Convention

Our Conventions

Annually, during the last week of April, the SILGA delegates gather to debate resolutions, get educated on local government matters and network with each other. The convention location moves between communities in the Southern Interior region.  The City of Merritt will be our host for 2025. 

The convention will be held at the Merritt Civic Centre. Dates are April 29th to May 2nd. See you there! 

 

 

norm+bio

Keynote Speaker
Norm Van Eeden Petersman

Norm Van Eeden Petersman is the Director of Movement Building at Strong Towns.  Norm has published articles on housing, transportation, faith and culture and his writing appears regularly on the Strong Towns site.  He is an energetic enthusiast for the work that Strong Towns members do around the world.  

Norm spent 10 years pastoring churches in Canada as a preacher, teacher and leader.  He’s worked in communications and stakeholder outreach for the Mayor of Surry BC and the Federal Minister of Health. Norm’s been a tree planter and construction laborer. He grew up on a dairy farm in Alberta.  Today he coaches soccer, promotes cycling and advocates for better land use in the community of Delta as the leader of Deltans for People-oriented Places. 

Networking Events

Tuesday Evening Pub Night will be held at three different venues. Each venue will have a theme – karaoke, trivia, and wine tasting – but all are within walking distance of each other. 

The architecturally stunning Nicola Valley Institute of Technology will be the venue for the Wednesday Welcome Reception. Come enjoy a showcase of Merritt performers of all ages.

Bring your cowboy boots to our Thursday banquet! Feast on traditional smokehouse barbeque with a modern touch while dancing to the Coquihalla Coyotes. Cocktails start at 6:00pm, banquet at 6:30pm, and music begins at 8:00pm. 

Garry Youd, Logan Lake

2025 Program

View the convention program below. The schedule is up-to-date as of February 10th, 2025.

Registration

 Registration opens on February 14th, 2025.

Early Bird registration runs until March 8th, and registration closes April 1st, 2025.

  

Click the link to go directly to the Registration Portal.

Myra Canyon

I

Clinton Trading Post

Accommodations

Merritt Comfort Inn

Call 250-315-0237 and ask for the 2025 SILGA Convention rate

 

Merritt Best Western

Call 250-378-0700 and ask for the 2025 SILGA Convention rate

 

Ramada Inn, Merritt

Call 250-378-3567 and ask for the 2025 SILGA Convention rate

 

Quality Inn, Merritt

Call 250-378-4253 and ask for the 2025 SILGA Convention rate

 

Complimentary breakfast is available at all four hotels.    

Resolutions

Resolution deadline for 2025 is February 21st, 2025.

Click here for the 2024 Voted Resolutions.  

2024 SILGA Resolutions 

UBCM Resolution Procedures and Database

Picking peaches at Paynter's Fruit Market
West Kelowna peach orchard

Late Resolutions

Resolutions not received by February 21st will be considered late resolutions and must go through the following procedures to be considered at the AGM.

Late resolutions may only be introduced if received by the Resolutions Committee Chair at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the commencement of an Annual Meeting. Only emergent resolutions of a regional nature received after the deadline will be considered for acceptance by the resolution committee.  Submissions must include the rationale as to why the resolution would be considered emergent. 

Please click here for the AGM rules and procedures handbook.

This Year's Nominations

Nominations

Nominations for the 2024-25 SILGA Board of Directors will close on February 29th.  Positions to be filled are President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President and seven Directors. One member of the SILGA board must be an Electoral Area Director of a member Regional District. Those presently serving may run for another term if they so wish.  Nominations from the floor will be accepted. 

                             2024 SILGA Nomination Report 

2025 Sponsors

Without the continued support of the following sponsors, the SILGA convention wouldn't be such a success!

Gold Sponsors

Enbridge

Fortis BC

General Sponsors

Municipal Finance Authority of BC

Silver Sponsors

Barkman Concrete

BDO Canada

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

Council of Forest Industries (COFI)

CUPE

ETSI-BC

ICBC

Municipal Insurance Association of BC

Trans Mountain Expansion

Bronze and Recognition Sponsors

Association of Interior Realtors

Association of Mineral Exploration

BC Hydro

 Fulton 

Lidstone & Co. 

McElhanney

Urban Systems

Salmon Arm Trade Show
exhibitors - Aleksi, Ronan and Ron

Trade Show Exhibitors

Association of Mineral Exploration

Barkman Concrete

BC Assessment

BC Dairy

BC Hydro

BCLC

BC Nurses Union

BC Road Builders and Master 

Municipal Construction Documents

BC Rural Centre

BC Snowmobile Association

 BC Transit

COFI

Creative City Network of Canada

Enbridge

ETSI-BC 

Fink Machine

Fortis BC

Greenfoot Energy Solutions

Hunter Ink Communications + Consulting

ICBC

Interior Health Authority

Ken Matheson Story Through Film 

Okanagan Basin Water Board

Operation Lifesaver

Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions

Southern Interior Construction Association 

Stats Canada

StructureCraft

Thompson Nicola Regional District

Trans Mountain Expansion

United Way

Levels of sponsorship
available are as follows

GOLD

$ 6,750
  • Includes two registrations, allocated booth space as well as program, signage, website and video representation. Options are as follows:
  • 10 minute presentation time to delegation
  • Welcome Reception sponsor
  • Banquet sponsor
  • Breakfast roundtable session (may be split between sponsors)

SILVER

$ 4,500
  • Includes one complimentary convention registration, allocated booth space as well as verbal, website and print acknowledgement
  • 5 minute presentation time to delegation
  • Sponsorship of delegate gift, complete with company logo
  • Name tag sponsor
  • Community Excellence Awards
  • Registration Desk
  • Pub Night
  • Reach for the Top
  • Wifi Password
  • Ted Talk

BRONZE

$ 3,000 Monthly
  • Includes one complimentary convention registration as well as verbal, website and print acknowledgement.
  • Shuttle Services
  • Grand prize
  • Thursday delegate lunch
  • Banquet wine

Recognition sponsorships

$ 1,500 each
  • Educational/breakout session(s)
  • Speakers’ gifts
  • Coffee break(s)
  • Banquet Entertainment

Trade Show participant

$ 1,250 Monthly
  • Booth Space with power supply and signage
  • meals for 2 exhibitors during the trade show, including the welcome reception and banquet

Community Excellence Awards

Are you proud of your community or regional area’s accomplishments? Would you like it to be recognized at our convention and more broadly through social media and the news?
To promote the environmental, social, and economic well being of our member communities and to share ideas and best practices throughout the SILGA area, we have created awards to showcase a community in each of these categories. Deadline for submissions is February 1st, 2025.  

See our ideas come to life

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed auctor turpis eu arcu sagittis, id sagittis

Brands We Partner With

Let’s get creative

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed auctor turpis eu arcu sagittis, id sagittis justo suscipit. Aliquam erat volutpat. Integer finibus sem

© 2025 All Rights Reserved.