Sessions Overview

Begin your day by picking up your badge and settling into the community vibe. Grab a coffee, sip a mocktail, browse the experience and start swapping stories with fellow attendees as the aroma of excitement fills the air.

The Cannabis Hospitality Summit begins by grounding the day in research, global perspective, and the evolving role of cannabis within tourism and hospitality.

Dr. Susan Dupej, scholar, researcher, and cannabis tourism subject matter expert from the University of Guelph, will open the summit with a keynote exploring how cannabis tourism is emerging as a meaningful contributor to economic development, community building, and sustainable travel experiences.

Drawing from academic research and international frameworks, this presentation will connect cannabis hospitality to broader tourism trends, highlighting opportunities for Canada to lead in experience-driven, responsible, and culturally rooted models.

The session will begin with welcome remarks from Kaylz Szanto, setting the tone for a day focused on connection, collaboration, and the future of cannabis-friendly spaces.

Long before legalization, cannabis culture was built through grassroots lounges, art spaces, and community gatherings that created safe, welcoming environments for connection and expression. This opening session honors the pioneers, artists, and activists who shaped those early spaces and laid the foundation for today’s cannabis hospitality landscape.

Through personal stories and lived experience, panelists will reflect on the evolution from underground to regulated environments, exploring how that same spirit of inclusion, creativity, and community continues to influence modern spaces. The conversation will also look at how to preserve these cultural roots while navigating today’s regulatory frameworks and opportunities.

Key Discussion Areas

• The origins of cannabis hospitality in pre-legalization spaces
• The role of lounges, cafés, and creative hubs in building community
• Transitioning from legacy to legal environments
• Preserving culture and authenticity within regulated frameworks
• The future of cannabis-friendly spaces and experiences

Start the day with a guided networking session designed to spark real conversations across the cannabis hospitality ecosystem. This interactive Q&A brings together speakers, operators, retailers, and producers in an open format where attendees can ask questions, share insights, and engage directly with the room.

With a focus on connection and collaboration, this session creates space to explore topics like farmgate, tourism, retail, and evolving regulations — all driven by the audience.

Key Discussion Areas

• Open Q&A with speakers and industry leaders
• Farmgate and cannabis tourism opportunities
• Regulatory challenges and real-world insights
• Collaboration across regions and sectors

As cannabis becomes more visible in social and hospitality settings, operators are navigating a new landscape of responsibility, regulation, and risk. This extended session brings together policy-makers, event producers, and insurance experts to explore what it actually takes to operate cannabis-inclusive spaces safely and successfully.

With increasing momentum in British Columbia to evolve regulations — including aligning more closely with jurisdictions like Alberta — this conversation will examine the real barriers and opportunities shaping the future of cannabis events and shared spaces.

This session will include a featured operator case study from Seed & Stone Cannabis, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the execution of large-scale activations, including the Rifflandia consumption lounge and delivery program. This segment will highlight real-world insights into compliance, liability, insurance, and operational logistics.

Key Discussion Areas:
• Creating safe, responsible environments where cannabis and alcohol can coexist
• Staff training, duty of care, and evolving service standards
• Insurance requirements for cannabis events and consumption spaces
• Liability risks and how operators can mitigate them
• Regulatory gaps and opportunities in BC
• Real-world execution: what it actually takes to run compliant cannabis experiences

Presented virtually in partnership with the Canadian Cannabis Tourism Alliance (CCTA)

As cannabis tourism continues to evolve globally, this session brings together industry leaders to explore emerging trends, international opportunities, and the policies shaping the future of cannabis travel.

From local roots to global destinations, this conversation will highlight how different regions are approaching cannabis tourism, what’s working, and where the biggest opportunities lie for Canada on the world stage.

Powered by So You Think You Can Cook with Cannabis.

Cannabis and culinary culture share a natural connection, inspiring new ways to create social and sensory experiences around flavour, aroma, and hospitality. This session explores how chefs, mixologists, and event creators are designing cannabis-friendly pairings — from terpene-inspired mocktails to thoughtfully curated food experiences — while working within today’s regulatory landscape.

The conversation will highlight emerging trends in cannabis-adjacent dining and tasting concepts, followed by a live demonstration showing how these pairings can come to life.

Format: 30-minute conversation + 15-minute live demo by Chef Dani.

These aren’t your average coffee breaks.

With strict regulations limiting sampling and advertising, Canadian cannabis brands and retailers are rethinking how to connect with consumers. This session explores creative, compliant strategies — from pop-ups and in-store activations to cultural partnerships — that build trust, loyalty, and brand identity without relying on consumption.

Panelists will also examine the growing role of data and loyalty programs, and how businesses can create meaningful, personalized experiences while respecting customer privacy in a highly regulated environment.

Key Discussion Areas

• Creative engagement strategies without sampling
• Pop-ups, retail activations, and experiential marketing
• Building brand loyalty in a restricted environment
• The role of data, CRM, and loyalty programs
• Balancing personalization with privacy and compliance
• Cultural partnerships and community-driven marketing

British Columbia’s cannabis reputation has long been rooted in its distinct growing regions — from the Kootenays and Vancouver Island to the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Valley. Each region offers unique climates, cultivation practices, and terpene profiles that shape the character of the plant and the stories behind it.

As farmgate retail begins to emerge in Canada, a new opportunity is taking shape — one that connects consumers directly to cultivators, allowing visitors to experience cannabis at its source. Much like wine regions, BC has the potential to evolve into a destination where people can meet producers, explore regional differences, and engage with cannabis through place-based experiences.

This panel explores the concept of cannabis terroir, the role of farmgate in building authentic connections between producers and consumers, and how regional identity can be leveraged to support tourism, education, and economic growth. From policy to storytelling, we’ll discuss how initiatives like Buy BC and farmgate licensing can help position cannabis alongside other celebrated agricultural industries in the province.

Key Discussion Areas

• What defines cannabis terroir in British Columbia?
• The role of farmgate retail in shaping cannabis tourism experiences
• Regional identity: from legacy markets to licensed producers
• Creating destination-based cannabis experiences (tours, tastings, on-site engagement)
• Policy and regulatory considerations for farmgate and direct-to-consumer models
• Opportunities to align cannabis with BC’s broader agri-tourism and “Buy BC” initiatives
• How storytelling and branding can elevate regional cannabis on a global stage

From yoga classes and art retreats to farm tours and culinary pairings, cannabis tourism is evolving into a dynamic blend of wellness, culture, and community. This session explores how these experiences are thoughtfully designed, and what the cannabis industry can learn from established food and wine tourism models.

Panelists will discuss how experience-driven hospitality can support local economies, promote responsible consumption, and shape the future of cannabis tourism in Canada. The conversation will also touch on tourism initiatives, harm-reduction strategies, and the opportunity for Canada to emerge as a global leader in cannabis experiences.

Key Discussion Areas

• The evolution of cannabis tourism beyond retail
• Designing wellness, cultural, and experiential offerings
• Lessons from food, wine, and agri-tourism models
• Supporting local economies through destination experiences
• Harm reduction and responsible consumption in tourism
• Positioning Canada as a global leader in cannabis hospitality

Music. Networking. 4:20. 

Offsite afterparty -INVITE ONLY 4:20PM – LATE