Festival runs Nov. 10 - 11 at Rebel, Toronto
HRFest Canada 2026 opens at Rebel in Toronto on Tuesday, Nov. 10, giving registered human resources (HR) professionals less than a week to plan two days across five stages and more than 120 speakers.
Organizers expect more than 750 HR professionals, executives and innovation leaders, with more than 60 hours of programming and 40-plus networking activities.
HRFest Canada 2026 logistics and stage map
The festival runs Nov. 10 and 11, 2026. There is no single plenary room, so attendees build their own schedule, as set out in HRD Canada's guide to the five HRFest Canada 2026 stages.
The Hangar is the main stage for keynote panels, live debates and podcast recordings. The Vault is the smaller, practitioner-first room, with open-mic segments and live legal question-and-answer sessions.
The Lab runs capacity-limited workshops that each produce a usable template, checklist or plan. The Loft serves mid-career managers and directors. The Leaders Forum, capped at 300 chief human resources officers (CHROs) and senior people leaders, runs off the record and requires a separate ticket.
Don't-miss moments, stage by stage
At The Hangar, Erin Kuzz, founding partner at Sherrard Kuzz LLP in Toronto, joins the Risk Radar panel on artificial intelligence (AI) in hiring and Ontario's shifting compliance rules.
At The Vault, Miller Thomson LLP lawyer Lisa Goodfellow moderates the Legal Hot Seat, built on questions from the floor. At The Lab, Kalifa Oliver, senior director of technology, people and legal analytics at Lowe's, leads a session on making people analytics land with the C-suite.
In the Leaders Forum on Nov. 11, Shawn Gibson, CHRO at Info-Tech Research Group in London, Ont., and Julie Turner, CHRO at McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto, present "Selling the Stack to the CEO: An HRIS Transformation Story."
Advice from the tunnel
Tom Duke, national labour and employment practice group leader at legal sponsor Miller Thomson in Edmonton, expects candid questions, as covered in our report on the 12 Miller Thomson lawyers heading to HRFest. "People will feel free to ask questions that maybe aren't impacting them right now today, but they think are going to be an issue in the coming weeks and months," he says.
Sandro Mezzacappa, chief marketing officer at Montreal-based Applauz, wants attendees to arrive with one problem. "Think about the one question that keeps you up at night in HR and come see us at booth 30," he says.
Kristen Gill, director of corporate partnerships and sales at wellness sponsor GoodLife Fitness, urges HR leaders to protect their own well-being, a theme explored in GoodLife Fitness's plans for workplace wellness at HRFest. "I can't look after other people if I'm not looking after myself," she says.
Final checklist before Nov. 10
Confirm your ticket type, especially if you plan to enter the Leaders Forum.
Map Hangar and Vault sessions in advance, since stages run simultaneously, and arrive early for Lab workshops. Bring one live problem for the legal sessions and sponsor booths.
Helen Ashton, vice-president of people, culture and customer experience at Grand & Toy in Toronto, sums up the case for showing up. "You have so much to gain and absolutely nothing to lose," she says.
