The GROW team is pleased to announce the launch of the Employers of Choice program for 2026.

The Employers of Choice program, a free, fully online series of webinars designed for mid- to upper-level managers at landscape and horticulture organizations. The webinars focus on providing management with relevant strategies and tactics.

This year's program will feature online, standalone sessions addressing a diverse range of concepts rooted in health and safety, compliance, employment standards, human resources practices, and systems and workflows.

We invite you to join us for a period of professional development that aligns with the cyclical nature of growth.

Week 1 January 19-23: “Preparing the Soil” — Health and Safety Essentials

Start out in January by preparing the foundation through health & safety best practices.

Opening Keynote: “I want to be a transformative manager”

Speaker: Steve Wheatcroft

Date and Time: Monday, January 19th @ 12pm-12:45pm

Join Steve Wheatcroft as he helps you navigate the path to becoming a Transformational Manager.  What does it take to really make a difference and lead others to produce results?  Steve will deep dive into key concepts that will change your mind on what it means to manage work flow and inspire others to produce results.  Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in yourself and build out your managerial tool box by leveraging Steve’s 35 years of industry experience.  Don’t forget that the best managers make work fun, so bring your sense of humour

Doing it Right - The Backend of Health and Safety in Landscape & Snow

Speaker: Grant Harrison

Date and Time: Wednesday, January 21st @ 12pm-1pm 

Beyond front-line safety training, this session explores your company’s behind-the-scenes health and safety obligations. Grant will outline key employer and supervisory responsibilities, including required policies, employee resources, first aid and tailgate training, and joint health and safety committees—essentials every organization must have in place or plan for. 

Powerline Safety for Arborists and Landscapers

Speaker: Patrick Falzon, ESA Electrical Safety Authority

Date and Time: Thursday, January 22nd @ 8:30am-9:30am

This session will outline critical powerline safety for arborists and landscapers during tree removal, vegetation management, excavation, and planting. It will include clearances, how to inspect site best practices and contacting utilities.

Week 2 January 26-30: “Protecting the Roots” — Employment Standards and Regulatory Compliance

Layer on to the foundation by protecting core operations and workforce well-being through safety legislation, hazard controls, and emergency readiness.

The ESA (Employment Standards Act) and Your Role

Speaker: Genevieve D’Iorio, Worker’s Health and Safety Legal Clinic

Date and Time: Tuesday, January 27th @ 9:00am-10:00am

This online session introduces the key Ontario laws shaping workplace standards and safety, including the ESA, OHSA, WSIA, and Human Rights Code. Learn about worker rights, employer responsibilities, discrimination and harassment protections, and special rules for landscapers, ensuring safer, fairer, and more inclusive work environments across the province.  

The Duty to Accommodate

Speaker: Sean Rea

Date and Time: Wednesday, January 28th @ 12pm-1pm

This session explores how to better support employees who learn and think in different ways, especially in trades such as landscape and horticulture. Participants will examine different forms of neurodivergence, design inclusive work and training approaches, and apply practical methods to engage learners with varied backgrounds and learning needs.

Your drivers, vehicles, and equipment: How becoming compliant with transportation guidelines improves your profits and protects your business

Speaker: Driver Verified Trainer, Shane Cutler

Date and Time:  Thursday, January 29th @ 12pm-1pm

Join Driver Verified and commercial transportation expert Shane Cutler of Cutler TCMS to learn and discuss how becoming compliant with transportation regulations and insurance requirements can improve your service, while protecting yourself from liability. Learn what you need to know to become compliant on a budget. We will be discussing how to successfully onboard your drivers, training and upskilling, CVOR compliance, implementing policies and procedures, and the role of driver, vehicle, and maintenance files.

Understanding Liability and Your Role

Speaker: George Uvari

Date and Time: Friday January 30th @ 12:00pm-2:00pm

Week 3 February 2-6: “Pruning for Strength” — HR Practices

Midway through, trim knowledge gaps, by understanding people-practices to strengthen organizational health similar to pruning for spring resilience.

How to build a Culture of Raving Fan Employees

Speaker: Havilah Vangroll of HAVe Strategy

Date and Time: Tuesday, February 3rd @ 12pm-1pm

What is it?

Why do you want it?

How you build it. 

Culture is 4 simple things done on repeat. These four things build a company that is unshakable, adaptable, and has every employee rowing in the same direction. 

Find out how you build this culture in your company.

It’s Personal – And Generational

Speaker: Karen McCullough 

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 4th @ 12pm-1:30pm

Unlock generational diversity's competitive edge: Five generations collide with unique wisdom, energy, and openness. Karen's keynote reveals actionable strategies to foster collaboration, banish assumptions, and build thriving cultures. Walk away energized with tools for innovation, belonging, and peak performance. 

Workshop: Having Hard Conversations

Speaker: Charolette Cascioli 

Date and Time: Friday, February 6th @ 12pm-2pm

Handling tough conversations is one of the most important leadership skills — and often one of the most avoided.This interactive virtual workshop equips participants with practical tools, proven communication techniques, and greater self-awareness to navigate conflict with clarity and confidence. Through guided reflection, real-world examples, and structured practice, participants learn how to approach challenging conversations in a way that strengthens relationships, improves performance, and fosters a healthier team culture.

Week 4 February 9-13: “Sprouting with Confidence” — Integration and Application

Wrap up in February with integrated strategies blending technology, leadership, HR, into action plans. 

Foundation First: How Data and Process Unlock the Power of AI

Speaker: Dan Schissler 

Date and Time: Monday, February 9th @ 12pm-1pm

Join Daniel Schissler of ConSalt Inc. for a practical look at automation, generative AI, and the future of software in the field services industry. Rather than hype, this session focuses on what actually works: clear processes, strong operational structure, and a centralized, relational database as the foundation of your business. Daniel will demonstrate how tools like Deep Research and Airtable can turn your structured data into real decision-making power, and how to get the most out of today’s AI without losing sight of the basics.

Panel Discussion: What Makes a Great Manager? Employers Weigh In.

Moderator: Greg Wildeboer, Whispering Pines 

Panelists: Ryan Hebel (Green Ventures), Hilary Harrison (Unique Landscape Services), Jeremy Kirkham (Clintar Commercial Outdoor Services)

Date and Time: Tuesday, February 10th @ 12pm-1pm

Ontario landscaping bosses and managers chat about what works in leadership. Hear tips on talking straight, firing up teams, staying safe, and running smart business, boosting jobsite wins, keeping crews happy, and growing profits. 

Optimizing Your Landscape Business with AI

Speaker: Frank Bourque - Frank Bourque Consulting

Date and Time: Wednesday, February 11th @ 8:30am-9:30am

This session will explore how artificial intelligence can streamline operations, improve decision-making, and enhance profitability in the landscape industry. Designed for business owners and managers, it highlights real-world applications of AI tools that can support scheduling, estimating, marketing, client communication, and operational efficiency.

Closing Keynote: Redefining Blue Collar: Building People, Culture, and the New Standard of Leadership

Speaker: Mikayel Ter-Grigoryan, Just for Snow

Date and Time: February 12th @ 12pm-1pm

The blue collar industry is hungry for a culture shift grounded in real leadership, not entrepreneurship. Culture-driven personal growth can transform teams, companies, and the wider industry so people feel connected, proud, and inspired—attracting the next generation of talent and redefining what blue collar means. I welcome you on a deep dive into developing an elite company culture of personal development that will be a magnet for the next generation of talent. 

Each week presents a selection of online sessions, all conducted by seasoned professionals who are authorities in their respective domains. Sessions typically extend up to 60 minutes, with the majority incorporating a Question & Answer period. Our presenters are committed to fostering innovative concepts and advocating for advancement, thereby assisting you in professional development and contributing meaningfully to the industry.

Upon acceptance, participants are invited to attend any number of sessions to enhance strategic skills and cultivate robust managerial behaviours.

As a manager within the dynamic Canadian landscape and horticultural sector, you serve as the principal catalyst for change. These sessions are designed to furnish you with pragmatic strategies and requisite knowledge, enabling you to empower your personnel and foster organizations recognized as Employers of Choice.

Reserve your enrollment seat in this exclusive program tailored for Canada's landscape and horticulture sector; applications will close once all seats are filled. Join industry leaders by submitting your application today.

Click here to apply:  EOC Application

Please note that the schedule of session topics, dates, and times is subject to alteration.

Need help? Have questions?
Send us an email at: grow@landscapeontario.com