Levitan of Town restaurant, will think it’s a “simple” cocktail. Rather, Levitan’s cocktail contribution, now on Town’s spring menu, is easy to assemble but is subtly complex in flavour.

A riff on the classic Last Word cocktail, the Final Fraise is “a light, refreshing, herbaceous, and sour cocktail,” says Levitan. It has a crisp freshness that can be enjoyed at just about any time of day, making it an ideal choice for virtually any event.

An ounce each of gin, the Italian herbal liqueur strega and Chambéryzette Strawberry Vermouth (a mixture of vermouth de Chambery and strawberry liqueur) come together in this cocktail. Every ingredient can be readily found at the LCBO, notes Levitan. She suggests using Malfy Gin for its ripe lemon flavours.

oberts ffrey R f Je yo tes ur co

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 19

DECOR

LUSH FABRICS

“The trends in event furniture rental are softer, more romantic and encompass a variety of textures. Grey is the prominent colour, and lush fabrics like velvet are hot. Luxurious tuffed sofas in clean lines, paired with mirror tables and candlelight, can transform a room. An array of pinks can make a bold statement, coupled with marble and gold tables topped with wireless gold leaf lamps, crystal chandeliers, florals and textured pillows.

The industrial rustic chic look is strong, with the use of reclaimed wood tables, harvest tables and wood stump stools.”

– Carole Saad, president, LouLou Lounge Furniture Rental

Photo courtesy of Steve Hanniman/Creative Edge Studio

Decorating ideas and inspiration

by Andrew Less oto ard Ph

Ottawa design and decor companies share their insights into what’s hot in 2019.

By Elizabeth Howell

LIGHTING EFFECTS

Photo courtesy of Jennifer McAndrew/Mastermind Event Rentals

“We’re able to get some stunning effects with lights – anything from beams, strobe, spotlights, texture and patterns in a variety of colours. We can even create custom lights that allow us to project anything our clients can imagine – for example, picture your logo on the side of a building. We use a huge variety of lights, but our top choice right now is the Elation Platinum HFX, which is perfect for both indoors and outdoors.”

– Amanda Rocha, account manager, Ottawa Special Events

LEGO PIECES

“One major trend we have seen is the shifting focus on intentional event design, where choices are being made to room designs and layouts that can enhance the entire atmosphere and brand of the event. We have been fortunate to create custom pieces using large Lego that are completely customizable to create furniture, entrance ways, trade show booths. The only limit is your imagination.”

– Jennifer McAndrew, co-founder and event director, Mastermind Event Rentals

NATURAL ELEMENTS

“We have seen a draw to the ‘rustic look,’ which uses a lot of reclaimed wood and textured materials mixed in with metallic elements such as copper or steel or gold tones. I feel the trend now is adding more organic elements like greenery walls, whimsical greenery centrepieces and natural trees and branches. Also, the past few years have shown an interest in more muted tones, such as champagne and pastels. I feel now the trend will be turning to bold colour choices. Designers aren’t afraid to add bright and colourful choices of linens and accents.”

– Steve Hanniman, owner, Creative Edge Studio

20 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MUSIC

Event soundtracks

Music is an essential part of any event that helps to create ambiance and set the mood. But the thinking behind the selection of a corporate event soundtrack should be significantly different than preparing a wedding playlist.

We asked several Ottawa-area DJs for their go-to tracks that facilitate networking, keeps attendees upbeat and bring guests to the dancefloor.

A SONG FOR ALL AGES

READ THE AUDIENCE “It depends on the crowd. You can’t really just say, ‘This is my go-to song,’ because that can fall flat. And when you walk into it, you never know. Once I was asked, ‘We like Sweet Caroline. Do this thing with Sweet Caroline.’ I did not expect that.

If somebody says, ‘I want to hear some Shania Twain,’ I say, ‘Yes.’ It’s a matter of making sure you can read your audience.

That’s the easiest way, instead of saying these five songs are my go-to. Those are my songs, but those may not be their songs.” – Jamie Montgomery, owner and DJ,

“For a go-to song, Uptown Funk will still pack a dance floor almost every time, for almost all ages, and it was released in November 2014.”

– Brian Henry, president, Quality Entertainment

DJ Little Fever

THE CLASSICS “The best thing is to pick classic party favourites from each era. Within the first half hour it’s not uncommon for me to play songs from Maroon 5, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Stevie Wonder, Journey or Kool & The Gang. They often appeal to the majority of the group and help me get a vibe for how the rest of the night will go. If I had to pick a go-to, I would say Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars. Nice and groovy, middle-of-the-road tempo, so I can take it anywhere from there.”

– Denis Chatterton, owner and DJ, Ppl Move Productions

CATCHY BEATS “Although no two events are ever the same musically, I find that Uptown Funk or 24K Magic – which both feature Bruno Mars – are great goto tracks for weddings and corporate/employee events. The songs are fun and not too old, which appeals to the younger generation. The songs have funky undertones, which appeals to the older generation, and they have catchy beats that appeal to all ages. For corporate/networking events, there are no go-to tracks as each networking event is quite different. I’ve had events where it was primarily a funk and jazz vibe, and other events with a more modern house-music vibe.”– Sherwin Pagtakhan, owner/DJ, DJ Kiwi: Music, Dance, Repeat

As told to Elizabeth Howell. These interviews were edited and condensed for clarity and length.

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 21

2019

Largest Meeting & Convention Spaces Ranked by total meeting space.

EY Centre

4899 Uplands Dr. Ottawa, ON K1V 2N6 | 613-822-8800 / 613-688-4824 | eycentre.ca 219,000 12 90,000 6,000 7,500 N/A 4,200 WND Y N Neill Bales

Sarah Joy

Shaw Centre (facing page)

55 Colonel By Dr. Ottawa, ON K1N 9J2 | 613-563-1984 / 613-563-7646 | shaw-centre.com 192,000 28 57,740 6,000 6,000 N/A 3,840 WND Y N Nina Kressler

Julia Forbes

Carleton University Conference Services

1125 Colonel By Dr., 172 Residence Common Building Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6 | 613-520-5611 / 613-520-2750 | carleton.ca/conferenceservices 150,000 135 7,200 444 500 800 340 $95-$600 Y N Kendra Reay

University of Ottawa Conventions & Reservations

85 University Pvt. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 | 613-562-5771 / 613-562-5201 | reservations.uottawa.ca 90,000 200 16,000 420 500 700 240 $100-$2,000 Y N Jennifer Stewart

Canadian Tire Centre/Ottawa Senators Hockey Club - Meetings & Banquets

1000 Palladium Dr. Kanata, ON K2V 1A5 | 613-591-5487 | ottawasenators.com/corporateevents 72,182 12 14,016 500 450 350 350 $300-$2,500 Y Y Geoff Publow

Kailey Fleming

Collège La Cité

801 Aviation Pky. Ottawa, ON K1K 4R3 | 613-742-2483 / 613-742-2479 | collegelacite.ca 70,000 212 12,000 1,000 500 400 500 WND Y Y* Josée Derome

Anaëlle Pagé / Magalie Portier

Nepean Sportsplex

1701 Woodroffe Ave. Nepean, ON K2G 1W2 | 613-580-2424 x23055 / 613-580-9607 | ottawa.ca 70,000 13 8,640 90 1,000 N/A 480 $142.30-$1,850 Y Y Chantal Laporte

Diane Laderoute

Palais des congres de Gatineau

50 Maisonneuve Blvd., 3rd floor Gatineau, QC J8X 4H4 | 819-595-8000 / 819-595-8012 | congresgatineau.com 60,000 12 26,668 2,800 4,000 1,750 1,750 $285-$1,350 Y N Pierre Latour

Denis Carpentier

Hilton Lac-Leamy (outside back cover)

3 Casino Blvd. Gatineau, QC J8Y 6X4 | 819-790-6444 / 819-790-6408 | hiltonlacleamy.com 51,000 16 15,866 1,600 1,500 140 1,100 $350-$9,250 Y Y Alain Miroux

Fabienne Nadeau

NAV Centre

1950 Montreal Rd. Cornwall, ON K6H 6L2 | 1-877-832-6416 / 613-936-5089 | navcentre.ca 50,000 70 9,800 875 1,000 450 500 WND Y Y Kim Coe-Turner

Silvia Marino

The Westin Ottawa

11 Colonel By Dr. Ottawa, ON K1N 9H4 | 613-560-7000 / 613-560-7359 | thewestinottawa.com 47,750 33 16,587 1,500 1,800 200 1,250 $495-$16,200 Y N Ross Meredith

Shaddy Shibley

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre (page 25)

200 Coventry Rd. Ottawa, ON K1K 4S3 | 3613-288-3450 / 613-667-9888 | ottawaconferenceandeventcentre.com 43,000 37 11,000 1,200 1,000 100 800 Starting at $250 Y Y Claudio Dinardo Pamela Diane DiNardo LEGEND: MTG SPACE (SQ. FT.) / NUMBER OF MEETING ROOMS / LARGEST MEETING ROOM (SQ.FT.) / THEATRE CAPACITY / RECEPTION CAPACITY / RESTAURANT CAPACITY / BANQUET CAPACITY / DAILY RENTAL RATE / IN-HOUSE CATERING / FREE PARKING / KEY EXECUTIVE / SALES CONTACT /*(evenings and weekends only)

22 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

SPONSORED CONTENT

“Opening the door to a new kind of conference.”

SHAW CENTRE With its distinctive spherical shape and clear glass façade, the Shaw Centre makes an impression on visitors before they even step through its doors. Once inside, a mix of modern meeting rooms and spacious ballrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows provide guests with an intimate meeting space that’s complemented by spectacular views.

For many guests, the most memorable part of an event comes down to small details. That’s why the Shaw Centre offers services like complimentary pashminas when the weather is cool, ballerina flats when meeting planner toes are tired, electronics charging stations and meetings with a view!

But the Shaw Centre also keeps a sharp focus on the big picture and has many leading environmental features, such as a rainwater collection system and a policy of dimming its lights when the sun shines brightly through the facility. It also donates leftover food and materials from events to local and international charities.

Considered one of the city’s architectural icons, the Shaw Centre is home to CrEATe Kitchen, a fully upgraded and interactive kitchen studio used for Chef tastings, wine and food pairing demonstrations, cooking competitions, and receptions. With on-site food and beverage service featuring bold and fresh menu offerings by executive chef Patrick Turcot and his team, the selections and ingredients are locally-sourced, globallyinspired and sure to wow event guests from across the country. Only 20 minutes away from the Ottawa Airport and steps away from restaurants and shops, the Shaw Centre is the hub for events both large and small.

In July 2014, the Shaw Centre finished in a tie for second place for the title of “World’s Best Convention Centre,” an award handed out by the International Association of Congress Centres.

FACTS & FIGURES

192,000 57,740

Total meeting space in sq. ft.

Largest meeting room in sq. ft.

28

Number of meeting rooms

6,000 5,000

Reception capacity

3,840

Banquet capacity

Theatre capacity

Available parking: Onsite Daily rental rate: Contact for prices

SALES CONTACT PHONE: 613-563-1984 EMAIL: INFO@SHAW-CENTRE.COM WWW.SHAW-CENTRE.COM/ PLANNER/

ACCOMMODATIONS

UNIQUE FEATURES

Proximity to 730 underground parking spaces

The Shaw Centre has four levels, each with a view of the Rideau Canal and downtown area.

Walking distance to nearly 6,000 hotel rooms 28 modern meeting spaces

The first level features a large lobby, as well as the Wall of Three Rivers artwork, which is made of reclaimed logs and acts as a tribute to Ottawa history.

Customer Service Enhancements including pashminas, reading glasses and ballerina flats for guests upon request Floor-to-ceiling windows for natural light Eco-friendly building

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 23

2019 Largest Meeting & Convention Spaces

Ranked by total meeting space.

Lansdowne Park

450 Queen Elizabeth Dr. Ottawa, ON K1S 5J3 | 613-580-2429 | ottawa.ca/lansdownepark 42,000 2 35,000 2,800 2,800 N/A 2,800 WND N N Benoit Osborne

Jennifer Bradley

Algonquin Commons Theatre/Algonquin Students’ Association

1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8 | 613-727-4723 x6442 | algonquinsa.com 40,915 13 11,160 835 300 295 150 WND Y N Ken McLeod

WND

Algonquin College (page 17)

1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8 | 613-727-4723 x7481 / 613-727-7735 | algonquincollege.com/conference 40,144 20 11,760 N/A 1,256 60 1,200 Starting at $85 Y N Mary Baxter Jennifer Thurston

Fairmont Château Laurier

1 Rideau St. Ottawa, ON K1N 8S7 | 613-241-1414 / 613-562-7030 | fairmont.com 36,000 16 5,886 600 800 180 450 $700-$7,000 Y N

Claude J. Sauvé

Sue Ohlson

Ottawa Marriott

100 Kent St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5R7 | 613-238-1122 / 613-783-4228 | ottawamarriott.com 36,000 26 6,500 600 600 180 600 $250-$4,000 Y N Stephane Pelletier

Amina Hassan

Canadian Museum of History

100 Laurier St. Gatineau, QC K1A 0M8 | 819-776-7018 / 819-776-7059 | history.ca/facilityrentals 33,235 12 12,925 500 1,400 60 600 $700-$5,000 Y N Mark O’Neill

Genevieve Mercier

Brookstreet Hotel (page 7)

525 Legget Dr. Ottawa, ON K2K 2W2 | 613-271-1800 / 613-271-3541 | brookstreet.com 30,000 25 7,200 800 1,200 125 500 WND Y N Nyle Kelly

Mark Nisbett

RA Centre

2451 Riverside Dr. Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7 | 613-733-5100 / 613-736-6233 | racentre.com 28,000 10 6,690 600 600 180 475 WND Y Y Shelley Carbonetto

Sarah Gay

Delta Hotels by Marriott Ottawa City Centre

101 Lyon St. Ottawa, ON K1R 5T9 | 613-237-3600 / 613-237-9114 | marriott.com/yowdm 26,000 17 10,000 1,100 1,000 150 900 WND Y N Zubair Siddiqi

Marilyn Power

North Grenville Municipal Centre

285 County Road 44, P.O. Box 130 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 | 613-258-9569 x134 / 613-258-9620 | northgrenville.ca 23,000 5 17,000 300 300 N/A 300 $126-$1,050 N Y Mark Guy Lisa Kmiel

Canadian War Museum

1 Vimy Pl. Ottawa, ON K1A 0M8 | 819-776-7018 / 819-776-7059 | warmuseum.ca/facilityrentals 22,000 5 9,038 231 1,500 N/A 600 $600-$4,000 Y N Mark O’Neill

Genevieve Mercier

National Arts Centre - Meetings and Events (page 2)

1 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1 | 613-232-5713 / 613-943-1403 | nacmeetings.ca 20,500 6 20,500 2,800 3,100 200 2,500 $1,000-$13,800

Y

N

Nelson Borges

Lisa Levia

Canadian Museum of Nature

240 McLeod St. Ottawa, ON K2P 2R1 | 613-566-4712 / 613-566-4798 | nature.ca 20,000 8 7,700 220 450 60 240 $800-$3,300 Y N Nathalie Boulet

Andrea Fernandes

Shenkman Arts Centre

245 Centrum Blvd. Ottawa, ON K1E 0A1 | 613-580-2787 / 613-580-2656 | shenkmanarts.ca 17,795 7 6,458 500 500 N/A N/A WND N Y Caroline Obeid Maureen Johnson LEGEND: MTG SPACE (SQ. FT.) / NUMBER OF MEETING ROOMS / LARGEST MEETING ROOM (SQ.FT.) / THEATRE CAPACITY / RECEPTION CAPACITY / RESTAURANT CAPACITY / BANQUET CAPACITY / DAILY RENTAL RATE / IN-HOUSE CATERING / FREE PARKING / KEY EXECUTIVE / SALES CONTACT /*(evenings and weekends only)

24 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

“We’re constantly refreshing our menus and services to remain one of Ottawa’s most popular event venues.”

SPONSORED CONTENT

— Pamela DiNardo, director of sales and marketing, Ottawa Conference and Event Centre

FACTS & FIGURES

OTTAWA CONFERENCE AND EVENT CENTRE The Ottawa Conference and Event Centre isn’t just one of the National Capital Region’s largest event facilities; it’s also one of the most accommodating. Formerly known as the Hampton Conference Centre, it boasts two onsite hotels with a total of almost 600 rooms, abundant complimentary parking – including over 500 indoor spots – and a layout that incorporates natural light throughout, making it a warm, welcoming space.

The atmosphere is enhanced by stellar service at all levels, including the impressive talents of the culinary team for whom customization is always on the menu. Often cited as offering the best food in the city, prepared in-house from scratch, the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre takes great pride in confirming their Chef’s commitment that no one will ever leave their venue hungry. To sweeten the deal, there are no gratuity charges on any food or beverages.

From ballrooms to meeting rooms to classrooms to lecture halls, this impressive facility has loads of space and experience at hosting successful events of all sizes. Centrally located, it’s easily accessible by car, OC Transpo and VIA Rail. Whether you’re planning a networking breakfast, a convention or a charity gala, the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre is the ideal venue.

43,000 11,000

37

Total meeting space in sq. ft.

Largest meeting room in sq. ft.

Number of meeting rooms

1,200 1,000 800

Theatre capacity Reception capacity

Banquet capacity

550

complimentary underground parking spaces on site.

Daily rental rate from $250

SALES CONTACT NAME: Pamela DiNardo PHONE: 613-288-3455 EMAIL: pdinardo@ottawacec.com

ONSITE SERVICES

HOTEL FACTS

MAJOR EVENTS

UNIQUE FEATURES

Complimentary parking

576 onsite units

Charity galas

Complimentary WiFi

Group rates available

In-house catering

Two 24-hour fitness centres

Corporate conferences, tradeshows and education events

Naturally-lit atrium; natural light in all meeting rooms

Weddings

Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Exceptional food Centrally located, easily accessible by car and public transit

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 25

2019 Largest Meeting & Convention Spaces

Ranked by total meeting space.

Infinity Convention Centre

2901 Gibford Dr. Ottawa, ON K1V 2L9 | 613-222-3700 | infinityconventioncentre.com 17,000 6 15,000 1,800 1,500 1,200 1,200 WND Y Y Sharron Mulvey

Stephanie Maurice

Saint Paul University (page 16)

223 Main St. Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4 | 613-236-1393 x2311 / 613-782-3005 | ustpaul.ca 15,658 32 4,600 180 300 90 150 150-400 Y N Nadine Tremblay

Alexandra Mongrain

Centrepointe Theatres & Ben Franklin Place

101 Centrepointe Dr. Ottawa, ON K2G 5K7 | 613-580-2424 x41216 / 613-580-2704 | centrepointetheatres.com 15,564 5 10,000 954 199 N/A N/A WND N Y Allan Sansom Stephanie Fahey (Ben Franklin) Christine Etherington (Centrepointe)

Fairmont Le Château Montebello

392 Notre Dame St. Montebello, QC J0V 1L0 | 819-423-6341 / 819-423-5106 | fairmont.com/montebello 15,531 20 4,200 425 500 350 350 $0-$2,500 Y Y Genevieve Dumas Cindy Gascon

St. Elias Centre Conference & Banquet Facility

750 Ridgewood Ave. Ottawa, ON K1V 6N1 | 613-737-4997 / 613-737-6493 | steliascentre.com 15,500 4 15,500 1,500 1,200 WND 1,150 WND Y Y Zare Kesyan

WND

Crowne Plaza Gatineau-Ottawa

2 Montcalm St. Gatineau, QC J8X 4B4 | 819-778-3880 / 819-778-3309 | crowneplaza.com/gatineauottawa 15,040 12 4,028 450 500 140 350 $375-$2,500 Y N Michael Lucas Nathalie Tremblay

Centurion Conference & Event Center

170 Colonnade Rd. S. Ottawa, ON K2E 7J5 | 613-727-1044 / 613-727-8293 | centurioncenter.com 14,000 7 10,500 800 800 40 800 $495-$5,000 Y Y Sean McGrath

Kim Le Sage Le Blanc

Lord Elgin Hotel

100 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5K8 | 613-235-3333 / 613-235-3223 | lordelgin.ca 13,000 15 2,200 200 225 160 160 500-5000 Y N David O. Smythe

Ann Meelker

Tudor Hall

3750 North Bowesville Rd. Ottawa, ON K1V 1B8 | 613-739-4287 / 613-739-8589 | tudorhall.ca 12,600 3 12,000 1,650 1,000 N/A 1,000 $500-$2,500 Y Y Joe Giammaria

Rosie De Leo

Doubletree by Hilton Gatineau-Ottawa

1170 Aylmer Rd. Gatineau, QC J9H 7L3 | 819-778-0000 / 819-777-7161 | doubletreegatineau.com 12,000 11 6,133 720 800 150 400 $300-$2,750 Y Y George Chaiban

WND

Orchard View Wedding and Event Centre

6346 Deermeadow Dr. Ottawa, ON K4P 1M9 | 613-821-2675 / 613-821-4692 | orchardview.ca 11,300 6 5,600 600 600 N/A 400 $150-$1,500 Y Y Adam Milito

Amanda Baker

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

901 Prince of Wales Dr. Ottawa, ON K2C 3J9 | 613-327-4611 | cafmuseum.techno-science.ca 11,068 8 2,400 150 500 N/A 150 $450-$3,500 N N Kerry-Leigh Burchill

Lauren DeBruyn

Calabogie Peaks Resort

30 Barrett Chute Rd. Calabogie, ON K0J 1H0 | 1-800-669-4861 / 1-877-533-5170 | calabogie.com 10,278 6 3,685 250 250 60 200 $250-$1,000 Y Y Jim Hemlin Paul Murphy

Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm

2452 York’s Corners Rd. Edwards, ON K0A 1V0 | 613-821-2751 / 613-821-5221 | stanleysfarm.com 10,000 4 6,000 600 600 400 350 WND Y Y Earl Stanley Susan Faith-Lecoupe LEGEND: MTG SPACE (SQ. FT.) / NUMBER OF MEETING ROOMS / LARGEST MEETING ROOM (SQ.FT.) / THEATRE CAPACITY / RECEPTION CAPACITY / RESTAURANT CAPACITY / BANQUET CAPACITY / DAILY RENTAL RATE / IN-HOUSE CATERING / FREE PARKING / KEY EXECUTIVE / SALES CONTACT /*(evenings and weekends only)

26 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

2019 Largest Meeting & Convention Spaces

Ranked by total meeting space.

Strathmere

1980 Phelan Rd W. North Gower, ON K0A 2T0 | 613-489-2409 / 613-489-2630 | strathmere.com 10,000 8 2,800 250 600 N/A 500 $300-$650 Y Y Glenna Camposarcone

Laura Kelly

Sheraton Ottawa Hotel

150 Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5G2 | 613-238-1500 / 613-238-8497 | sheratonottawa.com 9,700 10 2,720 275 300 85 230 $375-$1,850 Y N Yolaine Charette

Maria Papadakos

Sala San Marco Event & Conference Centre

215 Preston St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7R1 | 613-238-6063 / 613-233-3331 | salasanmarco.ca 9,500 4 9,200 1,000 800 600 600 $250-$5,000 Y Y Tony Zacconi

Jessica Marshall

Canada Aviation and Space Museum

11 Aviation Pkwy. Ottawa, ON K1G 5A3 | 613-327-4611 | casmuseum.techno-science.ca 9,000 6 6,000 250 1,500 N/A 450 $450-$6,000 N N Chris Kitzan

Lauren DeBruyn

Capital Hill Hotel and Suites

88 Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5E9 | 613-235-1413 / 613-235-6047 | capitalhill.com 8,924 8 2,650 140 200 70 150 WND Y N Hume Rogers

Sherri Macki

allsaints Event Space

317 Chapel Street Ottawa, ON K1N 7Z2 | 613-230-3050 | allsaintsottawa.ca 8,410 7 3,100 325 325 + 150 + 150 (entire building) 200 N/A

$25/hr - $2,600/day

Y

N Leanne Moussa

Global Knowledge

720-350 Albert St. Ottawa, ON K1R 7X7 | 613-798-5353 | globalknowledge.ca 8,243 17 795 N/A N/A N/A N/A WND N N Rodney Kelly

Dianne Beauchamp

Four Points by Sheraton Hotel & Conference Centre Gatineau-Ottawa

35 Laurier St. Gatineau, QC J8X 4E9 | 819-778-6111 / 819-778-3647 | fourpointsgatineau.com 8,000 10 2,700 150 160 45 120 $250-$1,200 Y N Jason Trottier

Denise Breau

Innovative Professional Offices

200-440 Laurier Ave. W. Ottawa, ON K1R 7X6 | 613-232-1110 / 613-782-2228 | innovativeprofessionaloffices.com 7,800 10 1,200 60 40 N/A N/A $200-$595 Y N Mike Wallace Mike Wallace

Hellenic Meeting and Reception Centre

1315 Prince of Wales Dr. Ottawa, ON K2C 1N2 | 613-225-8016 x223 / 613-225-0843 | hellenicottawa.ca 7,750 2 6,000 500 750 500 WND WND WND Y Mary Dimas Taline LaVasseur

The Carleton Suite Hotel

161 Laurier Ave. W. Ottawa, ON K1P 5J2 | 613-231-2020 / 613-231-2048 | thecarletonsuitehotel.com 7,700 9 2,580 200 220 120 120 $250-$1,500 Y N N. Ravi Markus Fisher

Diefenbunker (page 16)

3929 Carp Rd. Ottawa, ON K0A 1L0 | 613-839-0007 | diefenbunker.ca 7,494 6 3,630 120 150 N/A 120 WND N Y

Christine McGuire

Jennifer Fink

Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport

2400 Alert Rd. Ottawa, ON K1V 1S1 | 613-288-9001 / 613-249-8729 | ottawaairport.hgi.com 7,200 12 4,800 400 400 145 325 $250-$2,500 Y Y Valentina Gaca

Alison Hunter

Dow’s Lake Court Conference Centre

865 Carling Ave., 2nd floor Ottawa, ON K1S 5S8 | 613-725-3855 / 613-725-3101 | dowslakecourt.com 7,000 7 2,434 60 75 150 N/A $300-$1,500 Y N Sue Rowland

Holiday Inn Ottawa East

1199 Joseph Cyr St. Ottawa, ON K1J 7T4 | 613-744-1060 / 613-744-7845 | hiottawaeast.com 7,000 8 2,600 225 300 180 180 $925 Y Y Franca Coccimiglio Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Raymundo Patino

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 27

2019 Largest Meeting & Convention Spaces

Ranked by total meeting space.

Irish Hills Golf & Country Club

3248 Carp Rd. Carp, ON K0A 1L0 | 613-839-4653 | irishhillsgolf.com/banquets/ 7,000 3 4,000 250 275-300 80 300 $200-$4,000 Y Y

Tricia McBride

Debbie Baker

Villa Lucia Supper Club and Banquet Hall

3430 Carling Ave. Ottawa, ON K2H 5B1 | 613-596-1346 / 613-596-2812 | villalucia.com 7,000 2 5,000 250 100 250 250 $100-$700 Y Y Claudia Juarez

Quality Inn and Suites

111 Bellehumeur St. Gatineau, QC J8T 6K5 | 819-568-5252 / 819-568-0753 | hotelqualityinnetsuitesgatineau.ca 6,918 12 3,458 350 400 175 300 $155-$1,150 Y Y Nicole de Sampaio Roxane Rollin

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society

50 Sussex Dr. Ottawa, ON K1M 2K1 | 613-745-4629 x135 | 50sussex.ca 6,730 6 + outdoor grounds 3,160 253 150-300 N/A 150

WND N

N

Carole Saad

Patti Johnson

Host India Banquet Hall

622 Montreal Rd. Ottawa, ON K1K oT6 | 613-746-4678 | hostindia.ca 6,400 3 2,800 200 200 140 130 Starting from $200

Y

Y

Ravinder Tumber

Best Western Plus Ottawa Downtown Suites

377 O’Connor St. Ottawa, ON K2P 2M2 | 613-567-7275 / 613-567-1161 | victoriapark.com 6,000 7 2,000 160 130 N/A 150 $250-$2,000 Y N John Cosentino

Roger MacKinnon

International Development Research Centre

150 Kent St. Ottawa, ON K1P 0B2 | 613-696-2620 / 613-567-4349 | idrc.ca 5,500 7 3,300 250 250 200 WND $275-$1,175 Y

N

Dawn Lucas

Samantha Pilch

Anderson Links Golf Club

4175 Anderson Rd. Ottawa, ON KOA 1K0 | 613-822-9477 / 613-822-9440 | andersonlinks.com 5,480 5 2,000 150 230 230 230 WND Y Y Martin Patterson

Best Western Plus Ottawa Kanata Hotel and Conference Centre

1876 Robertson Rd. Ottawa, ON K2H 5B8 | 613-828-2741 / 613-596-4742 | bestwesternplusottawa.com 5,000 7 2,000 180 200 90 170 $200-$650 Y Y Fayez Thawer Julie Cheikh

Canada Science and Technology Museum

1867 St. Laurent Blvd. Ottawa, ON K1G 5A3 | 613-327-4611 | sciencetech.technomuses.ca 5,000 9 4,700 220 500 N/A 200 $650-$6,000 N N Lisa Leblanc

Lauren DeBruyn

Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa Downtown

350 Dalhousie St. Ottawa, ON K1N 7E9 | 613-241-1000 / 613-241-4804 | marriottcourtyardottawa.com 5,000 6 3,400 350 400 72 200 $200-$2,000 Y Y* Nancy Champagne

Denise Breau

Holiday Inn & Suites Ottawa Kanata

101 Kanata Ave. Kanata, ON K2T 1E6 | 613-271-3057 / 613-271-3060 | hisottawa.ca 5,000 7 2,784 240 250 150 150 $295-$1,100 Y Y Alana Haining

Susan Marcovitch

Ramada Plaza Manoir du Casino

75 d’Edmonton St. Gatineau, QC J8Y 6W9 | 819-777-7538 / 819-777-6473 | ramadaplaza-gatineau.com 5,000 9 2,460 300 350 200 160 $225-$550 Y Y Christine Cadieux Marc Philip Laperriere

Hilton Garden Inn & Homewood Suites Ottawa Downtown

361 Queen St., Ottawa ON K1R 0C7 | 613-234-6363 / 613-230-0111 | Hilton.com 4,161 6 2,100 273 250 150 144 WND Y N Denis Gilles

Jenna Bodnoff

LEGEND: MTG SPACE (SQ. FT.) / NUMBER OF MEETING ROOMS / LARGEST MEETING ROOM (SQ.FT.) / THEATRE CAPACITY / RECEPTION CAPACITY / RESTAURANT CAPACITY / BANQUET CAPACITY / DAILY RENTAL RATE / IN-HOUSE CATERING / FREE PARKING / KEY EXECUTIVE / SALES CONTACT /*(evenings and weekends only)

28 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

2019 Largest Meeting & Convention Spaces

Ranked by total meeting space.

Best Western Plus Gatineau-Ottawa

131 rue Laurier Gatineau, QC J8X 3W3 | 819-770-8550 / 819-770-9705 | bestwesterngatineau.ca 4,511 5 3,034 300 225 70 200 $200-$900 Y Y Martin Fogarty Sylvie Desrosiers

Andaz Ottawa Byward Market

325 Dalhousie St. Ottawa, ON K1N 7G1 | 613-667-4500 | andaszottawa.com 4,500 6 2,679 120 200 120 140 WND Y N Kayla Pierce

Florence Houlahan

Albert at Bay Suite Hotel (page 31)

435 Albert St., Ottawa, ON K1R 7X4 | 613-238-8858 / 613-238-1433 | albertatbay.com 4,264 9 3,200 300 220 200 200 $250-$2,000 Y N John Cosentino

Roger MacKinnon

Wakefield Mill Hotel & Spa

60 Mill Rd. Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0 | 819-459-3475 x106 | wakefieldmill.com 4,056 6 1,600 80 120 160 65 $200-$600 Y Y Brititte Milling

Luc Milling

Ramada Ottawa on the Rideau

2259 Prince of Wales Dr. Ottawa, ON K2E 6Z8 | 613-288-3500 | Ramadaottawa.com 4,000 3 2,500 175 200 40 200 $300-$2,000 Y Y Deirdre Delahunt

Debra Johnson

TCC Canada – Kanata

304-555 Legget Dr., Tower A Kanata, ON K2K 2X3 | 613-566-7000 | tcccanada.com/locations/blackwood-centre 4,000 4 2800 75 75 N/A 30 $180-$450 Y Y Ashley Lawrence Brittany Waitman

TCC Canada – Ottawa West

200-15 Fitzgerald Rd. Ottawa, ON K2H 9G1 | 613-566-7000 | tcccanada.com/locations/queensway-centre 4,000 4 2800 75 75 N/A 30 $180-$450 Y Y Ashley Lawrence Brittany Waitman

Bayview Yards

7 Bayview Rd. Ottawa, ON K1Y 2C5 | 613-216-4229 | bayviewyards.org 3,850 3 3,850 250 300 N/A N/A $400-$1,300 Y

N

Richard Quigley

Lisa Hewston

Novotel Ottawa

33 Nicholas St. Ottawa, ON K1N 9M7 | 613-230-3033 / 613-760-4767 | novotelottawa.com 3,600 6 1,806 150 175 120 120 $200-$1,200 Y N Bruno Beaudoin

Tracey Parslow

The Meadows Golf and Country Club

4335 Hawthorne Rd. Ottawa, ON K1G 3N4 | 613-822-2582 / 613-822-6092 | themeadowsgolf.com 3,600 2 2,000 320 WND 160 320 $500-$1,500 Y Y WND Jimmy Zito

La Grange Country Inn

37 Rockhurst Rd. Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0 | 819-459-3939 | lagrangecountryinn.com 3,000 3 1,200 60 60 60 WND $350-$500 Y Y Chris St. John

WND

The Metcalfe Hotel

123 Metcalfe St. Ottawa, ON K1P 5L9 | 613-231-6555 / 613-231-7555 | themetcalfehotel.com 3,000 4 1,277 130 140 70 100 $200-$850 Y N Kim Jones Patrick Quirouette

Learning Tree International

2300-160 Elgin St. Ottawa, ON K2P 2N8 | 613-237-0098 / 613-237-4588 | learningtree.ca 2,964 8 616 0 24 WND WND $725-$1,250 Y N Sue Armstrong

Lauren Spooner

Cartier Place Suite Hotel (page 17)

180 Cooper St. Ottawa, ON K2P 2L5 | 613-236-5000 / 613-238-3842 | suitedreams.com 2,414 5 1,500 150 195 88 120 $225-$800 Y N Heidi C. Webster

Ann E. Freel

Best Western Plus Ottawa City Centre

1274 Carling Ave. Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K8 | 613-728-1951 / 613-728-1955 | ottawabestwestern.com 2,394 4 1,344 160 160 110 120 $170-$480 Y Y Elliot Bertrand Laurie Chevalier Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 29

2019 Largest Meeting & Convention Spaces

Ranked by total meeting space.

The Irving Greenberg Centre

1233 Wellington St. W. Ottawa, ON, ON K1Y 0G7 | 613-236-5192 / 613-232-2075 | gctc.ca 2,350 2 1,200 262 300 70 50 $150-$500 Y Y Hugh Neilson

WND

Les Suites Hotel, Ottawa

130 Besserer St. Ottawa, ON K1N 9M9 | 613-232-2000 / 613-232-1242 | les-suites.com 2,235 3 858 60 60 40 48 $250-800 Y 23/night Chris Pierce

Mike Di Cioccio

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ottawa West Nepean

2055 Robertson Rd. Ottawa, ON K2H 5Y9 | 613-690-0100 | holidayinnexpressottawawest.com 2,205 4 1,040 85 100 N/A 56 $175-$700 Y Y Diana Pratt Denise Breau

Russell Curling Club

1076 Concession St. Russell, ON K4R 1A2 | 613-445-2829 | russellcurlingclub.com 2,200 2 1,300 200 WND 150 WND $150-$400 N Y Lucy Ladouceur

Lucy Ladoucuer

La Charrette

460 West Hunt Club Rd. Ottawa, ON K2E 0B8 | 613-225-0260 | lacharrette.ca 2,000 1 1,500 70 100 80 WND $710 N Y Antonio Mauriello

WND

The Business Inn

180 MacLaren St. Ottawa, ON K2P 0L3 | 613-232-1121 / 613-232-8143 | thebusinessinn.com 1,990 3 785 50 80 380 100 $250 Y N Barrett Karam Julie Belanger

La Grange de la Gatineau

80 Summer Cantley, QC J8V 3J3 | 819-827-3164 | grange.ca 1,782 5 1,200 100 100 80 80 Varies Y

Y

Colette Paré

ARC The.Hotel

140 Slater St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5H6 | 613-238-2888 / 613-235-8421 | arcthehotel.com 1,670 4 1,100 80 100 35 40 $400-$1,000 Y N Tammy Critch

Inderjeet Kaur

Radisson Hotel Ottawa Parliament Hill

402 Queen St. Ottawa, ON K1R 5A7 | 613-236-1133 / 613-236-2317 | radisson.com/ottawa.ca 1,610 3 670 80 80 100 40 $345-$625 Y N Jenna MacLeod Michael Lacroix

TCC Canada – Downtown

900-251 Laurier Ave. W. Ottawa, ON K1P 5J6 | 613-566-7000 | tcccanada.com/locations/downtown-centre 1,600 3 600 50 50 N/A 25 $180-$480 Y N Ashley Lawrence Brittany Waitman

Aquatopia Water Garden Conservatory

2710 March Rd. Carp, ON K0A 1L0 | 613-225-7663 | aquatopiaconservatory.com 1,500 N/A N/A N/A 150 150% WND N Y Nicholas Bott

WND

Days Inn by Wyndham Ottawa

319 Rideau St. Ottawa, ON K1N 5Y4 | 613-789-5555 / 613-789-6196 | daysinn.ca 1,440 2 610 60 45 30 N/A $250-$350 Y N Fayez Thawer

Dmitriy Mosiychuk

Tulips & Maple Inc.

1980 Merivale Rd. Ottawa, ON K2G 1G4 | 613-723-7103 / 613-723-5430 | tulipsandmaple.com 1,400 2 1,200 72 100 N/A 70 WND Y Y WND WND

Nepean Sailing Club

3259 Carling Ave. Ottawa, ON K2H 1A6 | 613-829-6462 / 613-828-4636 | nsc.ca 1,200 1 1,200 110 120 80 100 $420-$560 Y Y Heather Erven LEGEND: MTG SPACE (SQ. FT.) / NUMBER OF MEETING ROOMS / LARGEST MEETING ROOM (SQ.FT.) / THEATRE CAPACITY / RECEPTION CAPACITY / RESTAURANT CAPACITY / BANQUET CAPACITY / DAILY RENTAL RATE / IN-HOUSE CATERING / FREE PARKING / KEY EXECUTIVE / SALES CONTACT /*(evenings and weekends only)

30 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

Best Western Plus Ottawa Downtown Suites

RA L N A TU LI G HT

The surprising downtown Ottawa hotel you might have missed.

377 O’Connor Street, Ottawa, Ontario 1-800-465-7275

bestwesternottawa.com

OTTAWA’SBIGGEST

BIG MINDS MEET HERE

If you’re looking for a place to stage your next meeting, choose the Albert at Bay. Our state-of-the-art meeting facilities accommodate up to 300 delegates, with boardrooms and boardroom suites for executive get togethers. And once their work here is done, your guests get to relax and recharge in Ottawa’s biggest hotel suites, located right in the heart of downtown.

HOTELSUITES

3 blocks from Parliament Hill

albertatbay.com | 1-800-267-6644

Rita Consummate Host At Home. Conference Service Coordinator At Our Hotel.

With a staff that treats you like family and modern, comfortable suites, you always feel at home at Best Western Plus Ottawa Downtown Suites. When you come to Ottawa, come stay with us.

bestwesternottawa.com

Best Western Plus Ottawa Downtown Suites Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning

MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 31

ONE OF NORTH AMERICA’S TOP RANKING HILTON HOTELS

THE HILTON LAC-LEAMY THE ULTIMATE FIVE-STAR HOTEL IN GREATER GATINEAU-OTTAWA

• 349 guest rooms including 37 suites

• Four restaurants, bars and nightclub

• 51,000 square feet of multipurpose convention and exhibit space

• Spa, fitness centre, outdoor and indoor pools

• Multifunctional theatre

• Minutes from downtown Ottawa

• Casino Lac-Leamy inter-connected - Open 24 hours

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819-790-6444 | 1-866-488-7888 | sales@casino.qc.ca | casinolacleamy.ca 32 MEETING IN THE CAPITAL 2019 Ottawa-Gatineau’s guide to meeting planning