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.
Event Sponsors
- Platinum Sponsor - HortProtect Insurance
- Silver Sponsor -
- Silver Sponsor - Farm Credit Canada
- Bronze Sponsor - Salish Soils Inc.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting?
Lunch Options On-site for purchase:
- Hot Dog Hill - will be in the courtyard over lunch
- KPU Cafeteria - open on site until 2:30 in East Building
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: Garden Trends 2027 - What You Need to Know
Host: Katie Dubow
Info: Consumer expectations, shopping habits, and the definition of "gardening" have shifted over the past five years, leaving us wondering: where does the industry stand today, and where is it headed next?
Katie Dubow, president of Garden Media Group and author of the annual Garden Trends Report, shares a state-of-the-industry snapshot and the consumer gardening trends shaping 2027 and beyond. From changing demographics and values to the plants, products, and experiences customers seek, Katie connects cultural shifts to growers and retailers.
Attendees will walk away with practical, ready-to-use insights on:
- Plants, colours, and categories trending toward 2027
- Aligning production with customer demand
- New ways to reach customers in store, online, and in between
- Opportunities for B.C.'s independent growers and garden centres
Whether you're planning next season or the next five years, this session will help you move from where we are to where we're going.
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:10 PM
Closing Remarks
Host: BCLNA
🕑: 04:10 PM - 05:10 PM
Meet Your Growers & Suppliers
Grower Education Stream
🕑: 09:40 AM - 10:40 AM
Plant Signaling and Response to Stress
Host: David Klassen
Info: Discover how plants communicate, respond to stress, and optimize nutrient uptake through complex signaling networks. This presentation explores the latest research behind plant signaling and how biostimulant technologies can influence root development, plant resilience, and overall crop performance.
🕑: 10:40 AM - 10:55 AM
Break
🕑: 10:55 AM - 11:25 AM
Pesticide Safety
Host: Laura Feeny
Info: When you apply a pesticide, what are you actually responsible for? This session will take a practical look at the obligations of pesticide users under the federal Pest Control Products Act, and how decisions about drift, weather, equipment, sensitive habitats and application practices can make the difference between a compliant application and a problem.
🕑: 11:25 AM - 12:15 PM
Agri-Technology
Host: Deborah Henderson
Info: Agritech’s potential is great but it’s changing fast and it’s not always clear which technology is right for your operation. We’ve recently had the opportunity to try out a number of ag-innovations and we work with companies bringing new technologies to you. This talk will introduce you to some of those innovations and what they can do for you, and what kind of questions you should ask before diving in.
🕑: 12:15 PM - 01:15 PM
Lunch & Networking
🕑: 01:15 PM - 01:20 PM
Introduction to new Minor Use Pesticide Coordinator
Info: Introducing Jason Lussier, BCMAF Minor Use Pesticide Coordinator
🕑: 01:20 PM - 01:45 PM
Japanese Beetle Update and Economic Study
Host: Alan McLachlan
🕑: 01:45 PM - 02:15 PM
AI: Practical Applications for Horticulture
Host: Patrick Bakker
Info: How do you combine your intelligence with ... artificial intelligence? Can it really help you improve your productivity? Ideas are guaranteed to be generated.
🕑: 02:15 PM - 02:30 PM
Break
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:00 PM
Labour Advisory Service
Host: Alexa Dantas
Info: People challenges are a reality for many agriculture employers, but knowing where to turn for HR support isn’t always easy. In this session, Alexa will introduce the AgHR program and the free, confidential support available to BC agriculture employers. Attendees will learn how AgHR can help with everything from finding and keeping good workers to managing workplace challenges, building a stronger team, and planning for the future.
🕑: 03:00 PM - 05:10 PM
Return to Combined Programming - See Main Agenda
Garden Centre Education
🕑: 09:45 AM - 10:15 AM
Garden Centre Summit
Host: Leanne Johnson
Info: Get an inside look at what’s happening with the Garden Centre Summit and where it’s headed next. Leanne Johnson, Chair of Garden Centres Canada, will share highlights and takeaways from the previous Summit, what’s being planned for the future, and why industry participation is important to its continued growth and value for garden centres across Canada.
🕑: 10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Break
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
3 R’s Recruitment, Reliability, Retention
Host: Viktoria Schuler
Info: Learn practical strategies to attract the right people, build a reliable workforce, and retain great employees in today’s challenging labour market. This session will share actionable HR approaches tailored to the realities of landscape and nursery businesses, helping employers strengthen their teams and reduce the time and cost of ongoing recruitment.
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Labour Legalities: Managing in Uncertain Times
Host: Brittany Therrien
Info: This presentation will provide information to employers about employment and labour considerations in the current climate. Attendees are welcome to bring their questions and share their experiences to make the presentation a more interactive discussion.
🕑: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch Break & Networking
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:15 PM
Creating 5-Star Customer Experiences: Reaching the Next Generation of Garden C
Host: Jon Morrison
Info: Your regulars come back every spring. But their kids and their neighbors are deciding online whether they will visit you at all. Are you prepared to give them a 5-star experience from browsing to buying? This session walks through the modern garden center customer journey: how someone first hears about you online, what turns a first visit into a purchase, and how the right follow-up turns a one-time buyer into a lifelong customer. Jon will break the journey into five key touch points, the five stars of a memorable experience,
What attendees will take away :
- The five touch points of the modern customer journey, from first awareness to post-purchase follow-up
- Practical ways to follow up after a sale (email, text) that bring customers back year after year
How to translate a great in-store experience into five-star reviews and word of mouth marketing
- Real marketing research and results specific to garden centers
🕑: 02:15 PM - 02:45 PM
Updated Grow Me Instead and the New 2026/27 Recognized Retailer Program
Host: Nick Wong
Info: Discussing the latest update to our PlantWise Grow Me Instead guide - Grow Me Instead informs gardening enthusiasts about horticulture’s most “unwanted” invasive plants in British Columbia, while providing a variety of native and exotic plant alternatives found to be non-invasive across the province.
Secondly, we’d be introducing our newest collaboration with the BCLNA, the 2026/27 PlantWise Recognized Retailer Program. Its goal is to provide industry guidance for invasive-wise business practices in the province to reduce the introduction and spread of invasive plant species across BC.
🕑: 02:45 PM - 03:00 PM
Break
🕑: 03:00 PM - 05:10 PM
Return to Combined Programming - See Main Agenda
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 12.51 to CAD 169.06
