{"id":30881,"date":"2026-03-10T14:04:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T21:04:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/events.vrca.ca\/buildfest\/?page_id=30881"},"modified":"2026-09-21T10:01:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T17:01:29","slug":"agenda","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/events.vrca.ca\/buildfest\/agenda\/","title":{"rendered":"Agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Agenda<\/p>

Agenda BUILDFest 2026<\/h1><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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DETAILS<\/p>

BUILDFest 2026<\/h2>

Connect. Create. Construct.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>

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When:<\/h4>

September 24, 2026
Showcase \u2013 9am to 5pm
Block Party \u2013 5pm to 8pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Where:<\/h4>

PNE Forum
2901 E Hastings St
Vancouver, BC
V5K 3N7<\/p><\/div>\n

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Cost:<\/h4>

Free Showcase entry to VRCA Members
Block Party is a ticketed event (5pm to 8pm)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\nTickets<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Build Your Day. So Much to See. So Many People to Meet.<\/strong><\/h2>
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BUILDFest is packed with opportunities to connect, discover and get involved. Explore the Industry Showcase, meet exhibitors, catch a BUILDTalk, connect with fellow construction professionals and take in everything happening throughout the day. With so much going on, there\u2019s no one way to experience BUILDFest \u2013 make it yours.

Check out the agenda, find what catches your eye and start planning your day.<\/p>

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Schedule for September 24, 2026<\/h3><\/div>\n<\/div>
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8:45Am<\/p><\/div>\n

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Ribbon Cutting<\/h4>
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9:00Am<\/p><\/div>\n

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Doors Open<\/h4>
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10:00Am – 10:15am<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #1<\/h4>

From Jobsite to Spotlight: Building a Brand That Gets Noticed
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Construction companies spend years building projects, but every project also builds a brand. In an industry driven by trust, relationships, and reputation, the stories we share can be just as powerful as the work we deliver. This session explores why branding matters regardless of company size, why visibility shouldn’t disappear during slower market cycles, and how consistent storytelling creates lasting connections. Through practical examples and real-world lessons, attendees will learn how sharing their journey, not delivering a sales pitch, can help build credibility, strengthen their brand, and create new opportunities.<\/p>

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Presented By<\/h5>

Simran Tiwari, RAM Construction<\/p><\/div>\n

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10:45AM – 11:00aM<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #2<\/h4>

Promoting your Best Worker is a Mistake
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The best worker on your crew is rarely the best one to lead it. I’ve made this promotion myself and watched it happen dozens of times across my career: a top performer gets the lead role as a reward, and within weeks the crew erodes while a good person is drowning. Doing the work and leading the work are two different skills, and no one teaches you the second on your way up. This talk breaks down why we keep making the same call, what it really ends up costing, and exactly how to spot who’s ready to lead before you hand over the crew.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Presented By<\/h5>

Tariq Shobab, Graham<\/p><\/div>\n

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11:30am – 11:45am<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #3<\/h4>

Skill Isn\u2019t Enough: Three Things That Drive Every Result
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Skill matters, but performance is about more than skill. This BUILDTalk explores Sandler\u2019s Success Triangle\u2014Attitude, Behaviour, and Technique\u2014and how all three work together to drive better performance. Discover why mindset shapes consistency, why you control your behaviours more than your results, and why technique matters most when things get tough. Whether you lead a team or are responsible for your own performance, you\u2019ll leave with practical ideas you can put to work right away.
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Presented by<\/h5>

Shams Hirani, EleWin Consulting Inc.<\/p><\/div>\n

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12:15pm – 12:30pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #4<\/h4>

Quality is our Recipe: Cooking up Alliances in BC
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In this session, the audience will learn about the \u2018Why\u2019 behind Alliance Projects in BC. This primer will highlight the key elements of Alliance Projects, where and why collaborative contracts are used in BC, and some lessons learned from our recent experience.
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Presented by<\/h5>

Jessica Jiang, Infrastructure BC<\/p><\/div>\n

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1:00pm – 1:15pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #5<\/h4>

Turning Expertise into Collective Action
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Progress in our industry comes from sharing what we know and learning from each other. Mechanical leaks and quality issues remain persistent challenges. A collaborative Mechanical QC approach brings trade partners and project teams together to learn from field data, define what good looks like, and develop practical tools that improve quality from one project to the next.<\/p>

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Presented by<\/h5>

Tahmid Rahman, AXIOM Builders<\/p><\/div>\n

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1:45pm – 2:00pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #6<\/h4>

Wrap Battle: Rethinking the Building Envelope
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Discover the future of facade technology in this BUILDTalk. Flynn Canada Ltd will outline Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) exploring breakthrough developments in building envelope design and delivery.
Focusing on Canadian factory built high performance prefabricated facade systems that improve quality, reduce cost, energy consumption & waste, streamline building processes and accelerate delivery on site.<\/p>

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Presented by<\/h5>

Jon Fearn, Flynn Canada Ltd<\/p><\/div>\n

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2:30pm – 2:45pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #7<\/h4>

We\u2019ll Figure It Out Later: The Most Expensive Words in Construction
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Construction moves fast, and \u201cwe\u2019ll figure it out later\u201d can sometimes be the right call \u2014 but other times, later becomes expensive. This practical, story-driven talk will explore five common construction situations involving scope, changes, documentation, schedule and escalation where seemingly reasonable decisions can quietly create significant problems down the road. The focus is not on slowing projects down with bureaucracy or calling legal at every turn, but on recognizing which uncertainties can safely wait and which are already becoming tomorrow\u2019s dispute. Attendees will learn a simple framework for deciding what needs to be addressed now, what can wait, who owns the unresolved issue, and what happens if it isn’t resolved. The talk will offer practical tools project teams can use immediately to keep work moving while protecting the commercial and contractual position. Because \u201clater\u201d isn’t a strategy \u2013 it\u2019s a decision.<\/p>

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Presented by<\/h5>

Victoria Kolt, McLean & Armstrong LLP<\/p><\/div>\n

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3:15pm – 3:30pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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BUILDTalk #8<\/h4>

From AI Curious to AI Ready: A Practical Path to AI Value in Construction
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AI interest across construction is growing quickly, yet only 9.2% of construction businesses report using AI to produce goods or deliver services. At the same time, the industry is facing persistent productivity pressure, labour constraints and increasing project complexity. The challenge is no longer convincing construction organizations that AI matters, but helping them understand where to start, what level of AI they are actually ready for, and how to know whether an investment is creating value. This session will introduce a practical approach to assessing AI maturity, matching the right capabilities to organizational readiness, and defining value at each stage before scaling further. Attendees will leave with a simple roadmap: assess where you are, prioritize the right opportunities, prove the value, and then advance.<\/p>

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Presented by<\/h5>

Nimrat Pahwa, Procore<\/p><\/div>\n

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3:30pm – 4:00pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Skills Competition<\/h4>
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4:00pm – 5:00pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Live DJ<\/h4>
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5:00pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Block Party Opens<\/h4>
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5:00pm – 8:00pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Famous Players Band on Stage<\/h4>
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6:15pm – 6:30pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Built to Wear X MARK’S<\/h4>
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7:30pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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Last Call<\/h4>
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8:00pm<\/p><\/div>\n

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That’s a Wrap! BUILDFest Comes to a Close<\/h4>
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Thank You to Our Sponsors<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>

BUILDFest Is Built With The Support of Our Community.
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We\u2019re proud to recognize the companies and organizations helping bring BUILDFest 2026 to life. Your support makes it possible to create a new experience for the Lower Mainland construction community \u2013 one that brings people together, creates connections and gives our industry a place to gather, discover and BUILD.

To our sponsors \u2013 thank you for investing in our industry, supporting the VRCA Community and helping us make the first-ever BUILDFest one to remember.

Interested in Becoming A Sponsor? Spotlight Your Brand at BUILDFest.
<\/strong>Want to be part of something new?\u00a0BUILDFest offers your company the opportunity to connect with the Lower Mainland construction community, increase your visibility and put your brand in front of the people who make our industry happen.

From event-wide visibility to opportunities to engage with attendees and showcase your support, there are a variety of ways to get involved.
<\/p>Become a Sponsor<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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Sponsors<\/h2><\/div>\n<\/div>
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In Partnership With<\/h3>

British Columbia Construction Association<\/h3><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Title sponsor<\/h3>

Home Depot Pro<\/h3><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Spotlight sponsor<\/h3>

Graham<\/h3><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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All Sponsors<\/h2>\n\t
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