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Canada West Health Leaders Conference 2025

The Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL) is pleased to present the annual Canada West Health Leaders Conference (CWHLC). Hosted by the CCHL Western Chapters (Assiniboia (SK), BC Interior, BC Lower Mainland, BC Vancouver Island, Manitoba, Midnight Sun, Northern Alberta, Northern and Central Saskatchewan, and Southern Alberta) this conference will present an opportunity for health leaders across Canada to explore themes and leadership lessons learned from Canada’s west coast health leaders.

This conference is open to participants from across the country.

The CWHLC will focus primarily on two domains of the LEADS in a Caring Environment Capability Framework: Lead Self and Engage Others. Click here to find out more information about the LEADS Framework.

(Cette conférence est disponible en anglais seulement.) 

28 octobre 2025 @ 12:00 PM - 30 octobre 2025 @ 03:00 PM PDT / HAP

Please login to your CCHL account to register for this event. If you are not a member, and haven't yet created a profile, please click Become a member to create one.

Détails de l'événement:


Emplacement : 720 Douglas Street, Victoria British Columbia Canada V8W 3M7

Theme

Charting the course for an inspired future... Together!

As our healthcare environments continue to rapidly evolve, leaders are tasked with more than just navigating change—they must guide teams on a path forward while the target continues to move. Through emerging technologies, expanding regulations, and shifting political landscapes, healthcare leaders must adapt quickly while also fostering a visionary mindset and leading teams into that vision for the future.
At this conference, healthcare leaders will gain knowledge, skills, and tools to understand the current environment, plan a route forward, and journey towards that future together. We will explore how to effectively communicate with others, manage the complexities of shifting systems, and focus on leading yourself through change. We challenge you to envision a bold future and join healthcare leaders as we learn how to inspire, co-create, and adapt; even when navigating uncharted areas.
The 2025 Canada West Health Leaders Conference will explore:
  • Leadership in times of change: How to inspire and motivate teams during periods of uncertainty and upheaval.
  • Effective communication in complex environments: Strategies for ensuring clear, transparent communication in times of transformation.
  • Navigating complex healthcare systems: Understanding and adapting to the evolving healthcare ecosystem.
  • Creating forward momentum: Practical approaches to fostering innovation, executing change, and overcoming obstacles to achieve meaningful progress.
Join us as we embark on a journey towards brighter possibilities, and inspire healthcare leaders to sharpen their navigational skills, exchange insights, and steer teams toward success. Together, we can chart a visionary course for a more adaptable, effective, and sustainable healthcare system.
Are you ready to embrace the journey?

Conference Objectives

  • Create an environment where health leaders across all generations can get hands on practical learning to apply in their organizations and further their careers and personal growth;
  • Offer interactive, unique and innovative learning experiences and networking opportunities;
  • Offer mentorship opportunities and create an environment that promotes open dialogue and making connections with fellow health leaders;
  • Facilitate the exchange of ideas and collaborations on issues of common interest and innovative approaches to address health leadership challenges; and
  • Address and debate the health leadership challenges surrounding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

 

Expected Outcomes

Conference participants will:

  • Build strong networks as well as a strengthened sense of community and support from other leaders facing similar challenges;
  • Exchange knowledge on leading practices, tools, and ideas that can be implemented into their work settings;
  • Engage with other leaders to explore traits of effective and innovative leadership to foster efficient solutions to manage today’s complex times;
  • Identify champions of healthcare innovations that will influence improvements in the areas of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenous health, and green healthcare; and
  • Engage with other leaders to collaborate on innovative and efficient solutions to manage today’s healthcare environment.

 

Registration

Registration will open in the summer.

Rate

Fee

Early Bird (Member)  $670.00 + tax
Early Bird (Non-Member)  $825.00 + tax
Regular (Member)  $840.00 + tax
Regular (Non-Member)  $995.00 + tax
Speaker  $485.00 + tax
Student*  $455.00 + tax
Patient**  $440.00 + tax

Early bird registration deadline: September 12, 2025
Regular registration deadline: October 24, 2025

Member Rate

CCHL members receive a discount on the conference registration fee. Not a member yet? Join the College today for only $195 for the first year. CCHL membership details available here.

*For the student rate, please send information on your current enrolment to conference@cchl-ccls.ca.
**For the patient rate, please send information about the patient organization you represent to conference@cchl-ccls.ca.

 

 

Program-at-a-glance

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

09:00 – 16:00 Registration
09:00 – 16:00 Optional Events

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

06:30 - 07:30 Wellness Activity
07:00 - 16:00 Registration
07:30 - 08:30 Continental Breakfast
08:30 - 09:00 Welcome and opening ceremonies
09:00 - 10:15 Plenary
10:15 - 11:00 Networking Break
11:00 - 12:30
Concurrent Sessions
12:30 - 13:30 Networking Luncheon
13:30 - 15:00 Concurrent Sessions
15:00 - 15:45 Networking Break
15:45 - 17:00 Plenary
17:00 - 18:00 Reception

Thursday, October 30, 2025

07:00 - 13:00 Registration
07:00 - 08:00 Continental Breakfast
08:00 - 09:15 Plenary
09:15 - 10:00 Networking Break
10:00 - 11:00 Concurrent Sessions
11:15 - 12:15 Plenary
12:15 - 12:30 Closing ceremonies
12:30 - 14:00 Networking Luncheon

 

* Program is subject to change without notice

 

Keynote Speakers

 

Navigating turbulence: How aviation experiences can strengthen healthcare leaders in an everchanging world

In an era of rapid change and increasing complexity, healthcare leaders must navigate uncertainty with clarity, confidence, and resilience. Steve Smith, former head of multiple Canadian airlines, brings decades of leadership experience from one of the world’s most safety-driven industries. In this engaging and insightful session, he will share key lessons from aviation that healthcare leaders can apply to enhance safety, improve team dynamics, and lead effectively through change. These aviation-based insights will equip you with tools to lead more effectively—even in the most turbulent times. Fasten your seatbelt—this is leadership at 35,000 feet!

Stephen Smith
Chair, Board of Directors at Rise Air

Steve Smith has been the President of five airlines in Canada, including WestJet, Air Canada’s ZIP, Air Ontario and Rise Air (Saskatoon based, First Nations owned airline). In addition, he was the Senior Vice President, Customer Experience for Air Canada, where he was responsible for the 14,000 employees who touched the customer. Steve is currently retired, though he is the Chair of Rise Air. In addition, he spent 9 years on the Scarborough Hospital Board, where he was the Chair of the Board for 3 years, 2 years as Board Secretary for the Central Local Health Integration Network, 3 years on the Sinai Health Quality and Safety Committee, and 2 years on the London Health Sciences Centre Board as the 2nd Vice Chair, and Chair of the Quality and Safety Committee. Steve graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Mathematics and from McMaster University with an MBA. He lives in Unionville, Ontario.

 

Embracing boldness: Creative confidence in a time of change

Chris Bergeron will explore the crucial role of creative boldness in today's rapidly evolving technological and political landscape. Chris, a trans woman who rebuilt her identity and career from the ground up, embodies the essence of transformation and resilience. In her talk, "Embracing Boldness: Creative Confidence in a Time of Change," Chris will share her inspiring journey and the lessons she's learned about the power of creativity and bold expression. She'll offer practical advice on how to cultivate a fearless approach to creativity, encouraging attendees to push boundaries and challenge the status quo in their work and lives.

This session is not just a talk, but a call to action for anyone looking to harness their creative potential and make a significant impact in our dynamic world. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Chris Bergeron's unique perspective on thriving through creativity and boldness in an age of transformation.

Chris Bergeron
Speaker and trans author | Vice president of inclusive creativity, Cossette

For almost 40 years, Chris Bergeron has lived the life of a heterosexual man. From very early in her career, she had great professional success: after having been a collaborator for major media such as La Presse and Radio-Canada, Chris directed for the newspaper VOIR for five years, which was the largest network of weekly cultural magazines in Quebec at the time. She then made the leap to the advertising world where she held the position of creative director for major agencies.

Then, she came out and started living true life as a trans woman. Suddenly being propelled into the reality of a visible sexual minority has profoundly transformed her perception of the world. In Quebec and internationally, Chris advocates for diversity, inclusion and the rights of trans people by sharing her story to the public. She frequently intervenes in the advertising industry to demand better representation of minorities.

 

Rowboat in a hurricane: Dealing with change and unexpected setbacks

Imagine surviving a hurricane with nothing more than a rowboat to shelter you. When Julie set off on a quest to become the first to row across the Atlantic from mainland Europe to mainland North America, a violent hurricane was beyond anything she’d anticipated. But she soon realized that to succeed, she’d not only need to deal with adversity and uncertainty, but embrace it and use it as an opportunity to grow and prosper. Julie shares techniques to deal with changing environments, including altering our perception, preparing for the unexpected, assessing risks, and improving communication.

Julie Angus
First Woman To Row Across Atlantic Ocean | Molecular Biologist, Adventurer, Writer, & Filmmaker

Julie Angus is an accomplished adventurer, scientist and bestselling author of Rowboat in a Hurricane, Rowed Trip and Olive Odyssey. She is the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland and a recipient of the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award. She has also cycled across continents, rowed thousands of kilometers of coastlines and rivers, and organized a National Geographic expedition that sailed the ancient Phoenician trading routes to research the olive.

Explore Magazine listed her as one of North America’s leading adventurers and in 2016 Canadian Geographic named her one of Canada’s Greatest Women Explorers. She is a recipient of the McMaster University Arch Award and a Canadian Geographic Fellow. She is regularly seen on television shows such as Canada AM, CBC Sunday News and Daily Planet.

Julie Angus is a scientist with an B.Sc. from McMaster University in Psychology and Biology and an M.Sc. in Molecular Biology from the University of Victoria. She also studied at the University of Leeds in England. She spent a decade developing therapeutics for genetic ailments and cardiovascular disease as a researcher and in business development.

Julie has engaged in various entrepreneurial ventures and is currently the CEO and co-founder of Open Ocean Robotics, a marine drone company. She is also the co-founder of Angus Rowboats, a company that designs and manufactures robotically cut kits for rowboats and small sailboats.

Julie Angus is an engaging and entertaining motivational speaker who inspires audiences and demonstrates techniques we can all use to reach goals and overcome challenges.

Concurrent Program

Wednesday, October 29, 2025
11:00 - 12:30

1. Building AccelerateIEN: Leadership Lessons in Cross-Sector Innovation

Canada’s healthcare system faces a critical shortage of nurses, which is further compounded by barriers to the integration of internationally educated nurses (IENs). To address this need, Bluedrop ISM, NL Health Services, and the Health Care Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador partnered to create AccelerateIEN—a technology-enabled program combining eLearning, virtual reality simulation, and structured mentorship to support IENs’ integration into practice.

The Health Care Foundation coordinated contributions from the Northpine Foundation, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and its own funding. This structure enabled Bluedrop ISM to lead the development of the infrastructure, demonstrating how philanthropic leadership, public investment, and private innovation can align to address structural barriers.

The project has been iterative and learner-informed, shaped by feedback from IENs to refine curriculum. Technology has transformed accessibility, allowing nurses to complete training from their communities, promoting retention in rural and underserved areas.

By strengthening system capacity and resilience, AccelerateIEN supports the future of healthcare delivery. It exemplifies the spirit of “Charting the Course for an Inspired Future… Together” through cross-sector collaboration, innovation, and commitment to a sustainable, inclusive healthcare system.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

  • Analyze how LEADS capabilities were applied in developing AccelerateIEN
  • Describe and apply lessons from cross-sector healthcare innovation
  • Identify strategies for leading complex system change

This presentation showcases leadership practices in workforce development, innovation, and partnership-building essential for healthcare transformation amid staffing shortages.

AccelerateIEN offers a replicable model for ethically and efficiently integrating IEN’s using innovative, accessible technology solutions.

By strengthening the workforce, AccelerateIEN improves access to safe, culturally competent care, enhancing patient outcomes and community health.

Lessons include co-creating a shared vision, maintaining strategic agility, and the need for trust and perseverance.

Speakers:
Kimberly Workum - Director, Healthcare Innovation, Bluedrop ISM
Collette Smith - Senior Director, Human Resources, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services

 

2. Charting the Course for an Inspired Future: Rebuilding a Rural Surgical Services for Workforce Wellness and Sustainability

Burnout in healthcare is a systemic challenge that demands bold, adaptive leadership—especially in rural settings where staffing limitations and service expectations collide. This workshop explores the implementation of a collaborative, administration, physician, and staff-driven initiative to reduce burnout and restore sustainability in a remote surgical department that had a 50% vacancy rate and heavy reliance on agency staff.

The session will showcase how a northern Canadian hospital restructured its surgical program by expanding operational hours, integrating LPNs, launching a local perioperative certification pathway through the Association of perioperative Nurses (AORN), and engaging frontline staff in schedule redesign. Within six months, overtime decreased by over 25%, agency nurse usage dropped by 83%, and permanent staffing reached 100%. This initiative transformed a reactive, high-turnover environment into a culture of flexibility, shared ownership, and continuous learning.

Framed through the LEADS in a Caring Environment capability domain Engage Others, this session emphasizes how empowering staff to co-design solutions fostered trust, accountability, and team cohesion. Participants will identify key drivers of burnout, explore adaptable staffing and scheduling strategies, and apply lessons from rural workforce planning to their own contexts. Through storytelling, group mapping, and collaborative planning, attendees will co-create strategies that prioritize staff well-being while maintaining high-quality and sustainable care.

The session reflects CCHL’s foundational commitments by supporting equity in workforce access (through IEHP and LPN integration), embedding patient voice and modeling sustainability through local workforce development. Though grounded in a surgical context, the leadership and engagement strategies are applicable across healthcare systems that are looking to reduce employee burnout and agency nurse usage.

Attendees will leave with practical tools and an understanding of how engaging others with purpose and intention can build cultures that adapt, endure, and thrive—even in the most resource-constrained settings.

Speakers:
Jessica Mulli - Director of Nursing, YHC
Erin Murdoch - Clinical Care Manager - Surgical Services, YHC

 

3. LEADS Refresh Knowledge Mobilization: Co-Creating the LEADS Framework for a New Era

Leadership in healthcare is at a turning point. The world has changed—and with it, the expectations of those who lead. The LEADS Refresh Steering Group—representing the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL), LEADS Global, and CHLNet—is responding to this shifting landscape. Together, we are all reimagining what it means to lead in the 21st century, and we need your voice! In this interactive workshop, you are invited into that conversation. Drawing on findings from national focus groups with a wide array of stakeholders representing diverse communities, patient representative groups’ input, expert interviews, and a comprehensive literature review, we’ll share what is being said about how leadership must evolve to meet today’s urgent challenges—workforce burnout, systemic inequities, workforce challenges, climate change, the ongoing reverberations of COVID-19, and more. But this is more than a workshop presentation; it’s a conversation! You’ll gain early insights into the themes and emerging capabilities identified so far in the LEADS Refresh initiative and how they support each of CCHL’s foundational commitments. And, of course, you will have the opportunity to influence this work across all five LEADS domains! Through facilitated table discussions, real-time polling, and interactive dialogue, we’ll tap into your leadership experience and wisdom to help shape the next generation of Canadian health leadership through a refreshed LEADS in a Caring Environment leadership capabilities framework. Whether you lead from the bedside, the boardroom, or elsewhere in the broader system—this session is for you. Let’s hear your voice!

Speakers:
Phil Cady - Mitacs Elevate Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Royal Roads University
Zoe MacLeod - Associate Vice-President, Royal Roads University

 

4. Creating forward momentum

4.1 Collaboration in healthcare leadership

In the face of complex healthcare challenges, building effective coalitions is key to driving sustainable systems change. This session will share leadership lessons from the Fertility Coalition of British Columbia (FCBC), a nonprofit collaborating with diverse interest holders and advocating for equitable access to fertility care. Through her master’s research project at Royal Roads University, FCBC Founder Penny Blesch leveraged a values-aligned leadership approach to engage diverse interest holders, synthesize national best practices, and develop an actionable strategy for policy reform. Participants will explore how FCBC has applied principles of collaborative leadership to navigate a fragmented system, foster public engagement, and drive forward a shared vision for equitable fertility care. The learning objectives are to (a) understand coalition-based advocacy strategies, (b) recognize the role of shared values in system transformation, and (c) identify practical tools for developing stakeholder-driven policy initiatives. Designed as an interactive workshop, the session will include facilitated discussion and case-based activities, enabling participants to apply lessons to their own leadership contexts. Patient and family voices are central to this work, ensuring advocacy efforts reflect lived experience. Aligned with the LEADS domains of Developing Coalitions and Systems Transformation, this presentation offers practical insights for healthcare leaders seeking to inspire change, foster collaboration, and chart a visionary course in times of uncertainty.

Speaker:
Penny Blesch - ED, The Fertility Coalition of BC

 

4.2 Innovating with Lived Expertise to Achieve Meaningful Equitable Progress: Pathways to Quality Mental Health Care

Findings from the Mental Health and Access to Care Survey (2022) suggest that there were more than 5 million people in Canada who were experiencing significant symptoms of mental illness. Everyone deserves the ability to access quality mental health care, regardless of location or circumstances.

To support this vision, HealthCareCAN and the Mental Health Commission of Canada are bringing forward a new implementation toolkit to support the Quality Mental Health Care Framework (QMHCF). Incorporating quality mental health care ensures meeting the needs of recipients while supporting a healthy work-life environment for providers. The QMHCF puts the patient at the centre of the dimensions and defines what quality mental health care looks like from their point of view. It helps service users recognize quality care through measurable dimensions, gives service users confidence that they’ll be heard and treated without stigma, and provides access to appropriate, trauma-informed care.

This 15-minute presentation will introduce the QMHCF and implementation toolkit that designed to support healthcare providers, administrators, system leaders, and policy makers enhance the quality of mental health care by equipping them with resources, case studies, and reflection questions. Attendees will be lead through a collaborative conversation with a person with lived and living experience who collaborated on the implementation toolkit. This conversation will focus on one dimension of the framework: equitable, which emphasizes care being accessible while recognizing the systemic inequities and barriers in place. This conversation will help create forward momentum towards fostering innovation, executing change, and overcoming obstacles to achieve meaningful progress.

Following this campfire presentation, attendees will be able to:

  1. Describe and understand key dimensions associated with quality mental health care.
  2. Identify ways to begin implementing the QMHCF utilizing the implementation toolkit.
  3. Engage effectively with people with lived and living experiences to improve equitable access to care.

Speakers:
Kamlesh Tello - Manager, Prevention and Promotion Initiatives, Mental Health Commission of Canada
Anita David - Co-Chair, Hallway Group, Mental Health Commission of Canada

 

5. Lightning sessions for an inspired future

5.1 Leading a Major Nursing Education Program Expansion: Key Leadership Insights and Strategies for Managing Change

Canada is facing a critical shortage of registered nurses, underscored by high nursing position vacancy rates and a growing demand for nurses. In response, the University of Manitoba expanded its Bachelor of Nursing program by 50%, increasing from 240 to 360 seats, including designated seats for Indigenous students. The program also transitioned to a three-term delivery model, optimizing clinical placements year-round and accelerating graduates' entry into the workforce.

A strong and vibrant nursing workforce is critical to promoting and fostering an inspired future. This initiative charts an inspiring way forward for expanding the nursing workforce for the future. It also offers a scalable model for other academic institutions seeking to address the critical nursing shortage through accelerated education and an increased number of registered nurse graduates.

Prior to the program expansion, leadership development sessions focused on the LEADS Framework were conducted for academic nurse leaders. Academic nurse leaders implemented the expansion, engaging with their staff, students, clinical partners and other stakeholders throughout the process. Feedback on the leadership practices that guided their work was collected through surveys and focus groups conducted during and after the program expansion process.

The learning objectives for this session include: to identify the leadership principles and strategies that guided the successful planning, implementation, and evaluation of the program expansion; to illustrate the key leadership lessons learned in navigating a significant change; to discuss the application of the LEADS as a Change Model.

Successful program expansion hinges on innovative and intentional leadership practices that are grounded in active team engagement, extensive consultation and collaboration across diverse stakeholders, open communication and adaptability. The LEADS as a change model served to navigate the complexities inherent in a major program expansion.

This initiative addresses the CCHL foundational commitments of sustainability of the healthcare workforce and EDI.

Speaker:
Netha Dyck - Associate Professor and former Dean, College of Nursing, University of Manitoba

 

5.2 Orientation Redesign for Workforce Retention: Acute Nursing at Vancouver Coastal Health

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) formally evaluated their Acute Nursing Orientation program. Results led to a collaboration across the health region, in which nursing leaders from diverse care areas worked together to understand existing gaps and design a new path forward.

Participants will come away with frameworks for evaluating and redesigning their own orientations, including a simplified evaluation framework and project plan.

Coming out of the pandemic, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) had been using online asynchronous learning to orient nurses to organization-wide standards, with unit educators then delivering related education at the unit level. This resulted in inconsistent learning across units, and dissatisfaction from both learners and clinical leadership.

Feedback from varied care areas required a collaborative effort using consensus decision making to find the common middle ground.

A new hire's onboarding experience has a direct relationship to that hire's intent to stay with an organization. With recruitment and retention being top of mind, this underscores the need to create engaging and effective orientation programs, that are also efficient enough to get nurses on the floor quickly.

Patient stories have been a key component to VCH’s Trauma-Informed Practice (TIP) approach. TIP and Indigenous Cultural Safety were threads woven throughout the new program, instead of being standalone subject matter.

Learners will be provided a link to sample evaluation framework and project plan templates that they can download and complete after the session.

It took hearing from everyone (learners, leaders, patients) to understand the scope of the problem. What was created via this collaboration - an interactive, hands-on 2-day program - is a sum of its parts, and early data is showing a significant increase in meeting program goals.

Speaker:
Jennifer Wilks - Regional Manager, Clinical Education, Vancouver Coastal Health

 

5.3 Navigating complexity through integrated care: Collaborative leadership in a community health centre

This session will explore how CUPS, a non-profit community health centre in Calgary, advances health equity through an integrated care model that addresses the combined effects of poverty, adversity, and systemic marginalization. By embedding collaboration across health, housing, and family development programs, CUPS delivers trauma-informed, low-barrier, and holistic care that meets clients’ urgent needs while fostering long-term well-being.

Participants will learn how CUPS engages staff, clients, and community partners in co-creating responsive services and driving strategic direction. This includes the intentional design of cross-functional teams, inclusion of lived experience through peer support and program co-development, and the establishment of a Client Advisory Committee that plays a central role in shaping policies and practices. CUPS' 2024–2028 strategic plan exemplifies collaborative leadership, developed with meaningful input from frontline staff and clients alike.

This session aligns with CCHL’s foundational commitments by promoting equity, Indigenous inclusion, and sustainability through wraparound services and authentic engagement. Leadership lessons include how to navigate complexity with shared purpose, foster trust-based relationships across disciplines, and create inclusive systems change.

Through this presentation, attendees will gain insights into building collaborative leadership cultures that honour the voices of clients and staff, align with planetary and social responsibility, and lead to better health and social outcomes.

Speaker:
Amy Leung - Manager of Clinical Servicces, CUPS Calgary

 

5.4 Embedding the LEADS framework within health administration curriculum: lessons learned from the School of Health Administration at Dalhousie University

LEADS (Lead Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Develop Coalitions, and Systems Transformation) in a Caring Environment is a comprehensive leadership capabilities framework used across the health system in Canada.To date, LEADS has been recognized as the preferred leadership framework for approximately 80% of Canadian healthcare organizations. However, there are no known applications of this framework used within Canadian educational settings related to student development. Moreover, there is a human resource shortage for health and leadership positions within Canada, and a need for trained and competent healthcare leaders. Thus, our study through the School of Health Administration at Dalhousie University sought to understand how curriculum over the course of the Master of Health Administration degree would align to this preferred leadership framework of the healthcare industry. Our study outlines the rationale for the adoption of LEADS as the competency framework guiding the graduate program, the process steps of mapping LEADS to the learning outcomes, provisional mapping identifying where each element of the framework would be developed and assessed across the graduate program, and the metrics and evaluation of the study to date. Our findings indicate that utilizing LEADS in a Caring Environment within the academic setting prepares future healthcare leaders with key skills, behaviours, abilities and knowledge that align with healthcare industry needs for future healthcare leaders.

Speaker:
Mike Moore - Associate Director, Dalhousie University

 

5.5 Building consensus among healthcare teams: Determining dietitian staffing ratio through a consensus building process

In the absence of evidence-based guidelines for dietitian staffing ratios (i.e. number of dietitian full time equivalents to number of beds) across diverse care settings, our team launched a quality improvement initiative to develop consensus-driven staffing ratios. Existing staffing benchmarks—used in budget planning, service proposals, and hospital redevelopment—were largely based on historical precedent, with limited alignment to current clinical demands or literature. Using a modified RAND/UCLA consensus method, we engaged experienced dietitian leaders through iterative rounds of anonymous surveys and structured meetings to co-create updated, evidence-informed staffing ratios. Consensus was defined as ≥80% agreement on a 7-point Likert scale. Consensus was achieved after three rounds developing dietitian staffing ratios in 35 unique care areas including inpatient (n=21), long term care (n=2), and outpatient (n=12)  Following the consensus process, a predictive validity study was conducted using secondary data to compare care quality indicators between units that met versus that did not meet the proposed staffing levels. This initiative represents a scalable model for engaging healthcare team expertise to fill evidence gaps while anchoring decision-making in consensus and measurable outcomes. Attendees in this session will gain insight into using structured consensus methods for workforce planning and quality improvement in the absence of guidelines. This project highlights leadership in system transformation, collaboration, and results-driven planning aligned with the LEADS framework.

Speakers:
TBC

 

5.6 Shaping the Way We Care: Enhancing the Model of Care in a Rural Ambulatory Setting

The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the work led by the Coastal Nursing Professional Practice Leads from Vancouver Coastal Health to enhance the model of care within the Sechelt Hospital Ambulatory Care Unit.

This initiative aimed to create a sustainable and efficient care model that optimizes resource utilization, expands service availability, and supports rural sites in addressing the Human Health Resource crisis, while improving patient access to timely, high-quality care.

The main objectives are to demonstrate how the BC Provincial Model of Care Framework can be used to enhance care models and to challenge participants to reflect on the importance of staff and patient engagement for successful uptake and positive change management. Furthermore, the presentation will emphasize the unique challenges of redesigning a care model in a resource-limited, rural environment and share lessons learned that could be applied to similar projects in the future.

Firstly, the seven steps of the framework will be described, focusing on staff and patient engagement methods used during data collection. This included staff and patient surveys, patient-journey mapping, nursing time trials, and validation of collected data prior to analysis. In parallel, we discovered the value of allocating dedicated resources for robust data collection and analysis.

Following this, there will be a discussion about the process of collaborating with leaders to put recommendations into action. Due to site leadership turnover, we learned about the importance of creating clear goals from the start and aligning with local priorities.

Also, there will be an overview of the current state, evaluation of the project and methods used, and next steps moving forward to ensure sustainability.

Lastly, the presentation will summarize key lessons learned about effective communication for change management, team building through collaboration, and achieving results through meaningful engagement with local staff, patient partners, and site leaders.

Speakers:
Natalie Smrz - Nursing Practice Initiatives Lead, Vancouver Coastal Health
Yenlinh Chung - Senior Nursing Practice Lead, Vancouver Coastal Health

 

Wednesday, October 29, 2025
13:30 - 15:00

6. Building bridges: collaborative leadership in perinatal and neonatal care

Collaboration is essential for addressing the unique challenges of perinatal and neonatal care, where patient and staff safety are critical. This panel presentation brings together healthcare leaders from across Canada to explore how cross-sector partnerships between healthcare organizations and national liability insurers can drive innovative and sustainable improvements in these critical care settings.

Panelists will share real-world examples of quality improvement initiatives towards improving safety in perinatal and neonatal care, supported by collaboration with liability insurers such as the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC). These efforts have strengthened trust, aligned goals, and improved outcomes in diverse healthcare environments, including rural and urban settings. Attendees will gain practical strategies for fostering collaboration and engaging physicians, staff, patients and families in safety initiatives, ensuring care delivery meets their unique needs while prioritizing equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Participant engagement is central to the presentation, using interactive polling and a “1-2-4 Share” exercise, where attendees work individually, in pairs, and groups for four to reflect on and share strategies for implementing collaborative leadership practices. These activities will provide actionable takeaways to work towards share safety goals.

Aligned with the CCHL’s commitments, this session emphasizes equity, and sustainability, by addressing how collaboration can support opportunities to improve safety. Healthcare leaders lessons learned include how the fields of risk management, human factors, patient safety, and quality improvement can support safety work, and how to integrate staff and patient voices into these efforts, to reflect lived experiences.

By the end of the session, attendees will understand the role of collaborative leadership, learn strategies to overcome barriers, and identify opportunities to drive systemic change in perinatal and neonatal care. This session offers an opportunity to build bridges between healthcare teams, organizations, and sectors, towards a common goal of creating the safest healthcare system.

Speakers:
Leah Thorp - Director, Education & Research Maternal and Children's Provincial Program, Saskatchewan Health Authority
Kathy Winsor - Director Families, Child Health, Rehabilitative Services, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services, Central Zone
Carleene Bañez -

 

7. Breaking silos to build strength: collaborative leadership for physician wellness

Physician health—especially burnout prevention—is increasingly recognized as a leadership imperative. Yet efforts to support it often remain fragmented across small associations or staff groups. This interactive workshop explores how bold, collaborative leadership can transform fragmented efforts to support physician health into system-level change—aligning with the CWHLC 2025 theme: Charting the course for an inspired future... Together!

Participants will learn from a real-world case study in which three independent physician member organizations came together to address a shared concern: the culture of medicine that discourages emotional expression, stigmatizes vulnerability, and isolates physicians. Presenters will share key moments in the collaboration’s evolution, including the challenges they faced - misaligned priorities, differences in organizational culture, uneven funding, and the need to navigate territoriality and limited physician engagement - as well as successes grounded in shared leadership, emotional connection, and collective resilience.

Through storytelling, discussion, and reflection, participants will examine leadership lessons learned, including how to:

  • Build trust across institutional cultures
  • Navigate limited resources and uneven engagement
  • Align diverse priorities to serve a broader community

Learning objectives include:

  1. Identifying barriers and enablers to collaboration across organizations
  2. Learning practical tools to support collaborative leadership and culture change
  3. Applying learning to participants' own circumstances

Engagement activities include a collaboration spectrum self-assessment, interest holder mapping, and small-group scenario discussions.

This session centers equity and inclusion by challenging cultural norms that silence physicians who are marginalized or struggling, and by modeling how organizations can lead change that benefits entire communities, not just their members.

While patient and family involvement is not a focus of this session, the work described ultimately aims to improve physician wellbeing, which is foundational to safe, compassionate care.

Participants will leave with inspiration to begin building coalitions of their own. and gain tools for reimagining health leadership through collaboration.

Speaker:
Kristin Atwood - Director, Care Innovations, Victoria Division of Family Practice
Erica Kjekstad
Becca Zwicker

 

8. LISTEN to lead: building adaptable, people-first health systems in an unpredictable world

In a time of constant disruption, healthcare leaders must go beyond managing change, they must embody adaptability and lead transformation from the inside out. This interactive workshop introduces the LISTEN Framework and Community Health Transformation (CHT) Model, proven approaches to building people-centred systems that thrive despite uncertainty.

Participants will learn how the LISTEN Framework activates deep listening, cultural humility, and trauma-informed leadership practices to create environments where both teams and communities can flourish. Through hands-on activities and real-world examples, leaders will explore shifting from reactive management to proactive, heart-centred transformation. Practical tools will be shared to immediately apply these concepts in many healthcare settings, emphasizing patient and family involvement, Indigenous health principles, and including equity, diversity, and inclusion in leadership actions.

Learning objectives include:

  • Apply the LISTEN Framework to cultivate adaptability and resilience within teams.
  • Use CHT principles to co-create people-first systems that embrace change.
  • Engage patient and family voices meaningfully in leadership decision-making.

This session is very relevant to healthcare leaders who want to "Chart the Course for an Inspired Future... Together" by leading self and engaging others with clarity, compassion, and vision.

Participants will leave prepared and excited to create innovation, collaboration, and sustainable change, while honouring patient and community voice, planetary health, and cultural safety. Leadership lessons on working around complexity, keeping up momentum, and empowering others will be explored in the workshop, ensuring attendees are prepared to create meaningful impact in our quickly evolving healthcare scenarios.

Speaker:
Diane Gudmundson - Individual, Retired NP, The Health Warrior

 

9. Navigating complex healthcare systems

9.1 From planting seeds to driving transformation - patient/family advisors with care providers & leaders co-designing healthcare improvement

Transforming or "making a difference" in healthcare quality and safety requires active involvement of those affected in care delivery and policy and receiving care. Co-design is an opportunity for care providers and leaders to partner with patients/families and for patients/families to be more then recipients of care. However, understanding the barriers and challenges around co-design readiness for quality and safety improvement or sustained transformation is critical for effective implementation. Our purpose is to share an innovative validated co-design approach for healthcare quality and safety improvement, and invite diverse stakeholders (i.e. care providers, leaders and patient/family advisors) to discuss both opportunities for application and potential challenges needing to be addressed. Participants will learn about (1) a tested and validated co-design approach applied and evaluated in over 22 different care settings, (2) the value of engaging key stakeholders in determining what needs to improve and how or what strategies can be implemented; and (3) measuring the impact of the co-design approach through experiences of all involved and targeted outcomes. Participants will take away a co-design approach guide and practical applications identified through the presentation, guide and interactive discussions. This session is relevant to 'creating a culture of adaptability' as co-design embraces the engagement of all stakeholders, including patients and families, equally in the design, implementation and evaluation of experiences and outcomes related to healthcare quality and safety improvement initiatives at care setting or policy levels. Co-design creates a culture shift as a result of everyone's involvement and sharing of care and policy transformation. The session also aligns with 'enhancing models of care' as co-design teaches teams to work and interact differently, enhancing person or patient-centred care. Leadership lessons learned include identifying the culture shift that happens through co-design and seeing direct application of resulting experiences and outcomes to the Quintuple Aim.

Speakers:
Katharina Kovacs Burns - Senior Provincial Consultant, Alberta Health Services
Marian George - Patient/Family Advisor, Alberta Health Services

 

9.2 Navigating the unknown: a conversation on building trust and shared vision in healthcare leadership

How do healthcare leaders build trust, maintain direction, and co-create an inspired future amid constant turbulence? In this campfire session, participants will engage in a reflective, interactive dialogue on the practical and human dimensions of leadership collaboration.

The conversation will open with a brief story of partnership lessons learned between leaders from articles published in Healthcare Management Forum, CCHL, and others in the health ecosystem. A representative from the LEADS program will relate experiences. Sue Owen will explore how building authentic relationships — with patients, families, teams, and system partners — provides a critical foundation for navigating evolving healthcare environments.

Attendees will be encouraged to share their experiences, insights, and challenges, co-constructing a collective understanding of trust, adaptability, and transformational leadership practices. Together, we will surface practical, adaptable tools for inspiring others and leading collaboratively through uncertainty.

Learning Objectives:

  • Reflect on personal and organizational experiences of partnership-building in healthcare.
  • Discover key practices that cultivate trust, resilience, and adaptability.
  • Co-create shared leadership tools for navigating complexity and uncertainty.

Speakers:
Don Juzwishin - Adjunct Professor, University of Victoria
Sue Owen - President & CEO, Canadian College of Health Leaders

10. TBC

 

11. Coaches' Corner

Take your leadership to the next level. Come and speak with leaders from across Canada in a one-on-one setting. Hear personal leadership stories, ask questions and gain valuable advice. Leaders of health regions, hospitals, private sector and community organizations, from coast to coast, will be available to provide armchair coaching in relaxed surroundings. This session is ideal for emerging or mid-career leaders looking for advice and feedback from some of Canada’s most respected health leaders.

Note that pre-registration is required to attend the Coaches' Corner Sessions.

Sponsored by: Roche

 

Thursday, October 30, 2025
10:00 - 11:00

TBC

 

Optional Events

CHE Program One-on-One Consultations

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet in a “One-on-One” setting with Stéphane Joannette, Manager of Professional Certifications and Strategic Alliances at The Canadian College of Health Leaders during the 2025 CWHLC to answer some of your questions and to gain insights on the CHE Program.

 

Our Sponsors

Hoping to gain exposure, build good will, and connect with health leaders?

Sponsoring CCHL’s Canada West Health Leaders Conference might be the perfect approach.

With a stellar program, we know that the Canada West Health Leaders Conference will provide an inspiring and interactive environment for top decision makers in the healthcare field and will offer you many networking opportunities. The College is offering a number of levels of sponsorship. Each level provides the sponsor with a significant list of benefits and opportunities. Flexibility is available at each level.

Please contact Jaime Cleroux at jcleroux@cchl-ccls.ca with any questions.

 

Bronze

BC College of Nurses & Midwives logo

Interior Health Logo

Directed

 

 

Venue

Victoria Conference Centre
720 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC V8W 3M7, Canada

 

Accommodations

Fairmont Empress

 
721 Government Street
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1W5
Canada Toll-free:  1-800-230-6922
Tel: 250-384-8111
Online booking: Click here to make your reservation.
www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/

Known as Castle on the Coast, Fairmont Empress is in the heart of Victoria, BC, steps away from the British Columbia Parliament Buildings. This Forbes Four-Star, 4-Diamond landmark property is celebrated for its reputation for providing legendary hospitality and highly personalized service for more than 115 years.

In June 2017, Fairmont Empress completed a $60+ Million restoration that celebrates its proud history while moving the hotel into a new era of modern luxury: transforming this iconic property into an elegant must-visit destination for the world's discerning travelers.

The Empress offers 431 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, Willow Stream Spa with signature West Coast experiences, Q at the Empress Restaurant featuring Pacific Northwest cuisine and award-winning wine list, Q Bar’s regionally focused cocktail culture, and a reimagined Fairmont Gold Lounge with stunning views of Victoria’s Inner Harbour, one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.

A grand tradition for over a century, the world-renowned Fairmont Empress has served England’s most beloved ritual of afternoon tea to famed royalty, celebrities, and dignitaries alike. Reinvigorated in our timeless, sophisticated Lobby Lounge, Tea at the Empress continues this quintessentially Victoria experience.

Fairmont Room                         $249.00 (single/double occupancy)
Deluxe Room                            $279.00 (single/double occupancy)
Fairmont Harbour View             $319.00 (single/double occupancy)
Deluxe Harbour View                $349.00 (single/double occupancy)

Room rates do not include 5% GST, 11% PST and Destination Marketing Fee of 1% plus tax. Applicable taxes are subject to change.

Reservations must be made by September 23, 2025, to benefit from the conference rate.

Hotel Cancellation Policy
To avoid a charge of one night room plus tax please cancel at least 72 hours prior to arrival. An early departure fee of 50% of the room rate will apply if you shorten your stay after check-in. No Show rule: 1 night room and tax will be charged for No-Shows.

 

Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour

Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour
725 Humboldt Street
Victoria, British Columbia V8W 1B1
Canada Toll-free:  1-855-821-4553
Tel: 250-480-3800
Online booking: Click here to reserve your room.
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/yyjmc-victoria-marriott-inner-harbour

An oasis of elegant style and sought-after amenities in the heart of downtown Victoria. Situated in a prime location, the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour provides excellent access to the very best our city has to offer.

Experience Victoria’s abundance of charming character, on display through the British colonial architecture, expansive formal gardens and captivating waterfronts. Take in magical views from the water abroad a ferry at Inner Harbour Causeway, dive deep into history at Royal BC Museum.

Dine in relaxed sophistication at a variety of local restaurants, including our onsite Fire & Water Restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner or book a seat with our Le Petit Chef (www.lepetitchef.com/victoria) and enjoy a magical 3D dining experience.

After your day of exploration, retreat to your newly renovated room featuring high-speed Wi-Fi and expansive windows. Work up a sweat at our 24-hour fitness centre and make a splash in our indoor pool and hot tub. Whether traveling for leisure or business, or a bit of both, get your taste of the Pacific Coast at our pet-friendly hotel in downtown Victoria.

Deluxe Room                            $235.00 (single/double occupancy)

Hotel’s room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes (currently 17.16% in effect at the time of check-out.

Reservations must be made by September 29, 2025, to benefit from the conference rate.

Hotel Cancellation Policy
Guests may cancel reservations three business days prior to arrival with no penalty. First night’s Room & Tax will be charged if cancellations are received 3 days or less prior to arrival, or for any No Show reservations.

 

For more information

Conferences & Events Team
conference@cchl-ccls.ca


See our
past Canada West Health Leaders Conferences

View our past CWHLC conferences: Find Out More