The preliminary program for the 2026 LGLA Leadership Forum taking place in Richmond, March 11–13, is now available.
The Leadership Forum brings together elected officials and senior staff from local governments and First Nations to strengthen the leadership practices that support healthy, resilient communities.
The 2026 theme, Finishing Strong: Legacy, Leadership & What Comes Next, invites participants to reflect on the culmination of their term, honour their accomplishments and prepare for transitions ahead. “Finishing strong” is about more than closing a chapter: It’s about stewarding resources wisely, strengthening relationships, capturing the stories that define your leadership and shaping a legacy that lasts.
LGLA has prepared an ambitious and thoughtful program for this year’s event, with plenty of opportunities for collaboration, connection and practical learning. Highlights from the developing program include:
- Lead With a Story: Turning Your Journey Into Impact. Renowned speaker Bill Baker guides participants through the power of storytelling in leadership, helping leaders craft messages that inspire, persuade and reflect the journey they’ve taken and the impact they’re shaping.
- It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time… This session is not your average PowerPoint panel. We’ve lined up a lively set of stories from elected officials who know first-hand that best laid plans don’t always work out as imagined. In the fourth year of your term, we’ll take some time to learn from the mistakes, failures and flops – with levity and fun.
- Stewarding the Finish Line: Legacy, Leadership, and Lasting Value. After years of service, your community’s roads, facilities, assets and relationships all tell a story of your council’s leadership. In this session, two communities will share the steps they’ve taken toward sustainable financial and asset planning and how they are preparing for long‑term stewardship that extends well beyond any single term of office.
- Truth & Reconciliation in Practice: Working in a Good Way. This session will highlight the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District’s Truth & Reconciliation: In Practice, A Guide for Working in a Good Way, exploring how its values-based, role-driven approach moves reconciliation beyond checklists and into meaningful organizational practice. Panelists will share how the framework was conceptualized and developed, and how the SLRD is embedding and sustaining it throughout the upcoming election transition and beyond.
- After the Storm: The Enduring Legacy of Local Leadership in Disasters. An exploration of how crisis leadership shapes community resilience, trust and long-term recovery – and how these defining moments become part of a leader’s lasting impact.
Full program details and registration information are available on the LGLA website.