Every year the PCMA Canadian Innovation Conference brings together meeting and event professionals from across the country for three days of learning, networking, and industry connection. This year’s conference took place in Mississauga, ON and delivered a full program of education, conversations, and community building.
As a first-time delegate, it gave me a clear look at where the industry is heading and how planners, suppliers, and partners are approaching both the challenges and the opportunities ahead.
The opening night delivered the strongest networking of the entire conference. People were outgoing, generous with introductions, and ready to talk business. What stood out was how common it was to see attendees move in pairs or small groups. Breaking into already-formed clusters as a solo delegate was difficult.
The takeaway: attending as a team makes the room easier to navigate and keeps conversations flowing instead of fizzling.
The second night was labelled as open, but most people already had client dinners and activities scheduled. Without pre-planned outreach, the evening quickly became a missed chance for deeper networking.
The takeaway: reach out to prospects before the conference to lock in one dinner, drink, or activity. Nights fill up fast and early planning pays off.
The plenaries and breakout sessions were consistently strong and well delivered. This year leaned heavily into AI and brain science. Valuable content overall, though the AI saturation added some fatigue. Still, the sessions offered good insights and reinforced industry trends worth tracking.
The takeaway: review the agenda ahead of time and create a balanced plan that matches your goals. Prioritizing sessions early helps avoid trend overload.
• Warm the room before you arrive with a few pre-event LinkedIn messages.
• Aim for at least one set meeting per day, whether a dinner, coffee, or quick catch-up.
• Keep notes as you go so follow-up stays meaningful and accurate.
• Send follow-ups while the conference is still happening.
• Bring a buddy or another sales colleague. Navigating receptions as a team makes a big difference.
At the end of the day, PCMA CIC 2025 delivered strong content, meaningful connections, and a few clear lessons on how to approach future events more strategically. For a first-time delegate, it was a valuable mix of insight, outreach, and honest learning moments.
Next up for me is PCMA Convening Leaders in Philadelphia, PA, January 11-14, 2026. See you there!
Link to register here: https://conveningleaders.org/
Scott Duffy brings a calm, practical approach to meetings and events. He is known for listening first, cutting through the noise, and helping planners make clear, confident AV decisions. Clients appreciate his responsiveness, his straightforward communication, and his focus on solutions that fit the event without adding stress.
You can connect with Scott here: ScottD@ccrsolutions.com
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