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About Summit 2026
The Summit on Creative Community Solutions is an annual event hosted and organized by Laurier’s Hub for Community Solutions and the City of Brantford. The Summit highlights meaningful partnerships between communities and universities across a wide range of fields, disciplines, and areas of practice.
The 2026 Summit will be held November 4 and 5, 2026, at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Centre in Brantford, Ontario. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Hub for Community Solutions and provides an opportunity to celebrate what has been accomplished while creating new connections for the future.
The Summit for Creative Community Solutions 2026 is made possible thanks to support from the City of Brantford, Enterprise Brant, and Laurier's Office of Research Services.
There is no registration fee, and you do not need to present to take part. Attendance is welcome and encouraged for those who are not presenting. We warmly encourage community members, students, practitioners, and others interested in community-university partnerships to attend, connect, and join the conversation. Travel subsidies will also be available for students and others who may need financial support to participate. Please register using this form.
We look forward to seeing you at Summit 2026!
Questions? Email us at communityhub@wlu.ca
Previous Years
The second Summit for Creative Community Solutions, hosted by the Laurier Hub for Community Solutions, took place on May 8, 2025. This year’s theme, Bridging the Gap: Connections, Accessibility, and Sustainability for Communities, explored how to strengthen community integration, address the challenges between academic and real-world applications, and promote sustainability.
The Summit featured a dynamic array of keynote addresses, interactive workshops, and engaging panel discussions, all designed to spark creativity and inspire useful change. In addition, the event included artistic performances, demonstrating how creativity can be leveraged to tackle social issues and foster a deeper sense of belonging within communities.
The panel topics for Summit 2025 focused on critical aspects of community development. The Community Connections and Integration panels explored strategies to strengthen relationships among cultural groups and across many generations, promoting inclusive communities. The Accessibility in Knowledge and Skills Sharing panels addressed the alignment of academic research with community needs, ensuring that education and training are equipping individuals for societal and economic demands. Finally, the Sustainability and Resilience panels emphasized the importance of urban-rural partnerships, support for sustainable practices in underserved communities, and the pursuit of sustainable economic development.
Keynotes
Summit 2025 will include Lucy Marco, Executive Director of the Grand River Council on Aging; Dr. Alexis Buettgen, Assistant Professor of Psychology; and Rita-Marie Hadley, Director of Lansdowne Children’s Centre.
Lucy Marco Dr. Alexis Buettgen Rita-Marie Hadley
The day featured inspiring keynote speakers, thought-provoking panels, interactive workshops, and creative performances, all designed to spark dialogue and action.
The Summit for Creative Community Solutions 2025 was presented in partnership by Wilfrid Laurier University and the City of Brantford, and made possible thanks to support from Enterprise Brant, Laurier’s Sustainability Office, Laurier's Office of Research Services, the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association, Laurier Brantford Grants and Chamber of Commerce Brantford-Brant.
Eric Meliton, Manager of Laurier’s Sustainability Office, said, “The inaugural Summit for Creative Community Solutions showcased diverse perspectives on innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. As part of our support, the Sustainability Office offered a tour of key projects and initiatives at the Brantford campus, highlighting our 2023-2028 Sustainability Action Plan.”
Peter Smith, Founder and Creative Director of the Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity and a presenter at the Summit, described the event as follows: “The Summit brought together so many creative voices from a number of different communities and in that weave, a lot of stories got told - stories that offered not only food for thought - but ideas for action.” The Summit clearly showcased the power of community and the potential that emerges when people come together with a shared vision for a better future.
To learn more about 2024's Summit “Innovation, Sustainability, Inclusion”, please visit Summit 2024 Schedule.
Contact Us:
Christina Han, Director LHCS
E: communityhub@wlu.ca
Office Location:
Market Darling Centre, Room 105, 67 Darling St. Brantford, ON, N3T 2L6