BCLNA Grower & Garden Centre Day
About this Event
The BCLNA invites nursery growers, garden centre professionals, suppliers, and industry partners to Grower & Garden Centre Day—a full day of practical learning, fresh ideas, and valuable connections across British Columbia's horticulture industry.
The day begins with a keynote from Dave Van Belle. Dave is President of Van Belle Nursery, an award-winning wholesale nursery founded by Bill and Grace Van Belle in 1973. As the second-generation leader, Dave has built on his family's legacy while leading the company's continued growth through a culture of trust, transparency, continuous improvement, and leadership development. Passionate about helping people and businesses thrive, Dave believes that great organizations are built by investing in people and empowering them to succeed.
Following the keynote, attendees can choose from two concurrent educational streams designed to address the unique opportunities and challenges facing growers and garden centres. While each stream is tailored to its audience, attendees are welcome to move between sessions to customize their learning experience.
The day wraps up with a featured closing keynote from Katie Dubow, President of Garden Media Group, internationally sought-after speaker, and author of the annual Garden Trends Report. Known for identifying the consumer and industry trends shaping horticulture, Katie will leave attendees inspired with practical insights and ideas for the future.
☕ Your registration includes:
- Access to all educational sessions
- Opening and closing plenary presentations
- Coffee during Registration
- Networking opportunities throughout the day
Whether you're looking for practical ideas, new business connections, or a fresh perspective from industry leaders, Grower & Garden Centre Day is an opportunity to invest in your business while strengthening connections across BC's horticulture industry.
Grower Education Stream
See agenda below for session details - times may be subject to change.
Sessions will focus on practical production, business, and operational topics relevant to BC nursery growers.
Garden Centre Education Stream
See agenda below for session details - times may be subject to change.
Sessions will explore retail trends, merchandising, customer experience, marketing, and other topics designed to help garden centres succeed.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting?
Agenda
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Registration - Coffee and Connecting
Info: Register early to enjoy the most time with colleagues, while you enjoy a free coffee.
🕑: 08:40 AM - 09:40 AM
Opening Plenary: Leadership Through Trust - The Power of Open Book Management
Host: Dave Van Belle
Info: Every successful business eventually faces the same challenge: how do you build a team that thinks like owners, embraces accountability, and is invested in long-term success?
As the second-generation leader of Van Belle Nursery, Dave Van Belle has guided the company from a successful family business to an award -winning wholesale nursery recognized for its innovative approach to leadership, culture and continuous improvement. In this opening keynote, he'll share how a culture of trust, transparency, and Open Book Management has empowered employees, strengthened leadership, and helped drive long-term success.
Through practical examples and real-world experience, Dave will explore how greater transparency, shared responsibility, and employee engagement can transform workplace culture, improve decision-making, and create a team where everyone understands how they contribute to the success of the business. Whether you lead a business, manage people, or are developing future leaders
🕑: 09:30 AM - 03:00 PM
Separate into Dedicated Streams
Info: Please view "Grower Stream" or "Garden Centre Stream" for more details
🕑: 03:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Closing Plenary: Working Together for a More Prosperous Industry
Host: Katie Dubow
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Meet Your Growers & Suppliers
🕑: 04:30 PM - 04:45 PM
Closing Remarks
Grower Education Stream
🕑: 09:40 AM - 10:40 AM
Plants Response to Stress
Break
🕑: 10:55 AM - 11:25 AM
Pesticide Safety
🕑: 11:25 AM - 11:45 AM
Introduction and New Product Registrations
🕑: 11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Japanese Beetle Update and Economic Study
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch & Networking
🕑: 01:15 PM - 01:45 PM
Ag. Tech and Innovation
🕑: 01:45 PM - 02:15 PM
AI: Practical Applications for Horticulture
Break
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM
Labour Advisory Service
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Meet Your Growers & Suppliers
Garden Centre Education
🕑: 09:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Garden Centre Summit
Break
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
3 R’s Recruitment, Reliability, Retention
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Labour Legalities
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch Break & Networking
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:15 PM
5 Star Customer Experience
🕑: 02:15 PM - 02:45 PM
Grow Me Instead – Recognized Retailer Program
Break
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 12.51 to CAD 169.06
