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MILTON, Ontario – Dr. Erik Johnson, an internationally celebrated author and veterinarian, will be at the Congress 2006 Conference on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006. Noted for his sense of humor and encyclopedic knowledge of koi, Dr. Johnson will lead a three-hour workshop on fish retailing.
The three-day Congress Conference, with more than 50 hours of horticultural and landscape programming, will take place concurrently with the Congress trade show held Jan. 10 to 12 at the Toronto Congress Centre.
“Everyone is so busy nowadays that we wanted to make sure the conference offered practical tips could be used immediately,” said Pat Hillmer, conference coordinator for Landscape Ontario. “Whether it’s plants, technology or business management, everyone is looking for an edge and a way to improve. The Conference provides that edge.”
This year’s Conference will offer sessions on executing a business plan and on increasing marketshare and profitability. Additionally, Kip Creel, a green industry analyst, will examine new research that reveals what garden center and landscape consumers really want. Some contractor-oriented seminars include a focus on compact machine technology and water features.
On the green side, the Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture team is back with its popular “Perfect Plant Picks,” and Ken Parker will return with a talk about companion plantings and native trees and shrubs.
In recognition of excellent industry support, Congress is introducing new sponsorhip levels of Gold, Silver and Bronze. Aquascape Designs, General Motors of Canada, Husqvarna Forest & Garden and John Deere Limited are among the gold sponsors for this year’s event.
A complete program of events is available at www.locongress.com.
At the trade show, Congress exhibitors will cover all aspects of the green industry including plant material, landscape construction equipment and supplies, design, lawn and turf maintenance, irrigation and a wide selection of hard goods.
“We are always looking for ways to keep the trade show floor fresh and lively,” says Paul Day, show manager. “For 2006, we’re adding a series of short seminars directly on the show floor about the use of small engines. Also, we’re holding a contest to introduce a third student garden to the existing Humber and Fanshawe College gardens.”
The New Product Showcase at the event is a juried display where visitors may vote for the best new product.
Congress, one of the top five horticultural lawn and garden trade shows in North America is produced by Landscape Ontario and features over 650 exhibitors with a strong international contingent. Last year, there was a 14 percent increase in attendance at the trade show with more than 13,000 attendees. The concurrent conference attracted more than 1,000 delegates.
Landscape Ontario has 2,200 member companies across the green industry