Events & Activities
Upcoming Meetings
CANADIAN HARDWOOD BUREAU SPRING MEETING • APRIL 14 – 15, 2026 • MONTREAL, QC
The Canadian Hardwood Bureau (CHB) Spring Meeting brings together Canada’s hardwood industry for two focused days of connection, conversation, and collaboration in the heart of Montréal.
Date: April 14 – 15, 2026
Location: Montreal, QC
Open to members and non-members, this annual event is designed to deliver maximum value, combining strategic discussions, governance updates, and high-impact networking in a streamlined, cost-effective format.
Why Attend?
Engage with industry leaders, peers, and partners, participate in facilitated discussions driven by member-identified priorities and stay informed on key regulatory and market issues impacting the hardwood sector.
Take part in CHB governance, including board elections and updates
New for 2026: The Spring Meeting will be fully bilingual, allowing both French- and English-speaking participants to fully engage across all sessions.
Program Highlights
Industry Hockey Game to kick things off
Luncheon & Keynote Presentation
Facilitated Discussion Session based on member priority voting
Networking Reception with industry colleagues
Breakfast and presentation
Special Meeting of the Members and CHB Board updates
Designed for Value
The CHB Spring Meeting is intentionally structured to maximize your time while keeping costs down. Members receive full access to both days for just $210, making this one of the most affordable national industry gatherings in the sector.
Location & Accommodations
The meeting will be hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton Montréal, located downtown near major attractions and transit. A special hotel rate is available for attendees.
Sponsorship Opportunities
There is still time to sponsor the 2026 Spring Meeting. Sponsorship offers excellent visibility with industry decision-makers through meals, networking events, and delegate materials. Email adenny@wmc-cfb.ca. to secure your sponsorship spot today!
Registration
Advance registration is required. Space is limited, and early registration is encouraged.
Recent events
CANADIAN HARDWOOD BUREAU MEETING • APRIL 8 – 9, 2025 • MONTREAL, QC
The Canadian Hardwood Bureau (CHB) hosted its annual spring meeting on April 8–9, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal, welcoming nearly 100 delegates from across the industry.
The program opened with an engaging Lunch Presentation on Hardwood Promotion, featuring keynote speaker Adam Taylor, Professor and Wood Products Extension Specialist at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Taylor highlighted CHB’s recent efforts to promote hardwoods and shared key messaging strategies tailored to professional audiences.
CHB Chairman Shaun Rowe (Quality Hardwoods) provided members with an update on recent Bureau initiatives, including the preparation of a joint tariff statement with NHLA and CHB’s ongoing outreach to Canadian federal and provincial officials.
Delegates enjoyed valuable networking opportunities during the CHB Reception, generously sponsored by HUB International Quebec.
The program concluded with a Breakfast Presentation sponsored by Stella-Jones Inc. Kate Lindsay, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), delivered an informative session on the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). She updated members on the latest developments and directed participants to resources for ongoing updates.
The meeting also featured the always-popular Industry Hockey Game, this year held at Place Bell in Laval. Two full teams took to the ice in another spirited matchup, thanks to the organizing efforts of Jean Paul Lupien!
Looking ahead, the next CHB meeting will take place during the NHLA Convention in October 2025.
Past events
CANADIAN HARDWOOD BUREAU MEETING • APRIL 9 – 10, 2024 • MONTREAL, QC
The spring 2024 meeting of the Canadian Hardwood Bureau (CHB) was held April 9-10, 2024 in Montreal, with almost 100 delegates in attendance. The event provided those in the hardwood industry with the opportunity to get together, learn and network.
Chairman Shaun Rowe, Quality Hardwoods, presided over the meeting, and updated members on CHB’s activities and plans for grading courses, hardwood promotions and meetings/events. The meeting featured a variety of excellent presentations, including Wood You from Allison DeFord, Executive Director, North American Forest Foundation. The keynote address was by Judd Johnson, Editor, HMR, entitled Trends in North American Hardwood Markets.
The Sawmill Symposium was presented by Benji Richards Industry Services Sales Manager, NHLA. The first day wrapped up with the CHB Reception, sponsored by HUB International. The Wednesday breakfast was sponsored by Stella-Jones Inc. and featured a very informative presentation by Gilles Pelletier, President and Director General, Quebec Furniture Manufacturers Association.
Another successful and hard-fought Industry Hockey Game was played on April 9, 2024. Thanks again to Jean Paul Lupien for organizing the hockey game. The CHB meets next at the NHLA Convention, October 4, 2024.