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Connect in Ottawa blog

Find inspiration among our blog articles dedicated to all business events-related events and activities in Canada’s capital. Stay current on the latest information regarding Ottawa hotels, venues, team-building activities, major events and industry happenings.

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New Ottawa hotels enlarge business accommodation offerings

Ottawa is home to a diverse and experienced accommodations sector that includes major international hotel brands as well as unique boutique and local properties that meet every need and budget. With a total of 11,000 rooms, 6,000 of which are located downtown within walking distance of the Shaw Centre, many Ottawa hotels offer meeting facilities and services and expertly host groups. Reflecting the dynamism of Canada’s capital region, recent hotel openings provide business travelers and meeting planners new and exciting options.

Le Germain Hotel Ottawa

Quebec-based Group Germain Hotels opened Le Germain Hotel Ottawa in the downtown core in May 2018. The luxury boutique hotel boasts 115 rooms, meeting facilities, a fitness room and fine dining. Group Germain properties are refined but vibrant and stylish, delivering appealing design, an engaged staff and breakfast at no extra charge. Norca Restaurant & Bar is an exciting destination for progressive, adventurous Nordic-inspired cuisine with rare Canadian ingredients. The hotel shares an architectural complex with the new Ottawa Art Gallery which showcases rotating exhibits of Canadian art. Delegates and business travelers enjoy being within walking distance of most of the capital’s attractions and meeting places including Parliament Hill, the Shaw Centre and the University of Ottawa.

GLō Best Western Kanata Ottawa West

For travelers who have business meetings in Kanata – Ottawa’s high-tech hub suburb located west of downtown – the GLō Best Western Kanata Ottawa West is a hip new boutique hotel conveniently located off the city’s main highway. The property is located just minutes from the Canadian Tire Centre – Ottawa’s largest venue for world-class concerts, sports and events – as well as the Tanger Outlet Mall and the Kanata Centrum Shopping Centre which provide many retail and restaurant options. GLō Kanata provides easy access to city sites; it’s 30 kilometres from the Ottawa International Airport; less than 20-minutes’ drive from beautiful Britannia Beach along the Ottawa River; and less than half an hour’s drive from downtown, including the historic Byward Market neighbourhood. This new boutique hotel, opened in 2019, features sleek and modern finishes accented with bold pops of color that appeal to both business and leisure travelers. Business amenities include free WiFi and business center, spacious in-room work desk with coffee and tea maker, and a tech-centric lobby with shared space to connect with other savvy travelers.

Sandman Signature Ottawa Airport Hotel

Opened on July 21, 2019, the new Signature Sandman Ottawa Airport Hotel  is conveniently located just eight minutes’ drive from the Ottawa International Airport, and is also surrounded by restaurants, golf clubs, and retail stores. This airport hotel offers 201 beautifully appointed guest rooms that feature flat-screen TVs, mini-bars, mini-fridges, microwaves and comfortable beds. The elegant, relaxed comfort of Sandman Signature suites provide the perfect place to relax before a long flight or after a day of meetings. Business travelers can stay connected with complimentary hotel-wide wired and wireless Internet access, enjoy a meal at the on-site Chop Steakhouse & Bar which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, relax poolside at the indoor heated pool and hot tub, or sweat it out in the fitness centre.

Ottawa has many other hotel options to choose from, visit our Accommodation page or Meeting and convention hotels for more information.

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How to spend a wine weekend in Windsor Essex

Spending a day at a winery is fun but exploring a wine region for an entire weekend makes a great getaway.  Heading to a Vintage wine tasting, biking from winery to winery, dining at Estate wineries that feel like you are in Italy. This is the ultimate weekend getaway for the foodie and wine lover.

DAY ONE IN ESSEX COUNTY

The drive from Toronto is approximately 3.5-4 hours and about one hour from the Detroit/Windsor border. You don’t have to go far to feel like you are in Italy as this wine region is located as far south as Northern California and the Tuscany region of Italy, making it the ideal region for some of the world’s best vinifera and French hybrid wine grapes.

If you are lucky enough to be visiting during the EPIC Vintage Tasting event, then head straight there. This event is packed with wine tastings from 11 EPIC wineries, as well as food that includes local cheese and entertainment. You will enjoy wine tastings from all the local wineries.

After a full day of wine tasting and entertainment head to HoriZen Bed & Breakfast to drop off your bags before heading out to dinner.

We were welcomed by the husband and wife duo along with their two children, who immediately warmed up to us and made us feel like family. The property is a beautiful historic home with a large wrap-around front porch.

If you are looking for something a little different, I would recommend you stay at the Journey floating wine barrel. It is the ultimate glamping experience while floating on the water in a wine barrel. The wine barrel overlooks the vineyards and you will be surrounded by wildlife such as ducks, herons, and local bald eagles, just to name a few. The perfect spot to unwind and relax.

After you drop off your bags and you have had some time to refresh, head straight to Paglione Estate Winery for alfresco dining that will make you feel like you are in the Chianti wine region in Italy. Make sure to order the delicious pizza that is made in a wood fire oven paired with one of their wines. End your evening with either some homemade Beemer gelato or a dessert Nutella or apple pizza.

After a fabulous dinner, head back to HoriZen Bed and Breakfast where you can park your car and head out on a relaxing evening stroll along the Pedestrian Pier or along the waterfront to the marina. If you would rather relax, then end your evening with a glass of local wine in hand while relaxing on the serene wrap around porch. Either is a perfect way to end a fabulous first day in EPIC Wine country.

DAY TWO EXPLORING ESSEX COUNTY

Enjoy the delicious hot breakfast made fresh at HoriZen Bead & Breakfast. We indulged in some freshly baked scones followed by Huevos Rancheros along with freshly brewed coffee.

After filling your bellies with a delicious breakfast, head to Farm Dog Cycles for a self-guided wine tour. The self-guided tour is $48 per person and includes a bike rental, a mapped route, & special tasting coupons for wine pairings or signature snacks at three of their favorite local wineries.  There are different wine routes. If you love biking then head out on the 20km bike loop that will have you hitting up all the wineries.

For a shorter wine route, head to Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (CREW) for your first wine tasting. The vineyard boasts 12 acres of vines, consisting of vinifera varietals. They have won many prestigious awards since opening their doors in July 2006.  Awards. The small retail store offers complimentary tastings. They are currently building their new wine tasting room that is planned to open in the fall of 2019. I can’t wait to return to see the new facilities.

Next head to North 42 Degrees Estate Winery, a 17-acre vineyard, winery, and Bistro located in the heart of the Lake Erie North Shore. The tasting room is set in a beautiful, modern building where you can dine in their bistro that offers spectacular views.

Next stop is Viewpointe Estate Winery where you can sit back and enjoy some wine tasting with magnificent views of Lake Erie.

After all that biking through the wineries, I am sure you have built up your appetite. Head to Oxley Estate Winery where you will not only taste some delicious wines but be able to refuel and indulge in a delicious lunch on their outdoor patio. You must try their famous Sticky Duck Wings followed by Lake Erie Yellow Perch. If you are looking for a refreshing white wine, I would recommend pairing your lunch with the Wowza white that has tropical fruit notes of pineapple and mango.  Before heading out on your final stretch of biking, I would highly recommend treating yourself to dessert. The banana hazelnut fritters are definitely worth the calories.

Make sure to include a stop at Pelee Estate Winery and experience Canada’s Southernmost winery. The 550 acres of vineyards are in Canada’s warmest, oldest and the most southerly grape-growing region with  35+ years of experience in wine making. The winery is just under 42 degrees North, Pelee Island is at a latitude similar to that of Rioja, Spain, Porto, Portugal, Provence, France, and Tuscany, Italy.

Before heading back home after your weekend in Essex county, make sure to drop by Lee & Maria’s Market that is located just up Seacliff Drive to pick up some local produce.

I hope this two-day itinerary inspires you to head out on a weekend exploring the wineries of Essex County.  I have always wanted to visit and experience the region and will definitely be returning.

Original blog by Diana of Diana’s Healthy Living in partnership with funding from Ontario Southwest.

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Tourisme Montréal launches new signature for its meeting and sports sectors

To reaffirm our commitment to excellence in the meetings and sports events sectors, Tourisme Montréal recently unveiled our two new visual identities: “Business Events Montréal” and “Sports Events Montréal”.

Learn more >

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5 Trends in Event Organization

Organizing an event requires to create, reinvent, go beyond expectations in order to offer memorable moments to participants. In your role of event, meeting and convention organizer, you must constantly innovate and think outside the box to find ideas that will create a WOW effect among participants. Here are some recent trends in event organization to help you.

1. Humanize the destination

Personalization is assuredly trendy! Don’t hesitate to go the extra mile so the participants in your event will live memorable experiences. Make them discover the destination through surprising activities, great gourmet dinners, cultural shows or sports events.

2. Bank on originality!

Energize your business events and stand out from the competition by meeting the needs of your clients, even more, surpassing their expectations. Do not hesitate to offer them out-of-the-box experiences. Check six concepts which are quite unique; they were developed by the Simplifiers team at Tourisme Laval. All six concepts will definitely want you to follow the trend!

3. Select local products

More and more people are concerned about their eating habits and their health. They carefully choose what they eat, they seek information about the quality and freshness of products, whenever they are. We suggest you offer a healthy menu to the participants in you event, with some vegetarian and even vegan options. Also make sure to plan menus for those with food intolerances.

4. Choose a minimalist decor

Choose a decor that is simple, with clean lines that contributes to help people concentrate, and absorb and appreciate the wealth of information communicated during your event. Yet, make sure you don’t favour minimalism over comfort. For cocktail hour, make sure you have enough chairs and couches so people can relax.

5. Organize a “green” event

As environment is at the heart of our concerns, you should think in an eco-responsible way when organizing your event. Choose local and organic products, reusable decoration items, and offer services rather than objects as gifts (a free entry to an activity for instance).

Photos : Château Royal, Marché Public 440

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What’s new on the Winnipeg restaurant scene for winter 2019

By: Mike Green // January 11, 2019 //
For more Peg City Grub visit us >

Mike McCallum and Brock Coutts at Patent 5 Distillery (Tyler Walsh for PCG)

We hope your New Year’s resolutions included frequent fits of fried fowl, bushels of bao, new locations from local favourites and a brand-new distillery – because that’s what’s in store for us this winter (along with all manner of alliteration).

So without further ado, let’s jump right into just a few things that have opened, or are about to open, for all you food enthusiasts* for 2019.

Patent 5 Distillery

In just over one month we’ll be able to sip brand new locally distilled spirits from Patent 5 Distillery, located right in the heart of the Exchange at 108 Alexander Avenue. Owner Brock Coutts, who is an accountant, along with his business partners Mike McCallum and Mike Borgford, have done some incredible work with the space, which brings you right back to 1908.

All the oak in the room was reclaimed from the St. Regis Hotel (having been meticulously extracted), including a beautiful stained-glass door that leads to the distilling room, along with the backbar, which runs the length of the room. They’ve filled the space with antique chairs and four top tables (it is licensed for 35 patrons), while they’ll be opening with their own Patent 5 vodka and gin – the latter of which utilizes vapour infused botanicals (as opposed to steeping), which makes for a superior gin.

They plan to be open by mid-February, with a cocktail program created by Brendan O’Shaughnessy (whose background includes Shed 5 in Wellington, NZ, and Cuchillo in Vancouver, to name but a few) utilizing bitters made from local Manitoba products like sour cherries and rhubarb, which Coutts’ wife Dinah Santos has created. They will also be doing a whisky in the future (they are distilling it currently; it just needs to be barreled and aged), while you’ll be able to buy their vodka and gin soon at Manitoba Liquor Marts.

The distillery is green – the only water being wasted is for cleaning, the rest is repurposed for distilling, while the heating used in the distilling process will be recaptured to heat the room. Even the leftover mash from the distilling process (they are using Manitoban stone-grounded wheat and some barley) is being picked up by a hog farmer to feed his pigs.

Anyway, they have so many cool things going on here that we’ll have a feature-length story on Patent 5 to help celebrate their grand opening come February.

On and around Sherbrook Street

Street Delicatessen (102 Sherbrook Street) fans will not have to mourn its loss for long. Having closed its doors on September 29, 2018, regulars quickly bemoaned how they would no longer be able to get that super tender smoked meat. Fast forward to the present, owner Noel Bernier (whose restaurant empire includes the Salisbury House franchise) has decided to re-open it with a tighter menu, which still includes the Winnipeg smoked meat and other favourites like the pickled beef tongue, those excellent chips and dip, and a new vegan sandwich. The deli will now be run by Bernier’s son Riley, along with his partner Juliana Roberta.

 

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We are excited to announce that 2019 will be bringing us a new home! It is a bittersweet feeling to leave a space that we, and more importantly all of you, have put so much love into. It is and will forever be our sweet Khao House 💞 Over the past 2+ years we have made Khao House a home, and we are truly grateful to believe we will build that again, together. 🙏✨💫 We will be moving into our new space @thegoodwill full time in the new year, and we couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to grow and evolve, and meet more of you beautiful people. Our last day at the house will be New Year’s Eve 🍾🎉 (details asap) We would love to see you all this month to love and appreciate this old house, and to appreciate all of you who made it something we will cherish forever. We cannot wait to see the possibilities this new adventure will bring! 🙌🏼❤️ ***Please note we will be closed Sundays and Mondays @khaohouserestaurant for the remainder of the year to give ourselves some extra time to move 🙏 NYE DETAILS COMING SOON 🍾🎇🎉🥂🎆🔥💫

A post shared by Khao (@khaorestaurant) on Dec 5, 2018 at 10:37am PST

Just up the street from the deli was where Khao House – that lovely little Asian comfort food restaurant run by the equally lovely chef couple of Randy Khounnoraj and Korene McCaig – used to be. The last service in their original house was on New Year’s Eve, while as of January 2 they’ve made a permeant move within the Good Will Social Club (625 Portage Avenue; essentially just up the street from their old location). It’s a great choice, as there is now more space to savour their kalapao (steamed buns) and shoyu and spicy miso ramens (open Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; 3 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays), which you can wash down with a fine selection of Asian beers.

Bird’s the word

Another new culinary addition to Sherbrook Street is Magic Bird, a new fried chicken concept found within the Handsome Daughter (61 Sherbrook Street). Since November they have been serving up all manner of bird, including straightforward country style and spicy Nashville-style (all using dark meat), along with chicken strips and lavishly sauced weekly feature fried chicken sandwiches that are really quite glorious. (Our staff pick thus far is the honey butter fried chicken, which you should get with curly fries for that added nostalgia). You can read the full three-and-a-half star review here from Winnipeg Free Press reviewer Alison Gilmore.

 

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Last call for The Reubenator! New sandwich feature is dropping soon. The Classic and The Cheese Wizard always available, come by tonight and tell us which ‘wiches you want!

A post shared by Magic Bird Fried Chicken (@magicbirdfriedchicken) on Jan 3, 2019 at 2:17pm PST

If that isn’t enough enticement for you dirty bird fans, be sure to mark you calendars for Fried Chicken Fest (January 20-27). This week-long food festival gives diners a chance to try and vote for their favourite fried chicken renditions, with participating restaurants including ERA Bistro, Underdogs, The Tallest Poppy, St. James Burger & Chip Co., Nikos Restaurant, Loft 180 at McPhilips Station Casino, Toukie’s Lounge in Club Regent Casino, Little Goat Food & Drink, Summit Café, and of course, the aforementioned Magic Bird.

More details can be found here.

New locations from local favourites

Chef Ed Lam and the crew from Yujiro (1822 Grant Avenue), arguably Winnipeg’s best Japanese restaurant, added a second restaurant to their roster in late 2018. Gaijin Izakaya (Units 2 – 1575 Regent Avenue) just opened on December 13 and already the place has been receiving rave reviews for chef Lam’s take on izakaya staples (Japanese small plates meant to accompany drinking). Like Yujiro’s lunch menu, there are plenty of ramen options – only here ramen is served all-day (and you can even get it as takeout) – while the menu is studded with yakitori, sashimi and robatayaki-style dishes. There are also some pretty out-there fusion dishes, like spicy beef tartare served with crostini dressed with miso garlic butter, and the Gaijin nachos, which features miso salsa, spicy beef, mozzarella cheese, nori, basil, and spicy sauce. Pretty much everything chef Lam does is money, and Gaijin (which is slang for foreigner in Japanese, which Lam, being a guy from China who specializes in Japanese cooking, is) is no exception.

 

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More amazing pics from @thetastytidbits! And here’s the review: ・・・ 🔥Your New Favourite Spot 🔥You need to check out @gaijinizakaya on Regent! This place is incredible! I recently went in on Saturday night with @vilaifortunecookie to check things out. The minute you walk on you are welcomed by the warm and outgoing staff! They welcome you by yelling “welcome” in Japanese across the restaurant. You instantly feel excited to be there. The restaurant is a gorgeous open concept with communal style tables in the middle, encouraging you to engage with others. The restaurant is a Japanese style sake bar with upbeat music and incredible share plates. This is the kind of place you should go with friends and expect to stay awhile! . . 🥢The food is @ecklam‘s take on Japanese tapas plates. Serving up small delicious share plates. Go with a group and order a few different things to try. That’s the best way to do it!! Also serving up ALL DAY RAMEN & take out Ramen!! . . . 🍺 Serving up a variety of sake, cocktails and Japanese beers. P.s they have 2L Asahi beer canisters!!!! . . ⭐️My favourites were⭐️ 1️⃣ Satay Beef 2️⃣ Eggplant 3️⃣ Kimchi Ramen 🍜

A post shared by GaiJin Izakaya (@gaijinizakaya) on Dec 18, 2018 at 12:37pm PST

Another Winnipeg staple that has expanded operations is Dancing Noodle, which now has a second location at 7-741 St. Mary Road. Here, chef/owner/noodle-puller extraordinaire Xiaofei Zuo has added a few sushi rolls and baos to the menu, while you can still get his most-excellent hand-pulled noodles (available from angel hair thin to flat and thick) in his rave-worthy Lanzhou beef noodle soup. Zuo, who is from Tianjin, China, is a real student of the game (after culinary school in Winnipeg he moved to Lanzhou to learn his noodle-making craft), so rest assured that his pork baozi at this new location will be legit.

 

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visit our second location and try those delicious Chinese “baozi” out, big order mentioned ahead please:)

A post shared by Dancing Noodle (@dancing_noodle) on Jan 10, 2019 at 11:35am PST

*Our New Year’s resolution is to never use the word “foodie” again. As well, while we are at it, “appies” really needs to go too.

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6 of Winnipeg’s best breakout rooms

By: Meetings Winnipeg Click here for more of our blog posts >

When you need to get some serious brainstorming done, these venues are sure to help inspire

By: Meetings Winnipeg // September 11, 2018 // Meeting Accommodations, Meeting Planning

With meeting rooms, much like real estate, it’s all about location,location, location. The right venue can help set the tone for a productive session, and access to the amenities and equipment you need can help elevate your meeting. Comfort, style, and convenience are all factors to consider when selecting the best breakout rooms.

Winnipeg has an abundance of modern and trendy breakout rooms that are ready to host small groups, and we’ve picked six from among our favourites that are ready to welcome your next meeting.

ALT Hotel

The bright colours in the ALT Hotel make for a great venue for creative inspiration, as well as a picturesque locale to take some photos of your team hard at work. With room capacity anywhere between nine to 120, each of their breakout areas continues the colour theme with bright accent walls, all of which can accommodate different seating configurations. With whiteboards and projectors ready in each room, ALT’s meeting spaces are sure to leave an impact with your team.

The boardroom at the CMHR (Lindsay Winter)

Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR)

One of the most iconic structures in Winnipeg (and anywhere in the world), the CMHR’s meeting spaces are just as memorable. With a wide array of meeting spaces that can accommodate up to 1,200 individuals, meeting spaces at the museum can be tailored towards a wide variety of seating and table arrangements. As anyone who has experienced the museum’s breathtaking interior architecture will tell you, these rooms can be a source of inspiration.

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Are you ready for this work week? We sure are 😉 . . . . #meetmeattheforks #onlyinthepeg #InnWPG #narcitywinnipeg #ahotellife #hotellife #allthingswinnipeg #luxury #lifestyle #boutique #vacation #holiday #tourism #trip #wanderlust #besthotels #boutiquehotel #luxurytraveller #traveler #hotel #travelgram #instatravel #travelgram #igdaily @beautifulhotels @hotels ​

A post shared by Inn at the Forks (@innattheforks) on Sep 4, 2018 at 10:00am PDT

Inn at the Forks

With its sleek, contemporary setting at one of the city’s trendiest hotspots, the Inn at the Forks has several rooms available for your next meeting. The hotel’s salons are perfect for small meetings, with access to an outdoor terrace and lots of natural lighting, while the Waterfront Parlor features a live-edge hardwood table and private reception space – perfect for smaller groups for a day’s workshopping.

Manitoba Museum

If you’re looking for unique meeting venues, the Manitoba Museum’s meeting spaces offer a one-of-a-kind experience. More traditional boardrooms and meeting rooms are ready to welcome small groups, alongside spaces like the Science Gallery – a truly interactive experience which is great for team-building activities. Larger groups may even consider booking the Planetarium Theatre, for a presentation under the stars.

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Friday nights head up to the WAG rooftop bar (5-9pm) before you check out Summer with the Impressionists 🎨☁️ Only a few more weeks to enjoy works by key Impressionist artists and enjoy a bevy while taking in the Winnipeg skyline – don’t miss this last little piece of summer☀️ #wagimpress video courtesy of @tourismwinnipeg #onlyinthepeg

A post shared by Winnipeg Art Gallery (@wag_ca) on Aug 16, 2018 at 8:58am PDT

Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG)

Creative spaces inspire creative discussions, and the WAG is a gold standard in this regard. Their meeting rooms are just beside galleries and other exhibits, as well as a fully-equipped auditorium for larger gatherings. For larger groups, an outside penthouse on the roof of the WAG features an outdoor sculpture garden, with unique cityscape views of Winnipeg’s downtown.

Fairmont Winnipeg

With a central location and emphasis on stylish comfort, the Fairmont’s breakout rooms are ready to accommodate multiple brainstorming sessions simultaneously. Located on the hotel’s mezzanine level, all seven rooms can accommodate small groups with their modern design. Located steps away from the heart of Winnipeg’s downtown, this meeting space is a great central location for your next event.

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Group Pursuits

Whether groups are looking to leave a positive mark on Waterloo Region, or looking for spaces that are working to lessen their environmental footprint, venues in Waterloo Region provide opportunities to incorporate Corporate Social Responsibility and green initiatives into meetings and events.

The Hacienda Sarria

The Hacienda Sarria’s Market Garden is a 1.5-acre teaching garden that grows over 10,000 pounds of produce each year. It was formed as a community partnership with The Working Centre – a local non-profit organization that began in response to poverty and unemployment in downtown Kitchener. Get your hands dirty – literally! – while volunteering to help in the production of fresh, local food and environmental stewardship.

Waterloo Region Museum

The Waterloo Region Museum has received the Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating. The museum incorporated recycled building materials, locally sourced and manufactured materials, and many green features, such as rainwater reclamation, into its design. Among its CSR initiatives, the Waterloo Region Museum offers its venue at a low cost for non-profit organizations.

Delta Waterloo

Delta Waterloo takes the used soaps and shampoos from their guest rooms and donates them to a Mennonite Church located in Wellesley, ON. Here, they are processed and then shipped to global aid agencies for distribution to people affected by poverty and humanitarian crises.

The Delta Waterloo also aims to divert everything away from the landfill. Along with traditional recycling, compost bins are used in the servery of their banquet facilities. Organic material from their restaurant is taken to a facility outside of Arthur, ON, to be turned into soil. Even items such as sternos used on buffet tables are collected separately and recycled.

The Walper Hotel

The Walper Hotel has made a conscious decision to shop local, and support local artisans and environmental initiatives. They use locally-sourced room soaps (Buck Naked Soap Company, Cambridge) and coffee (Smile Tiger Coffee, Kitchener), and have switched to mini shampoo bottles for bigger dispenser units to reduce plastic waste going to the landfill.

Bingemans Conference Centre

Bingemans offers four electrical car charging stations in their parking lots. CSR initiatives include donating thousands of passes to their waterpark and FunworX to local schools and charities yearly. Bingemans was also a participant in a pilot project called Food Not Waste, which diverted unused food from food establishments to people in need in the community.

For more unique team building experiences in Waterloo Region, visit www.explorewaterlooregion.com/directory/team-building

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Genuine Farm-to-Table

Food defines all cultures, and all regions. In Waterloo Region, it’s possible to meet our producers, see where their produce is grown, and savour those ingredients in dishes prepared by restaurants all in the same day. It’s part of our diverse and growing food scene. It’s a true farm to-table culture, one in which our cities and towns are located within minutes of some of the best agricultural land in Ontario.

Farm-to-Table Experiences

Chefs and restaurants in Waterloo Region value the relationships they have developed with our local producers, and look forward to sharing the flavourful results of these partnerships with the groups who visit their establishments. Several local restaurants are part of Feast On, a movement for restaurants who believe local food matters.

This truly local farm-to-table experience also extends to craft beverages. Our craft brewers and distillers have created signature Waterloo Region beverages that focus on sourcing local ingredients. From local craft beers, to locally crafted gin and moonshine, Waterloo Region has a lot to raise its glass to! Tours and tastings can be arranged for groups wanting to experience this craft revolution first-hand.

Locally Sourced Products

Take-home treats for those wanting to share a taste of Waterloo Region are also available. Choose from complete gift baskets to small sample sizes that are perfect options for delegate gifting.

For restaurant recommendations, private dining options, progressive dinners, craft tours/tastings, and ideas on locally sourced products that are sure to please, contact Jennifer Eddings.

To learn more about how Explore Waterloo Region can make your meeting memorable, visit www.explorewaterlooregion.com/meetings