8 things to know about
Toronto’s Top Convention Centres
You’ll find more than well-designed meeting spaces, convenient locations and ample square footage for business events
1. They court the city’s best chefs. The Toronto Congress Centre recently enlisted world-renowned Mark McEwan as its consulting chef for all in-house culinary operations, including the restaurants and menu planning for conferences, galas, meetings and events.
2. They’ve hosted the world. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is the only facility that has hosted both a G20 and a G7 Summit in Toronto.
3. They flex their sports muscle. Enercare Centre was transformed into the world’s largest interactive basketball theme park during the 2016 NBA Jam Session. It also formed part of Exhibition Place’s CIBC Pan Am Park (PAP) during the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games.
4. They’re sustainability leaders. The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) named The International Centre 2015 winner of its Green Key Meetings Hall of Fame Award of Excellence for sustainable practices.
5. They’re energy conscious. Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place is 100% powered by green energy from renewable sources and the 160,000-square-foot facility was Canada’s First LEED Silver Certified Conference Centre.
6. They’re textbook examples. The Michael G. DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University featured The International Centre as a case study as part of a Corporations and Society undergraduate course. It focused on business cases for sustainability strategies and practices.
7. They’re easy on the eyes. Guests at The Toronto Congress Centre are treated to a diverse Canadian art collection in the form of paintings, sculptures, flower displays and hand-crafted furnishings. Lobbies and select meeting rooms evoke a feeling of being in a private art gallery.
8. They aim to satisfy appetites. Guests of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre who require nut- or gluten-free or vegan options are treated to customized offerings that are delicious to indulge in, created by chefs who have focused their attention to accommodate a full range of dietary requests. Some 90 per cent of all pastry items served at the Centre’s events are crafted in its skillful in-house pastry kitchen.