Workshops and Events
July 22, 2026: Developing an Export Plan
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness invites Ontario food and beverage companies to participate a webinar series designed specifically for Ontario food and beverage manufacturers. These webinars aim to provide valuable information and resources for you and your business to learn how to develop an export plan.
The webinar will include:
- Identifying and assessing the right export markets for your business
- Defining clear export goals, readiness, and capacity
- Navigating key considerations such as regulations, logistics, and market entry strategies
- Turning your export plan into actionable next steps for sustainable growth
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
July 22, 2026: 3 Ways to Grow Your Business in an AI-First Environment
This session helps small and medium business owners understand how AI is changing online marketing and search visibility. Learn practical strategies to improve how customers find your business, adapt to the zero-click marketing era, and focus on marketing activities that drive real revenue and ROI.
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Aug: 11, 2026: Support for Women-Owned Businesses in Ontario
Join the Government of Ontario for an informative session exploring the supports available to women-owned businesses across Ontario. The session will also include a presentation from Paro, an organization that prioritizes diversity, builds cultural inclusivity, and incorporates gender analyses into their programs and services for women-owned businesses at every level.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with valuable resources and strengthen your business journey
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Aug. 20, 2026: Starting a Food Business & Regulatory Compliance
Part of the FoodPreneur Startup Series, this session is offered 4 times per year.
This session is for you if you are in the early stages of development and are looking to gain knowledge in the food and beverage industry. You will learn about:
- Creating a Business Model
- Doing your Market Research
- Analyzing the Competition
- Your Value Proposition
- Codes and regulations
10:00 am to 11:00 am webinar
Cost: Free
Aug. 27, 2026: How to Sell Your Food Product
Part of the FoodPreneur Startup Series, this session is offered 4 times per year.
Successfully selling your product involves more than just having great tasting food. Pricing, marketing, and how you position your product all play a key role in ensuring that people will buy it. Learn key factors to consider in successfully selling your product, whether you're selling at markets, online, or to retailers.
Speaker: Nicole Haney, former Founder & CEO of Boho Bars
10:00 am to 11:00 am webinar.
Cost: Free
Sept. 3, 2026: Costing & Pricing to Make Profits
Part of the FoodPreneur Startup Series, this session is offered 4 times per year.
If you want to run a successful business it’s important for you to know the ‘numbers’. Learn how to cost and price your products and services for profitability and how the decisions you make about your operations and production processes affect your bottom line. Understand how to budget and spend money so you can pay all your bills and still have money left in your pocket at the end of the year.
Speaker: Nicole Haney, former Founder & CEO of Boho Bars
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Cost: Free
Sept. 10, 2026: Marketing & Branding your Food Product
Part of the FoodPreneur Startup Series, this session is offered 4 times per year.
Hear expert insight, from how to create your brand, how to retain and grow your brand to what sort of colours and typography styles are right for your product. You will learn the difference between designing for store shelves vs. food markets vs. digital spaces. She will also cover tips for working with a graphic designer and determining exactly who your product is for.
Speaker: Amanda DeVries of Eye Candy Design
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Cost: Free
Sept. 17, 2026: Food Safety Fundamentals for Startups
Part of the FoodPreneur Startup Series, this session is offered 4 times per year.
When you’re launching a food product, understanding food safety is essential not only for protecting your customers, but also for meeting regulatory expectations and building retailer trust.
Learn simple, actionable steps you can take to build food safety into your business from the very beginning—without getting overwhelmed by regulations.
You’ll leave with a clear understanding of basic food safety expectations, practical steps you can implement immediately, and the confidence to move your food business forward safely!
Speaker: Lisa Cove, Food Safety Consultant and Founder of Shelf Ready Inc.
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Cost: Free
Sept 24, 2026: Labelling & Packaging your Food Product
Part of the FoodPreneur Startup Series, this session is offered 4 times per year.
This session is for you if you have a food or beverage product that needs an accurate and compliant label.
Nicole Haney, former Founder & CEO of Boho Bars will guide you through what to consider when choosing a package for your food product, what to include on your label, and what mistakes to avoid when packaging your food product.
This session is part of the Foodpreneur Advantage Series.
Speaker: Nicole Haney
Hosted by: Small Business Advisory Centre
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Cost: free
Oct. 15, 2026: Hosting Influencers & Media: A Guide for Tourism Operators
When destination partners or Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs) bring influencers or media to your region, tourism operators play a key role in delivering a seamless and memorable experience. Join this session to help you understand what to expect—and what’s expected of you—when participating in coordinated influencer and media visits.
Designed for businesses participating in hosted experiences, this webinar will walk through how these partnerships work, including how influencers and media are selected, how itineraries are developed, and how operators are invited to take part.
Participants will gain practical guidance on how to prepare for and support these visits, from providing exceptional service and hosting experiences to assisting with bookings, timing, and communication.
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Hosted by RTO9 and Attractions Ontario.
Oct. 20, 2026: Meta Ads Overview: Targeting & Audiences
A strong Meta Ads strategy starts with knowing exactly who you’re trying to reach. In this foundational session, tourism operators will explore how to build and refine effective audience targeting strategies using Meta’s evolving advertising tools.
First introduction session to the Meta Ads platform. This session will focus on the essential building blocks of audience strategy, including how to stay current with recent changes in Meta Ads targeting and how these updates impact campaign performance. Participants will also learn how to identify and select the right audience segments to align with their business goals.
10 am - 11:00 am Webinar. Part 2 will be on October 27.
Hosted by RTO9
Presented by: JBC
Oct. 21-22, 2026: Ontario Tourism Summit
Westin Hotel Ottawa - 11 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa
October 27, 2026: Meta Ads Overview Part Two: Building Ad Campaigns
Once your audience strategy is in place, the next step is building campaigns that convert. This session takes a practical look at how to structure and optimize Meta advertising campaigns for stronger performance and better return on investment.
In this second session to the Meta Ads platform, you will explore the core components of successful Meta Ad campaigns, including how ad sets and individual ads work together to reach different audience segments effectively. The session will also cover key budgeting strategies, helping you understand how to allocate spend in a way that supports your goals and maximizes impact.
This session is ideal for those ready to move beyond the basics and start actively optimizing their Meta advertising efforts.
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Hosted by RTO9
Presented by JBC
Nov. 5, 2026: Sustainability 101 for Tourism Businesses
Sustainability can feel overwhelming when you're not sure where to begin. This 60-minute webinar is your starting point, designed for tourism businesses that haven't yet formalized their approach. You will gain a practical foundation including common language, concrete first steps, and guidance on tracking progress.
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Presented by GreenStep
Nov. 17-18, 2026: SEe ON Tourism Summit
Both days will be packed with incredible speakers, forward thinking ideas and inspiration to spark creativity and help Envision Tourism Growth in South Eastern Ontario.
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
DEV Hotel & Conference Centre, 1950 Montreal Road, Cornwall
Nov. 20, 2026: Leeds Grenville Economic Development Summit
North Grenville Municipal Centre, Kemptville
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Nov. 24, 2026: Introduction to Google Advertising
This introductory webinar designed to help tourism operators understand the essentials of Google Ads and how it can be used to increase visibility, drive website traffic, and attract more potential visitors.
Participants will explore the core structure of Google Ads, including an overview of key campaign types such as Performance Max and Search campaigns, and how each can support different marketing goals. The session will also introduce keyword strategy, including how to use tools like Keyword Planner to identify relevant search terms, assess competition, and make informed decisions about targeting.
This session is ideal for tourism operators looking to build a strong foundation in Google Ads and begin advertising more effectively online.
10:00 am - 11:00 am Webinar
Hosted by: RTO9 and JBC
Mar. 4, 2027: International Women's Day
Bring together women entrepreneurs, professionals, business leaders, and community members to celebrate International Women's Day through an inspiring evening of learning, networking, and recognition
Memorial Centre, Brockville
* While every effort has been made to ensure the information on this page is correct at time of publication, please be sure to visit official event websites to confirm dates and times.
Submit your upcoming workshop or seminar to econdev@uclg.on.ca
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