Unlock the Secrets to Success
SPARK 2025 Program
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5TH
8:00am - 9:00am
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Delegates are encouraged to check in early, grab breakfast, and network with sponsors, other delegates, and speakers.
9:00am - 10:00am
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speaker: Jeff Guignard (ABLE BC)
Welcome to the 2025 SPARK: Liquor & Cannabis Conference!
Jeff Guignard, Executive Director of ABLE BC, will kick off the day with an in-depth look at the state of the liquor & cannabis industry, the biggest hurdles of 2025, and what ABLE BC is doing to fight for your business' needs.
Find out how to tackle US tariff impacts, economic challenges, and regulatory roadblocks. Join the conversation on interprovincial trade and licensee-to-licensee sales. Learn how provincial and federal leaders are working on the biggest issues impacting hospitality and retail businesses.
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speakers: Jeff Guignard (ABLE BC), David Hume (LCRB)
Join Jeff Guignard, Executive Director of the Alliance of Beverage Licensees, and David Hume, General Manager of the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch for a fireside chat about recent innovations from the LCRB.
Jeff and David will discuss the evolving needs of licensees, how the LCRB is modernizing now, and plans for the future.
Sponsored by Thrive Liquor & Cannabis Advisors
10:00am - 10:30am
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Take a break, grab some coffee, and connect with conference delegates, speakers, and sponsors.
10:30am - 11:00am
11:00am - 11:30am
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speakers: Renu Bains (LDB), David Ledderhof (LDB)
Gain valuable insights into LDB liquor sales data, featuring an in-depth look at liquor category trends, absolute alcohol consumption, and the socio-economic factors that influence alcohol purchasing behavior.
Renu and David will explore the key drivers behind LDB Wholesale purchases—focusing on market trends, category performance, and economic influences such as population growth—to help you make well-informed purchasing decisions for your bar, pub, or private liquor store
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Location: Pavilion AB
Speakers: Bo Chen (ABLE BC), Danielle Naylor (LCRB), Feven Berhane (Kush Klub)
Explore the history of Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) cannabis policies and what lessons can be learned after seven years of legalization. Draw key insights for your business operations and join in on building the future of cannabis policy.
This session will feature an informative panel discussion with senior leaders at the LCRB, ABLE BC's Cannabis Advisory Chair Feven Berhane. Dive into current policies, how we got to where we are now, and how modernizing policies can drive growth for the future.
11:30am - 12:00pm
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speakers: Lorne Folick (Dolden Wallace Folick LLP), Jeff Guignard (ABLE BC), Drew Woytko (WFG)
Sponsored by Western Financial Group
12:00pm - 1:15pm
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speaker: Mike Skrypnek (Grow Get Give Coaching)
Mike Skrypnek, an executive leadership expert helps entrepreneurs & industry leaders find their happiness, calm, and love so they can share their wisdom & wealth to amplify entrepreneurial success. In his keynote session, Mike will uncover the shortcomings of traditional emotional intelligence training.
Becoming a high performing leader at the helm of an organization, workplace team, or community requires an “x” factor beyond just IQ and EQ. Mike shares insights on what creates gaps in our leadership, as a result of what happened to us, and how those experiences remain “happening with us” until we make important connections that help elevate our performance. Audience members will take away simple strategies and tactics to help build resilience through self-care.
1:15pm - 2:15pm
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speakers: Arun Subramanian (go2HR), Pierre Bourbonnais (SuperHR), Ryan Anderson (Mathews Dinsdale)
Join industry leaders and HR professionals for an engaging panel discussion on the rapidly changing workplace. This session will explore key trends and challenges facing hospitality and retail employers today, including evolving workforce demographics, the rise of automation, and an evolving legal landscape.
Learn how workforce issues including unionization, immigration changes, and economic impacts like US tariffs require up-to-date workplace policies and procedures.
Gain practical strategies for managing change, proactive planning, effective communication, and comprehensive training programs.
2:15pm - 3:00pm
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speakers: Jim Taylor (Benchmark Sixty), Crystal Hamilton (Knowbie)
Learn how you can level up your business, whether liquor retail, hospitality, or cannabis retail, by utilizing technology and data.
Our panellists will discuss how you can streamline operations with the right technology solutions for you, monitor your tech ROI, and see your sales soar.
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Location: Breakout room 1
Speakers: LDB Cannabis Wholesale Category Managers, Walker Patton (Woody Nelson), Marc Ross (SweetJustice), Chris Still (Rubicon), Maria Guest (PureSunfarms), Feven Berhane (KushKlub)
Dive into exclusive sales data & trends information from all LDB cannabis categories: flower, pre-rolls, edibles, vapes, and beverages.
Learn how LDB category managers and industry brands use sales data and their insightful perspectives on category trends. Gain access to critical information that will help you elevate your business and stay ahead of the curve.
Sponsored by Rubicon Organics & Pure SunFarms
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Location: Orca Room
Speaker: Erin O’Byrne (Workplace Mental Health & Psychological Safety Consultant)
We know stress levels of our teams and our customers continue to rise. Now more than ever it is important we prioritize mental health in our workplaces. What is an employer’s role to support mental health at work? Join go2HR for this quick, informative and practical session. Walk away with tools you can bring to your teams and apply right away. And as a bonus you will hear about other industry resources available at no cost to your workplace. See you there!
Sponsored by go2HR
3:00pm - 3:30pm
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speaker: Jim Taylor (Benchmark Sixty)
Jim Taylor, a hospitality veteran with more than two decades of experience, brings his expertise to SPARK. Jim helps owners better understand their business model, optimize productivity, and turn data into profit.
It's time to change the way that bars and restaurants look at and measure employee workload and productivity in order to improve the hospitality industry, margins, and retention rates. His encouragement for leaders to “see things differently” has been instrumental in the strategy and execution of several successful businesses.
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Location: Pavilion AB
Speakers: Blake Smiley (WFG), Drew Woytko (WFG)
Learn about Western Financial Group’s new services, exclusive to ABLE BC cannabis members!
WFG now has specialized products with tailored coverage and competitive rates for the private cannabis retail industry.
You can work with experienced and industry-specific advisors who will help you with customized business insurance, personal insurance, and health & life insurance services.
3:30pm - 3:45pm
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Take a break, grab some coffee, and connect with conference delegates, speakers, and sponsors.
3:45pm - 4:30pm
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Location: Pavilion CD
Speakers: Rupi Gill (LCRB), Maria Caduhada (LCRB)
Hear directly from LCRB officials about how to prevent enforcement actions, best practices for compliance, and how to build a due diligence defense that works.
Rupi and Maria will cover public safety compliance trends, administrative compliance trends, and more.
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Location: Pavilion AB
Speakers: Alannah David (Dabble Cannabis), Paul Kamon (West Coast Weedery), Connor McNamee (West Blvd Cannabis), Jorah Porteous (Amsterdam Cafe), Colin Bambury (THC Canada)
Discover tourism best practices and effective innovation from established industries.
Fast-track your canna tourism activations by learning the do’s and don’t’s from an expert panel of hospitality professionals. See how you can customize proven tourism and hospitality experiences for cannabis businesses.
Paul Kamon joins this panel discussion to bring his passion for cannabis and decades of expertise in destination tourism and hospitality to the stage. Paul served as marketing director, executive director and destination development director for Sunshine Coast Tourism over 13 years, was the lead tourism consultant for the award-winning BC Ale Trail, and also the co-founder of the annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week festival.
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Location: Orca Room
Speakers: Riel Roussopoulos (Breadstack eCommerce), Shahbaaz Kara (Greenline POS), Gary Hehar (Local Cannabis), Dennis Park (Craft Greenery), Luke O’Hare (Muse Cannabis), Fernada Soldera (Water Street Cannabis)
Learn about cannabis retail best practices from fellow store owners and industry experts. This lively panel will discuss the pros and cons of different retail models, common challenges and how to overcome them, and highlight innovative tools and resources now available to cannabis retailers.
You’ll hear different perspectives on markets trends, product offerings, and how best to reach your customers.
Sponsored by Breadstack & Greenline
4:30pm - 5:15pm
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Location: Pavilion AB
Speakers: Jeff Guignard (ABLE BC), Community Safety Unit, Stacey Duffy (All Nations), Orville Bovenschen (PureSunFarms), Lindsay Skwarok (Cannabis Secretariat)
Join a lively discussion between the Cannabis Secretariat, Community Safety Unit, and industry stakeholders on the challenges between the licensed & unlicensed cannabis market.
6:30pm - 9:30pm
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Location: Rocky Mountaineer Station, 1755 Cottrell St, Vancouver
After a day of learning at SPARK 2025, join us at the iconic Rocky Mountaineer Station for an unforgettable evening of connection and celebration!
This special joint reception brings together colleagues, friends, and industry professionals from SPARK and the BC Tourism Industry Conference, offering a unique opportunity to make new connections and share insights across sectors.
Enjoy great food and drinks from local producers in a stunning venue as we toast to the future of BC’s tourism, hospitality, and retail sectors.
You won't want to miss this chance to mix, mingle, and SPARK new opportunities!
Buses will take conference delegates from the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre to Rocky Mountaineer Station from 5:15pm to 5:45pm.
Why Attend SPARK?
Get face-time with representatives from the Liquor & Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB), Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB), provincial & municipal government officials, and ABLE BC’s trusted industry partners and benefit providers.
One of a Kind Speakers
David Hume, Liquor & Cannabis Regulation Branch General Manager.
Executives from the Liquor Distribution Branch.
Senior representatives from the Cannabis Secretariat & Community Safety Unit.
Lorne Folick, leading liability insurance expert.
Inspiring thought-leaders on leadership, maximizing profitability, and developing e-commerce.
Leaders from our association partners, including go2HR, TIABC, BCHA, BCRFA, StratCann and more!
Engaging Sessions
Discover ways to optimize your cannabis or liquor retail operations.
Level up your hospitality management team with industry-specific HR training.
Get ahead of the curve with exclusive industry data & consumer trends.
Have a say in the future of BC’s liquor & cannabis policy & regulation.
Tackle issues like host liability, the illicit market, crime & public safety, recruitment & retention, reducing regulatory red tape, and more!
The Fun Stuff
Interactive breakout sessions let you connect with industry experts and walk away with concrete tools & solutions for your business.
Network with colleagues while sampling the best new liquor & cannabis products at our joint reception with the BC Tourism Industry Conference.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast & lunch in beautiful Downtown Vancouver.
Make lasting connections with new colleagues, speakers, vendors, suppliers, & benefit providers.
All industry members & stakeholders welcome!
