CONGRESS PREVIEW

TRADE SHOW & CONFERENCE

Congress opens its doors Jan. 10-12, 2023 at the Toronto Congress Centre, marking the event’s golden anniversary

Let’s celebrate

of coming together!

LANDSCAPE

TRADES

is proud to be the official media partner of Congress. Visit us at booth #2325.

In 1973, the first Congress was held at Toronto’s Skyline Hotel. At the time, (Pierre) Trudeau was Prime Minister and inflation was spiking. Maybe things weren’t all that different?

The event was a catalyst for uniting the Ontario Nursery Trades Association, the Ontario Landscape Contractors Association, and the Ontario Garden Maintenance Association to form Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association. LO — which also celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023 — has grown to become one of the strongest and most vibrant horticultural trade associations in the world.

That’s what Congress is all about: Joining together to learn, network, do business and have a lot of fun. By coming together, we make the profession stronger. There are countless reasons to come to Congress 2023. Here are some of my favourites:

Networking

The best part of Congress is connecting with old friends, colleagues and suppliers. Congress is an annual homecoming for landscape professionals. It’s a chance to catch up, share ideas about business challenges and opportunities, and yes, have a little fun, too. It’s the perfect way to kick off a new year. Education

The Congress Conference is back as an in-person event Jan. 10-12 at the Toronto Congress Centre. The program is absolutely stacked with fantastic speakers covering a wide range of business management, horticultural, and special interest topics. You can see the full list of sessions on pages 28 of this magazine. I recommend bringing key staff members along to show you care about their professional development and to get them energized for the new year.

One-stop shopping

With over 400 exhibitors covering more than eight acres, Congress is a one-stop-shop for the latest equipment, tools, materials and supplies; everything you need to take your business to the next level. New products have always been a show highlight. I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store.

Want to see who’s exhibiting at this year’s show? View the full exhibitor list and floor plan at LOcongress.com. The Congress floor plan software has been upgraded to include new features like company profiles with videos and product information. Another addition to the interactive digital floor plan is the”find a booth” function, that provides directions to booths to make finding your way around the show a breeze. And be sure to grab your complimentary Congress Show Guide when you arrive for exhibitor listings, the new product showcase and a map.

LIVE Stage

Don’t miss the free education LIVE on the trade show floor from leading hardscape, horticulture and vehicle safety experts. Sessions run daily through the show, so make time for this great chance to pick up tips and learn about new equipment and products. Complimentary parking

Parking at the Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Rd. in Etobicoke, Ont., is 100 per cent free. And not to worry, there’s plenty of space available. Free beer

And last but not least, we are excited to announce the return of the popular Ale Trail. Enjoy free beer samples at select exhibitors throughout the show floor, including the Landscape Trades booth. Drop by booth #2325 to have some beer and say hello to the LT team.

See you on the show floor!

Show Committee:

On behalf of the Show Committee, Terry Childs, Chair

Feature

Grab a passport and souvenir glass for the annual Congress Ale Trail! Beverage stations with free craft beer samples will be located throughout the trade show floor. Try one or try them all — it’s included with your trade show pass!

Kress - Booth #328 Landscape Trades - Booth #2325 Rinox - Booth #2566 The Toro Company - Booth #1216

Find inspiration for 2023 at the Congress New Products Showcase, your “road map” of what’s new on the show floor. From new equipment, tools and technology, to new supplies and plant introductions, there’s no better place to get an overview of the latest and most creative product releases. Industry experts provide information and demos on the LIVE Stage throughout each day of the show. There is no charge to attend these sessions, so bring out your key staff members to get them engaged and energized for the upcoming season. Here are some highlights from this year’s LIVE Stage program:

Hardscape LIVE

INTERLOCK BASICS USING ICPI STANDARDS

Back to the basics including: • System components • Job sequence • Job planning and documentation (job layout, planning and material flow)

Speaker: Terry Childs Nature’s Way Landscaping

Drive LIVE

SAFE VEHICLE REFRESHER DEMO

Experience a hands-on approach to learning how to apply the Daily Vehicle Inspection Rules to comply with Ontario regulations.

Speaker: Halton Regional Police Service and Tri-Shield Consulting

Green LIVE

GREY TO GREEN: THE URBAN BATTLEGROUND

The ability to find places to plant trees and have them survive is becoming increasingly difficult in today’s intensified urban centres. This presentation will investigate the factors that affect tree establishment in hardscape environments, ranging from project planning, construction, and long-term operations and maintenance of green infrastructure. By gaining a better understanding of these factors and the challenges they present to the long-term viability of tree establishment in hardscape environments, the urban forest professional will be able to engage and collaborate with allied professionals to develop creative solutions that help ensure trees can be successfully established, but also integrate grey and green infrastructure into a cohesive system.

Speaker: Steve Robinson

Manager of Urban Forestry/City Arborist Roads, Parks and Forestry, City of Burlington

Meet with your peers and make valuable connections at Congress’ biggest networking event! Join fellow Congress delegates on Jan. 10, 2023, at the Delta Hotel for an evening of lively conversation, networking and entertainment. The fun begins at 8:30 p.m. Need a break of somewhere quiet to chat? Put your feet up and enjoy free WIFI at the Patio Lounge, located in Hall A (south west corner of the tradeshow floor).

Register for Congress 2023 and all the partner events at LOCONGRESS.COM

IPMSymposium

W O R K S H O P

SUPPORTING PARTNERS JANUARY 5, 2023 — VIRTUAL JANUARY 9, 2023 — DELTA HOTEL BY MARRIOTT TORONTO AIRPORT JANUARY 9, 2023 — DELTA HOTEL BY MARRIOTT TORONTO AIRPORT

A full-day, virtual event for lawn care professionals. The key to turf IPM is the use of cultural practices that optimize growth of grasses and minimize conditions favourable to pest insects, weeds, or pathogens. Landscape Ontario’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Symposium has been a uniquely respected event since 1965. Attendees will earn six CECs from the IPM Council of Canada.

SOIL BIOLOGY AND THE REGENERATIVE MINDSET OF DECREASING FERTILIZER AND PESTICIDE INPUTS Randy Booker | Turf Evolution

CONTROLLING INVASIVE PHRAGMITES: LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL Janice M. Gilbert | Invasive Phragmites Control Centre

UPDATE FROM THE MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT, CONSERVATION AND PARKS Scott Olan | Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

GTI UPDATE REGARDING IPM TURF RESEARCH Sara Stricker | Guelph Turfgrass Institute

ENDOPHYTIC MICROBES THAT PROMOTE NITROGEN USE EFFICIENCY (NUE) AND DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN TURFGRASS Dr. Manish Raizada | University of Guelph

TREE CARE IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT: AN IPM PERSPECTIVE Kyle McLoughlin | Ironwood Arboriculture Solutions

HOW RETHINKING AGRICULTURAL SPRAY OILS HAS LED TO INNOVATIVE BREAKTHROUGHS FOR THE HORTICULTURAL AND LANDSCAPE INDUSTRIES Reinie Drygala | HFSinclair (HFS) An initiative of Landscape Ontario’s Landscape Designers Sector Group, the 2023 Designers Conference is a full-day event with lunch and closing reception. Sessions will be recorded and made available to registered attendees for a limited time. Each conference session qualifies for one Landscape Horticulture Certification (LHCP) CEC.

LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS SECTOR GROUP - AGM Join your sector peers and learn about what this LO Sector Group is doing on your behalf, and help shape future initiatives and projects.

NAVIGATING THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT STAGE OF DESIGN Moderator: Haig Seferian Panellists: Danée Marie Lambourne Eden Projects James Garfield Thompson J. Garfield Thompson Landscape Cheryl Cichon ELP Environmental

NEW AND INNOVATIVE DESIGN SOFTWARE AND TECHNOLOGY Mansoor Ma | LANDinc

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN’T DRAW! Beth Edney | Designs By The Yard

BIG GARDEN IN A SMALL SPACE

Welwyn Wong | Welwyn Wong Landscape Design Glenn Curtis | Plantenance Landscape Group

STYLE BY DESIGN CHARRETTE Moderators: Beth Edney | Designs By The Yard Shawn Gallaugher Shawn Gallaugher Design

ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION THROUGH EFFECTIVE DESIGN Heather Schibli | Dougan & Associates Jim Dougan | Dougan & Associates The Landscape Ontario Peer to Peer Network is a growing group of business owners and their key managers. Connected together by member-based social media groups, they support and help one another with real-time issues and answers. The network is open to all Landscape Ontario business owners.

LEADING TODAY’S WORKFORCE - RISE TO THE CHALLENGE! Join professional facilitator Jacki Hart on a journey through who you need to be as a leader in your business. With the current challenges of acquiring, inspiring, growing and retaining a great team, you’ll leave this session with clarity on where you need to grow as the leader of tomorrow’s company, not yesterday’s. Inspired by 34-year LO veteran executive director Tony DiGiovanni’s ‘top 9 qualities of great leaders,’ this one-day interactive networking event will be discussion driven, collaborative and self-reflective.

Specific group discussions will focus on actionable strategies: • How to demonstrate next-level leadership thinking and behaviour. • How to more effectively connect with your diverse employee team. • How to be the exceptional leader who elevates and engages the team. • How to identify and coach your leadership team through ‘red flags.’

As the official media partner of Congress, Landscape Trades is proud to offer readers FREE TRADE SHOW PASSES. Enter the Promo Code 50YRLT when you register at LOCongress.com