Chapter Workshop: Dream Big to Transform the Image of a City (Toronto)

Topic: Dream big to transform the image of a city, 17 lessons learned from Ottawa 2017
Speaker: Guy Laflamme, Executive Director and Producer, Ottawa 2017

Guy Laflamme specializes in the creation, production and marketing of cultural, recreational and tourism products, with 25 years’ experience in the field. He is Executive Director and Producer of Ottawa 2017, a not-for-profit organization responsible for the planning and production of Canada’s 150th celebrations in Canada’s Capital. Leading a multidisciplinary team, Mr. Laflamme was the creator and producer of a 40 million dollars year-long celebration, generating a potential direct consumer spending of more than 300 Million dollars and over 11 million participants. The program was composed of over 200 events including performing arts, sporting, social and world first large-scale events as well as legacy projects generating a lasting impact on the Ottawa region. Highlights include the Red Bull Crashed Ice, the Stanley Cup 125th anniversary tribute, the Juno Awards, Kontinuum (a world-first underground multimedia production), La Machine (Monumental street theater), Miwate (Multimedia production as a tribute to Indigenous people), Inspiration Village, Canada’s Table, NHL Heritage Classic, Grey Cup and the Canadian Videogame Awards. He will share his experience planning all these events and the lessons learned through this life transforming human and professional journey. Guy Laflamme was also Professor of Management with the University of Ottawa Telfer School of Management for 25 years and was the 2016 Chair of the International Festivals and Events assosciation. He recently received the Order of Ottawa and a lifetime achievement award from the Travel Industry Association of Ontario and was named the 2017 person of the year in Ottawa\Gatineau by the French CBC and LeDroit daily paper, and was awarded the Trudeau medal by the University and Tourism person of the year by Ottawa Tourism and Tourism Outaouais in early 2000.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be be exposed to the following elements…
How can you crystallize and implement impossible dreams.
How to secure partnerships to finance large scale productions.
How to develop a business plan allowing to secure public and private sector support.
How to transform a commemorative celebration into a rebranding exercise.
How to motivate and inspire team members, volunteers and stakeholders.

Workshop content:
Review of a full year implementation of over 200 major events through videos and dynamic description. Lessons learned will incude…
the importance of proper planning, the right sequence to secure major partners, the critical importance of your security plan, risk management, how to manage multiple concurrent productions and priorities, how to inspire and galvanize staff and partners, how to stretch every dollar in the implementation of your plan.

Registration: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Buffet Lunch: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Workshop: 1:00pm – 2:15pm

Thank you to our Host Venue: