ORHMA's milestone event achieved a 100% positive experience rating among survey respondents, welcomed 10 new Hall of Fame inductees and expanded opportunities for first-time attendees.

The conference opened on October 19 with a networking reception and the induction of 10 distinguished industry leaders into the OHI Hall of Fame, followed by a full day of speakers and sessions focused on the issues directly affecting Ontario's lodging and foodservice sectors.

Bringing together a record-breaking number of operators, industry leaders, and suppliers, the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) marked the milestone fifth anniversary of the Ontario Hospitality Conference (OHC) on October 19 and 20. The feedback speaks for itself. Survey responses received to date indicate that 100% of respondents rated their conference experience positively, 100% would recommend the conference to others, and 98% intend to return next year.

"ORHMA's commitment is to deliver relevant insights, practical information and meaningful connections that help hospitality businesses navigate challenges, identify opportunities and strengthen their operations," said Jason Cheskes, ORHMA Board Member and Chair of Membership and Development, who organizes the conference. "The response to this year's conference demonstrates just how important it is to bring our industry together to discuss the realities operators are facing and provide ideas and information they can take back to their businesses."

What Delegates Are Saying

"Another fantastic conference! It's always great connecting with people in our industry, meeting new faces, and coming away with fresh ideas," said Dharmesh Patel of Infinity Hospitality Group.

"A valuable event that combines learning, networking, and inspiration to help hospitality professionals succeed," said Milena Gvozdić.

"A special thank you to the entire ORHMA team; the conference is excellent and I always leave filled with ideas and excitement," said Tricia Wiseman.

A Program Built for Operators

The 2026 program tackled the most pressing issues facing lodging and foodservice operators, with a central theme: balancing financial discipline with the culture and human elements that define hospitality.

• Industry Trends and the State of Hospitality: Examining changing consumer expectations, industry trends and the operating pressures shaping the future of Ontario's lodging and foodservice sectors.

• Leadership and Productivity: Keynote speaker Dr. Nick Bontis shared practical strategies to improve focus, productivity and leadership effectiveness and the critical impact of face-to-face interactions, especially in the hospitality industry.

• Economic Outlook and Business Resilience: Understanding the impact of inflation, labour and operating costs, and identifying ways operators can adapt pricing, manage margins and strengthen financial performance.

• Social Media and Digital Visibility: Exploring how online reviews, social engagement and AI-powered search are influencing customer decisions, bookings and business visibility.

• Practical Applications of AI: Identifying realistic, affordable ways hospitality businesses can integrate AI into everyday operations, improve efficiency and prepare for emerging opportunities.

• Hospitality Leadership and Workplace Culture: Addressing the challenges of balancing profitability, service expectations, employee/guest engagement and the importance of increased focus on training and development for leaders.

Opening the Door to the Next Generation and Development of Hospitality Leaders

Recognizing the need to attract, train and develop the next generation of hospitality leaders and those currently in leadership roles, ORHMA invested to make the conference more accessible than ever this year by:

• Offering significant discounts to first-time attendees

• Subsidizing an overnight stay between the opening reception and the main conference

• Covering the cost of VIA Rail travel for attendees who would benefit from such support

With the unwavering support of our sponsors and partners, ORHMA remains committed to offering hospitality professionals across the province cost-accessible opportunities to experience the value of attending OHC.

Thanks to Sponsors and Partners

ORHMA extends its sincere thanks to the sponsors, industry partners and speakers whose commitment enhances the programming and keeps the conference accessible to hospitality operators across the province.

As ORHMA reflects on five years of growth and impact, the Association remains focused on ensuring the OHC continues to evolve alongside the industry it serves, offering relevant programming, practical ideas and meaningful opportunities to connect and prepare for what lies ahead.

Media photo note & credit:

ORHMA extends sincere appreciation to Frank Yeo, Owner of Mercury Publications (Eastern/Western Hotelier, Bar & Beverage Magazines) for his ongoing support, providing conference photography, and to photographer Phillip Chin. Event photos can be viewed at https://www.ontariohospitalityconference.com/gallery-2026.

About the Ontario Hospitality Conference

The Ontario Hospitality Conference, presented by the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA), brings together restaurant, hotel and motel operators, industry leaders, experts and suppliers to share knowledge, explore emerging issues and build meaningful industry connections. Learn more at https://www.ontariohospitalityconference.com.

VANCOUVER, BC – October 29, 2026 – The hotel industry’s top leaders sat down at Five Sails, atop Canada Place, to connect at the 2026 Western Canada VIP Hotel Leadership Dinner.

Now in its 14th year, these gatherings are organized by Jason Cheskes of Above the Line Solutions and take place annually in Vancouver and Toronto. The premise is simple: bring senior hotel leaders together in a purely social setting, with no agenda, to strengthen the relationships that hold the industry together.
Emad Yacoub, CEO of Glowbal Restaurant Group, joined the group during cocktails to personally welcome Jason and this prestigious group back to Five Sails. He, and host Jason Cheskes, did this year have a message to deliver; they spoke about a concern that many in the room share: the industry is experiencing a decline in hospitality culture and depth of leadership skills that sets great hotels and restaurants apart. They noted that the warmth, personal connection, instinct and service that guests remember, can’t be produced by spreadsheets or in classrooms or calculated through P&Ls. Such must be taught, modelled and supported as a priority, as many in the room had benefitted from in their own careers.

Over 65 hotel professionals from across the country joined to celebrate the industry, share laughs, enjoy a fantastic meal, strengthen connections with past colleagues and develop new friendships, including leaders from:

Accor, AHLA, Atlific, Best Western, Choice Hotels, Coast, Days Hospitality, Destination BC, Evergreen, Executive, Globex, Hotel Equities, Hotels Canada, Innvest, Listel, Mairet, Marriott, MasterBUILT, Metropolitan Hotels, Northland, Oxford Properties, Pacific Reach, Pemberton Valley Lodge, Pinnacle, Realstar, Silverbirch, Superior Lodging, Synvest Capital and Wyndham.

The evening was made possible by key suppliers to the hotel industry who sponsored the event: Foodbuy, Imperial Brady, Ecolab, RHB, Eden Textile, Serta Simmons, MTech Locks, Rogers and Nerval.

Jason also acknowledged Frank Yeo of Mercury publications (Western/Eastern Hotelier Magazine) for his ongoing support and arranging for fantastic photographer, Phillip Chin, to capture the evening as well as the Ontario Hospitality Conference the week prior.

Photos can be viewed at https://phillipchin2018.pixieset.com/20261029westerncanadaviphotelleadershipdinner/

VICTORIA, B.C., November 4, 2026 - Redbrick, a B Corp Certified group of companies, has unveiled new architectural renderings and preliminary plans for Westholme, a proposal for a landmark hotel at the corner of Government Street and Pandora Avenue in downtown Victoria.

The designs were presented at an open house on November 3, where community members and stakeholders had the opportunity to learn more and provide feedback on the project. Westholme is a locally-led development by Redbrick in collaboration with Victoria-based Aryze, with architectural design by internationally renowned firm Olson Kundig.

The proposed design celebrates the natural landscape, culture, and art of the Pacific Northwest while responding to the historic character of Victoria’s downtown. At street level, active public spaces revitalize a vacant corner while bringing year-round foot traffic to neighbouring businesses. Above, quieter hospitality and wellness floors add much-needed hotel capacity, supporting visitors, local jobs, and long-term investment in the north end of downtown.

“We’ve called downtown Victoria home for 15 years. Seeing the vision for Westholme take shape is very exciting for all of our team and the community,” said Tobyn Sowden, CEO of Redbrick. “With partners Olson Kundig and Aryze, we have an opportunity to create something that reflects Victoria’s character and brings new life to a prominent downtown corner. We want Westholme to be more than a hotel, but a place that welcomes both visitors and locals and contributes to the city’s future.”

The proposed hotel would feature 198 guest rooms, a ground-floor lounge, meeting facilities open to locals and visitors, and a public plaza with wider sidewalks, seating and landscaping. Plans also include a publicly accessible rooftop restaurant and bar overlooking downtown Victoria and the Inner Harbour, alongside a spa offering therapist-led treatments and self-guided thermal circuits.

The project takes its name from the original Westholme Hotel, which opened in 1911 on the same stretch of Government Street. The prominent downtown site has remained vacant since a fire destroyed the previous building in 2019. Located near Centennial Square, Chinatown and the emerging Industry, Arts, and Innovation District, Westholme is intended to bring renewed activity to this part of downtown.

The proposal also responds to a critical need for visitor accommodations, with the region’s hotel supply having dropped nearly 25% since 2016. The Greater Victoria Hotel Development Working Group projects demand for approximately 2,000 net new hotel rooms over the next decade, while the City's Official Community Plan targets 1,500 new hotel rooms by 2035.

Redbrick encourages community members to visit westholmehotel.com to sign up for project updates and stay informed about future engagement opportunities, feedback sessions, and key proposal milestones. Questions and feedback can also be directed to community@westholmehotel.com.

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA (November 3, 2026) – Francis Desjardins has been appointed Regional Vice President, Pacific Northwest and General Manager of Fairmont Pacific Rim, leading one of Fairmont's most distinguished luxury hotel portfolios in North America. In his dual role, he will oversee Fairmont Pacific Rim, Fairmont Empress, Fairmont Waterfront, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, and Fairmont Vancouver Airport.

With more than 28 years of leadership experience with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Desjardins joins the Pacific Northwest region from Fairmont Taghazout Bay in Morocco, where he has served as General Manager since 2019, leading the successful opening and positioning of the luxury resort as a premier destination in the region.

Throughout his career, Desjardins has held senior leadership positions across Fairmont properties in North America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, building extensive expertise in luxury hotel operations, hotel openings and guest experience. His previous leadership roles include General Manager at Fairmont Ajman, Director of Operations at Fairmont The Palm and Fairmont Baku Flame Towers, and Director of Rooms at Fairmont Singapore.

Desjardins assumes leadership of Fairmont's Pacific Northwest portfolio at a time of continued growth and evolution for the region's hospitality and tourism sector. Widely recognized for his collaborative leadership style, commitment to developing future hospitality leaders and ability to build high-performing teams, Desjardins brings a global perspective and a relationship-driven approach to leadership, delivering exceptional guest experiences while cultivating meaningful connections with colleagues, guests and local communities.

As General Manager of Fairmont Pacific Rim, a Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond Rated property, he leads one of Canada’s most celebrated luxury hotels, a property that has helped define Vancouver’s place on the global hospitality map. Since opening on the city’s waterfront in 2010, Fairmont Pacific Rim has set a benchmark for the luxury landscape through its design, culinary and wellness offerings. Under Desjardins' leadership, the hotel will build on its reputation for innovation, exceptional service and meaningful community connections, further strengthening both the property's global profile and Vancouver's position as a leading luxury destination.

“It is an honour to join Fairmont Pacific Rim and lead Fairmont's Pacific Northwest portfolio,” says Francis Desjardins. “What stands out to me is the strength of this region, the calibre of its leadership teams and the individuality of each property. With such strong foundations already in place, I am excited to work alongside our talented colleagues to continue elevating the guest experience and building on Fairmont's legacy across the region.”

Originally from Montréal, Desjardins returns to Canada with his family following more than two decades of international hospitality leadership. He looks forward to partnering with teams across the Pacific Northwest to build on the unique strengths of each property, foster greater collaboration across the portfolio and further strengthen Fairmont's presence within the communities it serves.