October 28–30, 2025 | Victoria Conference Centre, BC
Hosted by the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL)
With our 2025 Canada West Health Leaders Conference (CWHLC) complete, the time has come to share our reflections and key learnings. The College was thrilled to welcome delegates from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia and the Territories to explore how leadership, innovation, and empathy can shape system transformation in an era of complexity.
At the outset of our planning, we were focused on enabling a high impact experience for our participants. We listened to and learned from our past delegates that you wanted to be inspired – and you wanted time to interact. Our early careerists shared that they wanted to leave with new skills or tools. Early feedback suggests that we were successful in achieving this goal.
Inspiring Speakers and Engaged Dialogue
CWHLC 2025 featured an outstanding lineup of speakers who blended real-world and non healthcare experience with strong take-away messages.
A big thank you to Chris Bergeron, creative executive and trans advocate, whose message on courage, authenticity, and inclusion resonated deeply with leaders navigating uncertainty. Ditto Julie Angus, scientist and adventurer, whose presentation “Rowboat in a Hurricane,” emphasized the importance of staying focused on purpose, even amid chaos – a metaphor that many health leaders connected to post-pandemic system recovery. Our audience truly enjoyed hearing from Stephen Smith, Chair of Rise Air and aviation executive whose insights into teamwork, precision, and communication under pressure drew strong parallels to healthcare’s high-stakes environments.
Our early careerists flocked to “Coaches’ Corner” as well as our first-ever CV reviewing workshop. A big thank you to our coaches and mentors. Your work is both valued and invaluable.
Conference Insights and Participation Trends
While the conference was widely praised for its energy and practical learning, participation numbers were slightly below pre-pandemic levels. We at CCHL are aware of the challenges associated with attending conferences. For the future, we are exploring hybrid event formats, regional chapter partnerships, and micro-learning options to reach a wider audience of health leaders, particularly in rural, remote, and under-represented communities. Stay tuned for updates.
We all experience conferences differently. Here are my key takeaways – and I’d love to hear about yours.
- Lead with Empathy and Presence
Authentic leadership starts with relational connection. Empathy is not soft, it’s strategic. Leaders who listen deeply and validate others foster trust, engagement, and retention. - Foster Psychological Safety and Bold Dialogue
Speakers emphasized the value of safe, inclusive spaces for dissent and creativity. True innovation emerges when teams feel secure to challenge norms and take risks. - Adaptability is the New Core Competency
Drawing on Julie Angus’s “storm” metaphor, adaptability (balancing focus with flexibility) is now a defining capability for leaders in complex, evolving systems. - Collaborate Across Boundaries
Whether across professions, organizations, or geographies, effective leadership requires coalition-building. As Stephen Smith noted, collaboration is the “aerodynamics” of high-functioning systems. - Invest in Continuous Learning and Mentorship
The Coaches’ Corner model illustrated how leadership is sustained through shared wisdom. Building mentorship structures at every career level is essential to a resilient health-leadership ecosystem.
Final Reflections
The Canada West Health Leaders Conference reinforces why CCHL remains Canada’s leading voice in leadership development. Powerful speakers, an engaged community, and a renewed focus on empathy, adaptability, and collaboration, this year’s gathering is a reminder to leaders that the future of Canadian healthcare will be shaped together.
Sincerely,
Sue Owen, CHE
President & CEO
Canadian College of Health Leaders
