In Person & Online
21st Annual Municipal Communications Conference Agenda coming soon!
Presented by Swansea Communications + SummersDirect
For two decades, SummersDirect Conference & Events and Swansea Communications have been bringing together communication professionals from across Canada for quality conference programming. This partnership is the only in Canada that has provided both national and regional conferences for the communications field .
Our goal is to offer a conference experience that will educate and inspire professional communicators from various industries through an environment of professional networking to benefit both delegates and speakers alike. You will walk away with tools and techniques you can take away and use, case studies you can relate to and most of all VALUE.
Join our email list for information about this event.
Hotel Information
Courtyard Toronto Downtown
The group rate is $299.00/night + taxes and is available Nov. 29 – Dec. 1, 2026. Rooms are not guaranteed and do sellout and are subject to availability. Please don’t delay, we told out our first room block. Book today! October 29 deadline.
Book online here – Coming soon!
Or call Marriott Reservations and make a booking at 1 (800) 847-5075
Venue
Online via Zoom
In Person
Courtyard Toronto Downtown
475 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4Y 1X7
Contact Us
Speakers from 2025
Julia Harvie-Shemko, APR, CEC, Founder and CEO, Red Thread Connections, AB
Andrew Buttigieg
Senior Communications Specialist, City of London, ON
Chair – Brian Lambie, President Redbrick Communications & Media Contact, Association of Ontario Municipalities (AMO)
Kate Ingram
Manager, Communications
Municipality of Port Hope, ON
Tamra Barlow, Communications Coordinator, Municipality of Port Hope, ON
Meghan Brennan
Communications Manager
Town of Taber, AB
Cynthia Lockrey
Change maker + communications expert, Lockrey Communications, BC
Carmen Mallia
Senior Communications Specialist, City of London, ON
Joanne Kleb
Manager of Engagement,
City of Delta, BC
Natalie Graham
Communications Lead, Town of Innisfil, ON
Jenn Lloyd
Health & Wellness Project Coordinator, Town of Innisfil, ON
Frances Tang-Graham
Manager, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Burnaby, BC
Andrée Gates
Data Project Specialist – Data, Analytics and Visualization Services
The Regional Municipality of York, ON
Kent Waugh
Managing Partner, The W Group, BC
Samantha Young
Corporate Communications Advisor
The Regional Municipality of York, ON
Kristy Guthrie
Agency Owner
Bright Light Content Inc., ON
Jeremy McLaughlin
Communications Officer, Municipality of Tantramar, NS
Francis Santos
Communications and Marketing Coordinator, City of Burnaby, BC
Kennisha Petgrave
Senior Advisor, Public Relations, City of Brampton, ON
Monika Duggal
Senior Multicultural Public Relations Advisor,
City of Brampton
Agenda
Monday, November 30, 2026
All times are in Eastern
8:00 - 8:45 am | Breakfast + Registration + Tradeshow
8:45 – 9:00 a.m. | Opening Remarks from Chair - Andrea Montgomery, APR, Prosci Vice President, Redbrick Communications
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. | TBA
TBA
9:45 – 10:15 a.m. | TBA
10:15 – 10:30 a.m. | NETWORKING BREAK + TRADESHOW
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. | TBA
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | TBA
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. | NETWORKING/LUNCH BREAK/TRADESHOW
12:45 – 1:15 p.m. | TBA
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. | TBA
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. | TBA
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. | NETWORKING BREAK/TRADESHOW
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | TBA
4:30 p.m. | Conference Concludes for the Day
4:30 - 6:00 p.m. | Cocktail reception
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
All times are in Eastern
8:00 - 8:45 am | Breakfast + Registration + Tradeshow
8:45 – 9:45 a.m. | TBA
9:45 – 10:00 a.m. | NETWORKING BREAK + TRADESHOW
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | TBA
11:00 – 12:00 p.m. | TBA
12:15- 1:15 p.m. | NETWORKING/LUNCH BREAK/TRADESHOW
12:45- 1:15 p.m. | LUNCHEON KEYNOTE ADDRESS
1:15 – 2:15 p.m. | TBA
2:15 – 2:30 p.m. | NETWORKING BREAK + TRADESHOW
2:30– 3:30 p.m. | TBA
3:30– 4:30 p.m. | TBA
4:30 p.m. | Conference Concludes & Chairs Closing Remarks
6:00 p.m. | Delegate Dineout
Why dine alone? Explore Toronto’s restaurants with colleagues from the conference. Sign-up for one of three restaurants. Meet in the lobby and go together for more networking and socializing! (Note: Cost is not included)
Post Conference Workshops
Wednesday, December 2, 2026
All times are in Eastern
Workshops are in person attendance only
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Workshop A: TBA
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. | Workshop B: TBA
Sponsors
Thank you to our presenting sponsor:
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Substitution of delegates is permissible without prior notification. Refunds will be given for cancellations received in writing no later than 15 days prior to the conference date subject to an administration fee of $250 plus $32.50 for HST (in person) or $12.50 for GST (online). After this time, you are liable for the full registration fee even if you do not attend the conference. If you register during this 15 day period, you are also liable for the full fee. SummersDirect Inc. reserves the right to change program date, meeting place or content without further notice and assumes no liability for these changes.