CERIC 2024 Annual Report now available: Fuelling 20 Years of Impact
July 7, 2025
Canada’s premier bilingual career development conference, Cannexus26, is now open for registration with Super Saver rates available until September 5. The conference will take place from January 26-28, 2026, both virtually and in-person at the Rogers Centre in Ottawa.
Under the theme “Evolving Work, Expanding Impact: 20 Years of Cannexus,” this milestone anniversary event promises to bring close to 2,000 career and workforce professionals together to explore the profound transformations in the world of work and the expanding role of career development in navigating this complexity.
As a delegate, you can choose to “Experience Cannexus Your Way as part of Canada’s largest conference of its kind. The highly accessible virtual conference runs over two days, January 26 & 27, while the in-person conference offers an immersive experience spanning 2.5 days from January 26-28. Both experiences feature largely separate programs but shared keynotes and main stage sessions for all delegates to interact.
Super Saver rates for the virtual conference start at $270 and in-person rates start at $500. Members of supporting organizations receive 20% off either virtual or in-person registration. The 20% discount is also available for groups of 5 or more from the same organization. Students can take advantage of deeply discounted pricing. All delegates get access to the virtual recordings after the conference for three months.
This year, delegates can choose to attend a pre-conference workshop in Ottawa to enrich their conference experience. Building Hope: A Hands-on Approach to Career Conversations with LEGO and Metaphors will be held on Sunday, January 25. Led by Andrea Fruhling, Founding Director of DoubleKnot Works, this interactive session offers an innovative approach to career conversations, using LEGO to build tactile metaphors and deepen awareness at all stages of the career development process.
Sonny Wong, Registered Psychotherapist, has been announced as Cannexus26’s first keynote speaker. His keynote, “Making the Invisible Visible: Celebrating Career Practitioners in the Age of AI,” will take place on Monday, January 26. The session will explore how to ethically integrate AI into client service delivery without dehumanizing clients and de-legitimatizing the profession.
The Cannexus26 schedule teases plenty of highlights for delegates to discover, with the full program to be posted by late September. Delegates can also look forward to these conference features:
- An expanded national gathering of Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) program holders coming together for open discussion and sharing of wise practices
- Different presentation types including shorter “carousel” sessions, more interactive workshops and a new Sector Leaders stream
- Special anniversary programming to mark the conference’s 20th anniversary
Sessions at Cannexus26 will explore some of the most pressing issues and ideas shaping career and workforce development today across key themes including Career Development Practices and Theories; Career Education and Learning for K-12 and Young Adults; Career Development Sector Leadership and Advocacy; Indigeneity, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Innovations and Trends in Career Development; Specialized Career Supports and Programs; and Workplace, Employers and Employee Careers.
The Marilyn Van Norman Bursary is open to support community-based career development or employment practitioners to attend the in-person Cannexus conference. The application deadline is September 30, 2025.
Additional information is available on:
- Discounted hotels near the Rogers Centre
- Reduced fares to travel by plane or train
- Events and activities to enjoy in Ottawa
- Frequently asked questions about the conference
- Testimonials from past attendees about the conference
Cannexus is presented by CERIC and supported by The Counselling Foundation of Canada and a broad network of partners. For more information on the conference and to register, visit cannexus.ceric.ca.