B.C. LANDSCAPE & NURSERY ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION • NOVEMBER 2006
3 BCLNA Board Highlights ©Donna Budd, 2006
Exhibitors and show staff gathered at CanWest’s main entrance to commemorate its 25th anniversary. Photo: Donna Budd 2006, www.buddsinfocus.com
CanWest’s 25th After 25 years, it’s clear that the CanWest Hort Show is still going strong. The annual event drew over 3,400 visitors, and in addition to local British Columbians, it hosted numerous guests from Alberta, Washington, and Ontario. CanWest also saw an increase in landscape sector visitors (up more than 30% over last year), largely due to the launching of an afternoon seminar series geared toward that commodity’s contractors and business owners. Continually striving to improve the show, staff initiated successful sales tools for exhibitors. The combined New Product Showcase and Exhibitor Stage were popular amenities: 25 companies featured 33 new products, and 14 exhibitors provided product mini-seminars on the show floor. The addition of half-sized (5′ x 10′)
Boutique Booths were a hit with smallproduct and information companies, most of which were participating in the show for the first time. Testament to the show’s long-standing service in the industry, 19 exhibitors were honoured at a gala reception for their continual participation in the show. Also recognized were Anne Philley, who dedicated many years to organizing the event, along with the year’s Booth Award winners. BCLNA and United Flower Growers look ahead to coming shows with great anticipation. The show’s educational components—both seminars and tours— constantly improve and expand, making CanWest truly a destination for the horticulture industry. The CanWest continued on page 3
4 BCLNA News Bulletins 6 Landscape & Retail News 10 Industry Bits 12 HortEducationBC 13 Grower Updates 14 BCMAL Report 16 Business Basics