Our HOST HOTEL is the Pomeroy Hotel & Conference Centre!
To book with special rates for conference attendees,
please click the link below:
Growing the North
Growing the North is an annual economic development conference organized and hosted by a group of partners including the Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, City of Grande Prairie, County of Grande Prairie, Municipal District of Greenview, Community Futures Grande Prairie & Region, Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Association, Innovate Northwest, Farm Credit Canada, Northwestern Polytechnic, and Grande Prairie Friendship Centre.
Since its inception in 2010, Growing the North has been helping elected officials and entrepreneurs explore economic development opportunities and examine innovation in our region. Growing the North offers attendees valuable information on a variety of issues; a mix of informative speakers covering various topics; and a platform for networking with municipal leaders and businesspeople from many communities throughout northwestern Alberta and beyond. Today's connections are tomorrow's opportunities!
Growing the North supports the Dan Pearcy Student Award Fund through the Northwestern Alberta Foundation, providing a student award to a resident of Northwestern Alberta enrolled in a post-secondary health studies program, with preference given to those attending institutions in Northern Alberta. For more information on the fund, email support@nafgives.com.
CONFERENCE VENUE
Growing the North takes place at Evergreen Park in the County of Grande Prairie. The TARA Centre is the park's convention and exhibition facility. The conference uses Halls B, C and D for the Main Meeting area, daily lunch buffet and networking break snacks. The Grand Hallway plays host to our Tuesday opening mixer and provides access to the meeting rooms for our breakout sessions. The foyer is used for registration and the Taste of the Peace Local Market. For more information including directions please visit www.evergreenpark.ca.
Taste of the Peace Local Market
UPDATE: BOOTH FEES NOW COVERED!
Thanks to our amazing sponsor, Taste of the Peace Market is presented by Farm Credit Canada.
Growing the North 2026 is seeking vendors to participate in the Taste of the Peace Local Market, a new feature of this year’s conference.
The market will be located in the main foyer of the TARA Centre at Evergreen Park, the host venue for the conference, offering strong visibility to delegates and attendees throughout the event. The annual McGovern’s RV and Marine Show and Sale will take place at the same time, creating additional foot traffic within the venue.
We are looking for regionally produced food, beverages, and hand-crafted products that showcase the diversity and quality of items made in the Peace Region and are available for sale during the conference.
Market dates and times:
Tuesday, February 17, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Wednesday, February 18, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday, February 19, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Booth details:
10 ft by 10 ft booth
Booth space is free thanks to the support of Farm Credit Canada
Up to two vendors may share booths
Limited to 13 booths to ensure a variety of Peace Region products
Thanks to Farm Credit Canada, we can offer the 10' x 10' booth free of charge. Interested vendors must complete the application form for consideration by the host committee. Applications are due by January 25.
Get our official event app,
Get the most out of the app and have a more productive experience!
1
NAVIGATE the event agenda and logistics, even without Wi-Fi or data. Access useful information like ridesharing and local attractions through the Community Board
2
NETWORK effectively. Plan whom to meet by exploring attendee profiles and sending out messages
3
PARTICIPATE in event activities through session likes, comments, ratings, live polling, tweeting, and more
Economic Developers Alberta is offering three courses of interest on Friday, February 20 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Evergreen Park following the conference:
Economic Development for Elected Officials (EO) – Registration Link
Fundamentals of Rural Economic Development (RED) – Registration Link
Mental Well-Being for Community Leaders(MW) – Registration Link
Or you can register by going to EDA Events Page.