September 3, 2019
live demo at a trade showCanWest is noted for its colour and creative displays.
B.C. hosts green opportunity
CanWest 2019
Always a professional favourite, CanWest is a great way to kick off tradeshow season. Produced by the British Columbia Landscape Nursery Association, the Abbotsford, B.C., CanWest is noted for its colour, friendliness and creative displays built around a fresh idea each year — “Vintage” is this year’s theme.
CanWest attracts 3,000 delegates visiting more than 300 booths. Products are a perennial draw, while the New Product Showcase and Greenhouse Demo Zone both deliver.
Last year, more than 1,200 seats were sold in CanWest educational programs. Top-name horticulturists speaking at CanWest 2019 include Dr. Linda Chalker Scott, Frankie Flowers, Tracy DiSabato Aust and Paul Zammit. All workshops and seminars are eligible for Continuing Education Unit credits.
The show features five half-day, hands-on workshops. Choose from a session on plant care, pest management and biocontrol by Mario Lanthier; “Pest Management for Lawn Care” and “Biocontrol for Cannabis” by Suzanne “Buglady” Wainwright-Evans; as well as workshops on water-smart gardens by Sean James and fountainscaping by Gord Szolnyanszky. Free truck and trailer safety demos are offered on both show mornings.
General educational sessions run 90 minutes on a range of green topics, including native species, healthy soil, upselling landscapes with lighting, small space gardening, the art of delegation and others.
Extend your stay to participate in a Landscape Designers Symposium, Fraser Valley Tour and Urban Foresters Symposium. Plenty of fun networking opportunities are planned, including happy hours on both show days. Delegates will also enjoy a celebrity container competition.
British Columbia’s commitment to the next generation of green professionals takes centre stage at CanWest. Its Green Careers Youth Tour starts off with industry professionals discussing tips for entering the industry. Students then meet exhibitors to discuss the latest technologies and innovations in their sector. The tour finishes at the CanWest Job Board, where students (and horticulture professionals of all levels) can explore career and training opportunities within horticulture.
CanWest 2019 runs Sept. 25-26 at Tradex in Abbotsford, B.C. The venue is convenient to Abbotsford airport; parking and WiFi
are free. For more information visit www.canwesthortshow.com.