Nov 27, 2018

The 2018 Boating BC Conference presented by Mercury Marine was a fantastic success. With record attendance, industry members enjoyed a day and a half of learning, networking and inspiration.
 
“This year’s conference was a tremendous success,” said Don Prittie, President of Boating BC. “We were all but sold out and had extraordinary support from our sponsors and volunteers. Every year this event gets bigger and better – and every year you can feel the industry get a little bit stronger as a result.”
 
Industry reports and a keynote presentation by Antoine LeJeune of Wells Fargo confirmed that the recreational boating industry in BC continues to be strong. Craig Woods from the province’s Industry Training Authority emphasized the need for industry to engage and support apprenticeship training programs to ensure those programs are meeting industry’s needs, and federal government officials shared updates on two initiatives of the Oceans Protection Plan; the National Strategy on Abandoned & Wrecked Vessels and the Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery Program.
 
Delegates had tangible takeaways to help manage their teams and how to maintain their own health as a competitive advantage in business. The conference ended on an inspirational note with industry expert Sam Dantzler’s informative and entertaining insights on how to sell the boating experience.
 
“The theme for this year’s conference was Collectively,” said Lisa Geddes, Executive Director at Boating BC. “We wanted to celebrate the strength of our community and the many ways that we work together.”
 
And work together they did as the event raised $8,160 through the silent auction and 50/50 draw. Funds go the Glenn Spartz Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to students enrolled in the Marine Mechanical Technician Apprenticeship Program.
 
The conference saw no shortage of fun and camaraderie, a hallmark of this annual event, as delegates got caught up at the Navis Marine Insurance Industry Reception and enjoyed a unique evening of percussions and entertainment where everyone, led by the Drum Café, got to drum in unison as one collective experience.
 
Boating BC would  like to thank everyone who attended this year’s event and all of their sponsors and volunteers whose generosity and commitment to the industry were critical in making this year’s conference such a great success. Mark you calendars – the 2019 Boating BC Conference will be held on November 26 & 27, 2019!