Growth Hub Stage presented by RBC
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair’s Growth Hub Stage, presented by RBC, showcases Ideas for people and planet™, spotlighting innovative stories through keynote speakers, panel discussions, skill-building workshops, and networking opportunities.
Attendees can look forward to exploring the changing world of work, sustainable innovation, and inclusive growth across Canada’s agri-food sector and beyond.
View the 2026 schedule below!
Friday, Nov 6
Saturday, Nov 7
Sunday, Nov 8
Monday, Nov 9
Tuesday, Nov 10
Wednesday, Nov 11
Thursday, Nov 12
Friday, Nov 13
Saturday, Nov 14
Sunday, Nov 15
Friday, Nov 6
- 11:00 AM A Place for Everyone: Exploring Career Pathways in Agriculture & Food – AgCareers
- The agri-food industry is essential, and there are opportunities for everyone to make an impact. Agriculture provides millions of stable jobs and careers, extending far beyond traditional production farming. Hundreds of allied careers support the industry, creating opportunities for people with a wide variety of skills, interests, and backgrounds. There is no longer a stereotypical job or stereotypical employee in agriculture!
- 1:00 PM Protecting the Hands That Feed Us: Skin Cancer Prevention for Agricultural Workers – Melanoma Canada
- 2:30 PM Growing Through Uncertainty – RBC
- This session will explore how sustainability has evolved in Canadian agriculture, and what leadership looks like in an age of trade, climate, and geopolitical disruption.
- 4:00 PM From Field to Future: Women Leading Agricultural Innovation – University of Guelph
- 5:00 PM Building Your Mental Health Toolbox – Canadian Mental Health Association
Saturday, Nov 7
- 11:00 AM Building Your Mental Health Toolbox – Canadian Mental Health Association
- 12:00 PM Exploring Composting with Help from Earthworms and the Wonders of Soil Ecology – Worm Wrangler
- Join Worm Wrangler for an engaging journey into the captivating world of vermiculture—composting with the help of earthworms—and uncover the hidden wonders of soil ecology. This interactive presentation will showcase how these extraordinary creatures transform organic waste into nutrient-rich, biologically active compost, highlighting their essential role in maintaining healthy nutrient cycles and proving that soil is truly alive. Dive into the fascinating worm lifecycle, explore their incredible contributions to soil health, and even get hands-on with these wriggly soil engineers if you’d like!
- Perfect for educators, gardeners, and sustainability enthusiasts, this session will deepen your appreciation for the critical role soil plays in our environment, ecosystems, and food systems. Walk away with practical tips on harnessing the power of earthworms to educate and build a healthier planet.
- 1:00 PM Emerging Technologies in Agriculture: The Farm of Tomorrow – Canadian Agriculture Automation & Artificial Intelligence Network
- When you think of new technologies in agriculture, images of tractors driving themselves or robots working in fields likely come to mind. But there are many more ways in which digital technologies can impact agriculture. From barns to fields and even the soil below, advances in robotics, automation and artificial intelligence are taking place every day, all across Canada.
- 2:00 PM The Royal Royal Agri-Food Innovation Competition
- Be the first to see the future of sustainable agriculture. In this live pitch session, Canada’s top innovators take the stage to showcase breakthrough technologies, new business models, and innovative thinking are critical to building a more productive, sustainable, and resilient future of farming.
- 5:00 PM Building Your Mental Health Toolbox – Canadian Mental Health Association
Sunday, Nov 8
- 12:00 PM Exploring Composting with Help from Earthworms and the Wonders of Soil Ecology – Worm Wrangler
- Join Worm Wrangler for an engaging journey into the captivating world of vermiculture —composting with the help of earthworms—and uncover the hidden wonders of soil ecology. This interactive presentation will showcase how these extraordinary creatures transform organic waste into nutrient-rich, biologically active compost, highlighting their essential role in maintaining healthy nutrient cycles and proving that soil is truly alive. Dive into the fascinating worm lifecycle, explore their incredible contributions to soil health, and even get hands-on with these wriggly soil engineers if you’d like!
- Perfect for educators, gardeners, and sustainability enthusiasts, this session will deepen your appreciation for the critical role soil plays in our environment, ecosystems, and food systems. Walk away with practical tips on harnessing the power of earthworms to educate and build a healthier planet.
- 1:00 PM Growing Food Learning and Community Through School Gardens, Competitions, and Agricultural Fairs – Daniel Kunanec and Paige Mawson
- 2:00 PM One Health, One Fight: Where Veterinary Innovation Improves Lives – University of Guelph
- 4:00 PM The Science of Cleaning and Disinfecting – EthoGuard
- Designed for livestock and poultry producers of all sizes, this presentation will give listeners a better understanding of the science of cleaning and disinfection and how the process plays an integral role in a robust biosecurity program. The presentation will examine the importance of the cleaning step, outline the differences between various chemical disinfectants, and list the various advantages of certain technologies over others.
Monday, Nov 9
- 11:00 AM Sun Smart in the Field: Skin Cancer Prevention for the Next Generation of Agricultural Worker – Melanoma Canada
- 12:00 PM How Composting Will Save the World! – Prof. Grant Clark, McGill University
- This session will explore how recycling organic waste back to agriculture can renew our soils, make food production more efficient, safeguard our environment, and make us all smarter and healthier.
- 1:00 PM A Place for Everyone: Exploring Career Pathways in Agriculture & Food – AgCareers
- The agri-food industry is essential, and there are opportunities for everyone to make an impact. Agriculture provides millions of stable jobs and careers, extending far beyond traditional production farming. Hundreds of allied careers support the industry, creating opportunities for people with a wide variety of skills, interests, and backgrounds. There is no longer a stereotypical job or stereotypical employee in agriculture!
- 2:00 PM Helping plants and pathogens finally see the light… and using it to our advantage! – Dr. Valérie Gravel and Professor Philippe Seguin, McGill University
- Light is one of nature’s most powerful signals. While we often think of light as the energy plants need to grow, it also helps plants sense their environment and prepare for threats. Plants can detect different colors and levels of light and use this information to adjust how they grow and protect themselves. We explore how light can be used as a natural tool to strengthen a plant’s natural immune system before infection occurs. By learning how to trigger these defenses, we can develop sustainable alternatives to chemical control methods. We also examine how light affects fungal pathogens directly. Like plants, many fungi can sense and respond to light, and it influences important stages of their life cycle, including their ability to infect plants. Understanding these effects could lead to lighting strategies that suppress pathogens while promoting plant health. Our long-term goal is to use light as a precise, environmentally friendly tool to improve crop health, reduce reliance on pesticides, and support more sustainable food production.
- 3:00 PM Inside Food Innovation: The Future of What We Eat – George Brown Polytechnic Food Innovation & Research Studio (FIRSt)
- In this talk, students and faculty from Canada’s first culinary Bachelors degree in Food Studies will discuss the changing role of chefs. With food connecting a wide variety of society’s challenges, chefs are called to play a new role beyond creating and cooking food. How can chefs make change, connect people, and spread new ideas? Who counts as a chef? And, how can we work towards a food system that is more sustainable and equitable for all?
- 4:00 PM Feeding the World Without Destroying the Earth – Dr. Jennifer Ronholm, McGill University
- There are currently about 9 billion people on earth. Producing enough protein for this population though animal husbandry is difficult – especially in the face of the antibiotic resistance crisis and growing demands to reduce the use of antibiotics in farming. This symposia will discuss ongoing and emerging infectious disease problems in the poultry and dairy industries, hurtles to solving them, and the consequences to the environment and global food supply if we don’t. An emphasis will be placed on what everyone, especially the next generation of farmers and scientists, can do to help farm without antibiotics.
Tuesday, Nov 10
THE ROYAL EDUCATION PATHWAYS SHOWCASE DAY
- 11:00 AM A Place for Everyone: Exploring Career Pathways in Agriculture & Food – AgCareers
- The agri-food industry is essential, and there are opportunities for everyone to make an impact. Agriculture provides millions of stable jobs and careers, extending far beyond traditional production farming. Hundreds of allied careers support the industry, creating opportunities for people with a wide variety of skills, interests, and backgrounds. There is no longer a stereotypical job or stereotypical employee in agriculture!
- 3:00 PM From Classroom to Career: Work-Integrated Learning in Agriculture – Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Commission
- 4:00 PM A Place for Everyone: Exploring Career Pathways in Agriculture & Food – AgCareers
- The agri-food industry is essential, and there are opportunities for everyone to make an impact. Agriculture provides millions of stable jobs and careers, extending far beyond traditional production farming. Hundreds of allied careers support the industry, creating opportunities for people with a wide variety of skills, interests, and backgrounds. There is no longer a stereotypical job or stereotypical employee in agriculture!
- 5:00 PM Place Biosecurity 101 – EthoGuard
- A presentation outlining the many ways livestock and poultry producers can better protect their farm. Producers will gain a better understanding of why biosecurity is important and some simple yet effective protocols that they can follow to reduce the risk of disease introduction
Wednesday, Nov 11
- 11:00 AM Robotics, AI, and STEM – FIRSTRobotics
- Robotics, AI, and STEM are transforming the agriculture industry, and the next generation needs the skills to shape the future! Discover how you can get involved with FIRST Robotics Canada, where youth gain the experiences and skills to drive the future of food and farming.
- 3:00 PM Women in Agriculture: Celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer – Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Commission
- 4:00 PM The Buzz About Bees – Professor Paul Kelly, University of Guelph
- The University of Guelph, apiculture research and education program, was established in 1894. Our mandate is to help bees and the beekeeping community thrive. In this presentation, some of the fascinating aspects of honey bee biology will be described. Then the focus will be on the important role that bees play in food production. Hive health issues, and the solutions we are working on at the Honey Bee Research Centre, leads into a discussion about the initiatives everyone can consider to benefit pollinators. One solution is to grow trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants that benefit pollinators. This presentation covers the biology of honey bees and their importance in food production. A discussion of health issues leads to initiatives to help pollinators.
Thursday, Nov 12
- 11:00 AM Growing Your Future in Food & Agriculture – University of Guelph Education Symposium
- Discover the diverse opportunities available in the agri-food sector with undergraduate students from the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC). Through an interactive panel, students will share their personal journeys — highlighting courses they’ve loved, hands-on learning experiences, and their future career goals. These passionate students represent the next generation of leaders in food, agriculture, and the environment, and their stories may spark new ideas for your own future or classroom.
- Whether your interests lie in animal health, food innovation, plant sciences, environmental sustainability, or business and economics, OAC offers a program to match your aspirations!
- 12:00 PM Growing Your Future in Food & Agriculture – University of Guelph Education Symposium
- Discover the diverse opportunities available in the agri-food sector with undergraduate students from the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC). Through an interactive panel, students will share their personal journeys — highlighting courses they’ve loved, hands-on learning experiences, and their future career goals. These passionate students represent the next generation of leaders in food, agriculture, and the environment, and their stories may spark new ideas for your own future or classroom.
- Whether your interests lie in animal health, food innovation, plant sciences, environmental sustainability, or business and economics, OAC offers a program to match your aspirations!
- 1:00 PM The Flexible Plate: Eat More Plants, Your Way – Toronto Metropolitan University
- 2:00 PM Agriculture Cost-share Programs: Helping Ontario Farms Grow – Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association
- How well do you know your food? Join the Ontario Science Centre team for a daily live game show experience for all ages. Participate from the stage or play along in your seat!
- 3:00 PM Beyond the Farm Gate: Exploring Agritourism Opportunities – Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Commission
- 5:00 PM Growing the Future: A Roadmap for Farm Succession – University of Guelph
Friday, Nov 13
- 11:00 AM The Barrett Centre Beekeeping Game Show & Virtual Reality Experience – Durham College Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture
- 12:00 PM Bridging the Gap: Connecting Rural and Urban Communities – Dr. Christine Reymer
- 1:00 PM The Flexible Plate: Eat More Plants, Your Way – Toronto Metropolitan University
- 2:00 PM Inside Food Innovation: The Future of What We Eat – George Brown Polytechnic Food Innovation & Research Studio (FIRSt)
- 3:00 PM Building Your Mental Health Toolbox – Canadian Mental Health Association
- 4:00 PM ‘Undervalued’ Women Farmers at Greater Risk for Mental Health Struggles – University of Guelph
Saturday, Nov 14
- 12:00 PM Emerging Areas of Research in Food Science and Nutrition – Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
- A panel of members of the U of T’s Department of Nutritional Sciences Graduate Student Association will share their fields of study and research, and reflect on the overall trends in the field of food and nutrition through an academic research lens.
- 1:00 PM Robotics, AI, and STEM – FIRSTRobotics
- Robotics, AI, and STEM are transforming the agriculture industry, and the next generation needs the skills to shape the future! Discover how you can get involved with FIRST Robotics Canada, where youth gain the experiences and skills to drive the future of food and farming.
- 3:00 PM Building Your Mental Health Toolbox – Canadian Mental Health Association
- 4:00 PM Hands-On with Wool: The Original Sustainable Fibre – Ontario Fibreshed, Ontario Sheep Farmers & Campaign for Wool Canada
- Discover the original renewable resource – wool! Join us for a hands-on session where you’ll learn how Ontario’s sheep farmers and local fibre artisans are transforming fleece into beautiful, sustainable textiles. Get a behind-the-scenes look at wool production, and try your hand at making your very own wool bracelet to take home. It’s a tactile journey into sustainability you won’t want to miss!
Sunday, Nov 15
- 11:00 AM Hands-On with Wool: The Original Sustainable Fibre – Ontario Fibreshed, Ontario Sheep Farmers & Campaign for Wool Canada
- Discover the original renewable resource – wool! Join us for a hands-on session where you’ll learn how Ontario’s sheep farmers and local fibre artisans are transforming fleece into beautiful, sustainable textiles. Get a behind-the-scenes look at wool production, and try your hand at making your very own wool bracelet to take home. It’s a tactile journey into sustainability you won’t want to miss!
- 1:00 PM Robotics, AI, and STEM – FIRSTRobotics
- Robotics, AI, and STEM are transforming the agriculture industry, and the next generation needs the skills to shape the future! Discover how you can get involved with FIRST Robotics Canada, where youth gain the experiences and skills to drive the future of food and farming.
- 2:00 PM From Seed to Share: Growing Food, Growing Community – Master Gardeners of Ontario
- Explore how the simple act of cultivating a garden, from planting a single seed to sharing the harvest, blossoms into a more vibrant, connected community.
- 3:00 PM HEARing Rural Ontario: What Makes Communities Thrive – University of Guelph