Polytechnics move at the speed of industry. Through strong partnerships in diverse sectors – from manufacturing to energy to defence – institutions respond to the real-time needs of the communities they serve. Partnerships inform curriculum, are the basis of applied research projects and enable work-integrated learning opportunities that prepare students for an evolving world.
1) I am driving to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel to attend the Opening Reception on May 12 or the Breakfast on May 13 and/or May 14. Where can I park?
Paid parking is available at Pearson International Airport. Look for hotel parking signs.
2) What are the public transportation options for getting to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel?
There are many public transportation options for getting to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, including taking the Union-Pearson Express from downtown Toronto. Trains run every 15 minutes, seven days a week – a convenient and inexpensive transportation option!
3) When and where is the Opening Reception?
To kick off the Showcase, delegates and special guests are invited to attend our Opening Reception on May 12 at 5:30pm at the Gateway Ballroom, located at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel. All delegates and invited guests are welcome!
4) When and where is breakfast being served?
Breakfast will be offered in the Gateway Ballroom at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel starting at 7:00am. Shuttles will depart for Humber Polytechnic starting at 8:30am on both May 13 and 14. All delegates are welcome!
5) When do shuttles depart from the Sheraton Gateway Hotel to Humber Polytechnic? How long is the walk from the shuttle drop-off point to the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (Barrett CTI)?
Shuttles will depart the Sheraton Gateway starting at 8:30am on May 13 and 14 heading to Humber Polytechnic. It is an approximately 15-minute shuttle ride. Regardless of where you’re staying, all delegates are welcome!
The walk from the shuttle drop-off point at Humber Polytechnic to Barrett CTI is less than a minute.
6) Is parking available at Humber Polytechnic?
Complimentary parking is available in Lot 7, the parking lot closest to the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation. Enter at the kiosk and tell the attendant that you are attending the Polytechnic Showcase.
7) Where will Showcase registration be located?
Register and pick up your delegate bag and name badge at the following locations:
- The Gateway Ballroom in the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, from 7:00am – 8:30am
- Showcase information table in the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (Barrett CTI) at Humber Polytechnic, starting at 8:15am.
8) What is the 2026 Polytechnic Showcase dress code?
The dress code for the 2026 Polytechnic Showcase is business casual attire.
9) Is luggage storage available at Humber Polytechnic?
Luggage storage will be available at Humber Polytechnic. Please notify the Showcase information table upon arrival to take advantage of this service.
10) When I registered, I noted dietary restrictions. Is there a place where special meals will be available?
Please see meal attendants at both the Sheraton Gateway Hotel (for breakfast) and Humber Polytechnic (for lunches) for meal choices requiring special accommodation.
11) Where can I register for a tour of Humber Polytechnic?
Humber is offering tours in each concurrent session timeslot, two of the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation, two of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, and two of the Longo Faculty of Business. Check out the full program to learn when each tour is offered.
Delegates interested in participating in one of the three tours can register at information tables located at:
- The Sheraton Gateway Hotel
- The Barrett CTI at Humber Polytechnic
Tours are limited to 15 people. Register early to reserve your spot!
12) Where can I access event information digitally?
Scan the QR code on the back of your event badge or the Program to access detailed Showcase information. The following information is included:
- 2026 Polytechnic Showcase Program
- 2026 Polytechnic Showcase Speakers
- Territorial Acknowledgement
- Delegate List
- Event Partners
13) When and where is the Dinner Reception?
The Dinner Reception will take place on May 13 at 5:15pm at the Learning Resource Commons (LRC) Concourse. It is across the road from Barrett CTI.
14) When do shuttles depart from the Dinner Reception heading to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel?
Shuttles will depart the Dinner Reception on May 13 at 7:15pm and 7:45pm heading back to the Sheraton Gateway Hotel. Shuttle pick-up is located next to Lot 7.
15) What shuttle options are available after the Showcase’s closing remarks?
Shuttles will be available on May 14 at 2:00pm heading back to Sheraton Gateway Hotel. The Sheraton Gateway Hotel is located at Pearson International airport. Shuttle pick-up is located next to Lot 7.
Polytechnics Canada invites delegates to join us for a reception on the evening of Tuesday, May 12 at 5:30pm to kick off our 2026 Polytechnic Showcase!
The evening reception will take place at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel, located at Terminal 3, Toronto Pearson Airport.
Guests traveling to the Sheraton may choose from public transit (via the Union Pearson Express), rideshare or taxi services, or airport parking for a fee.
Attendance is restricted to delegates and invited guests.
Managing Director, eatbigfish
In a world of ever-increasing constraint, a problem-solver outlook can be the difference between being a victim of circumstance or meeting the moment to create something even better. Drawing on research and real-world examples from across sectors, Anne Marie will explore how stretch ambition, paired with constraint, can spark inventive and practical solutions to complex challenges. With experience spanning sectors from consumer goods and banking to hospitality and healthcare, Anne Marie brings a powerful perspective on navigating complexity and leading meaningful change. This keynote will offer a surprisingly simple roadmap that consistently delivers the mindset, method and motivation for developing solutions to what at first seem unsolvable challenges.
Anne Marie Armstrong is the Managing Director of eatbigfish, the global Challenger consultancy that helps brands unlock disproportionate growth by challenging category conventions.
A brand strategist forged client-side, Anne Marie spent 16 years inside some of the world’s most demanding marketing organisations including Colgate Palmolive, Kellogg’s, and Molson Coors, where she led Coors Light to become the #1 beer in Canada.
Anne Marie has helped a broad range of clients chart their brand strategies and solve business issues to create breakthrough opportunities for growth. From big iconic Canadian brands like Tim Hortons, Royal Bank of Canada, Joe Fresh and Four Seasons Resorts, she thrives on unearthing actionable insights and delivering strategies and solutions that get results.
Today she partners with senior leadership teams worldwide, working with global brands including Heineken, Coca-Cola and Boston Scientific, helping legacy players rediscover their edge and challenger brands scale without losing their soul. Anne Marie is a trusted advisor to CMOs navigating reinvention. She brings a rare combination of insider credibility and outsider provocation, and a firm belief that challenging convention is exactly where the magic happens.
President, Higher Education Strategy Associates
Canada’s post-secondary institutions are at an important crossroads as the sector goes through a fundamental restructuring that was neither planned nor executed with its long-term health in mind. Rather than getting stuck in reaction-mode, institutions need to band together to embrace a level of shared ambition that will energize government funders and galvanize private sector partners. In this session, one of Canada’s best known post-secondary observers will lay out his vision for a sector that learns from one another, imagines together and builds a compelling vision for the future of public post-secondary education.
Alex Usher is the President of Higher Education Strategy Associates. He is an internationally recognized expert on a range of fields within higher education, including student financial aid, quality measurement, rankings and public financing. He also has wide experience in strategic planning at both the institutional and system level.
Alex is the lead author of the annual higher education almanac The State of Post-Secondary Education in Canada and the co-author of the premier statistical handbook on global tertiary education World Higher Education: Institutions, Students and Funding. His internationally read daily intelligence newsletter, One Thought to Start Your Day, has over 17,000 subscribers.
Prior to founding Higher Education Strategy Associates in 2009, Alex served as the Director of Educational Policy Institute Canada and prior to that he was the Director of Research and Program Development at the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation. He holds degrees from McGill University and Carleton University. When Alex is not thinking about post-secondary systems and outcomes, he can be found raiding used bookstores for their most eccentric titles, cheering for Toronto FC, or obsessing about sumo.
The Sheraton Gateway Hotel is Polytechnics Canada’s host hotel for the 2026 Showcase, offering convenient accommodation for out-of-town delegates with its direct connection to Pearson airport. Shuttles will be provided between the Sheraton and Humber Polytechnic. Our preferred booking rate has now expired, but reservations can still be made through the hotel’s booking site. Book here.
Alternative nearby accommodations include the Alt Hotel Toronto Airport. Delegates can easily travel between the Alt and Sheraton for breakfast and access to event shuttles via Pearson’s complimentary Link Train. Our booking rate has now expired, but reservations can still be made through the hotel’s booking site. Book here.
Theme Partner
Opening Reception Partner
Opening Keynote Partner
Closing Keynote Partner
Day 1 Lunch Partner
Day 2 Lunch Partner
Day 1 Breakfast Partner
Networking Partner
Registration Partner
Digital Partner
Interested in becoming a partner? Download our sponsorship prospectus and contact Bola Adisa at bola@polytechnicscanada.ca.
As one of Canada’s largest and most comprehensive polytechnics, Humber builds what has yet to be imagined. With credentials from short-cycle diplomas to baccalaureate and master’s degrees, polytechnics are designed for speed, relevance and impact. Humber adapts quickly, responds directly to industry needs and converts knowledge into tangible outcomes for learners, employers and partners. This combination of program relevance and applied research drives meaningful change in local and global communities.
About the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation:
Located at Humber Polytechnic’s North Campus in Toronto, the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation is a 93,000 square foot standalone facility, designed to be a powerhouse of technological innovation and to leverage Humber’s proven leadership in:
- Automation and Robotics
- Systems Integration
- Design
- Augmented and Virtual Realities
- User Experience Testing
Working with our industry partners, we provide small- to medium-sized enterprises, faculty members and students with cutting-edge resources throughout the Barrett CTI’s many interactive labs, technology zones and maker spaces. Partners, SMEs, faculty members and students work together as collaborative teams to tackle business challenges.
Toronto is a vibrant, world-class city where culture, cuisine and creativity collide. From the iconic CN Tower to eclectic neighbourhoods like Kensington Market and the historic Distillery District, the city offers something for every visitor. Experience globally inspired dining, major league sports, renowned festivals and a thriving arts scene all within a welcoming, walkable urban landscape.
Showcase delegates staying at the Sheraton Gateway Hotel can enjoy convenient access to downtown Toronto via the Union Pearson Express. Guests can catch the train from Terminal 1 and arrive downtown in just 25 minutes!
To learn more about what Toronto has to offer, visit Destination Toronto’s website.
If you have any questions about our Polytechnic Showcase please contact us at events@polytechnicscanada.ca