Smart Meetings September 2022 Digital Issue - 18

Granville Island Boutique Hotel's dining area
500,000 sq. ft. of space, making it the largest
in Western Canada, along with upgrades to the
entertainment and shopping venue Stephen Avenue,
Culture + Entertainment District and more.
have been found in different areas of British
Columbia dating back to 5,500 BC.
Groups can delve into deeper detail about
both Nations at the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural
Centre in Whistler, located on shared territory
by the two Nations. The facility features four
venues that make up just over 16,000 sq. ft. of
meeting space; its largest space, Great Hall,
is 5,372 sq. ft. In addition to group tours and
cultural showings, the facility also hosts craft
activities, where groups can try their hand at
creating necklaces, bags, ornaments and more.
Salmon n' Bannock is the only indigenous
owned and operated
restaurant in Vancouver,
sourcing all its ingredients
from the coast of British
Columbia. Salmon is served
here, as the name suggests,
but it goes beyond
basic salmon fillets. There's
the Urban Sage Smoked
Salmon Burger, made with
Lemon Aioli, and Candied Salmon, which is
topped with maple drizzle (it's the Canadian
way). The restaurant also has space for private
events of up to 400 people.
Non-Indigenous Stays
Dining at the 82-room Granville Island Boutique
Hotel, on Granville Island, includes scenic
views of the boat-lined marina, False Creek,
as well as the Vancouver Skyline. Its humble
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september 2022 * smartmeetings . com
2,939 sq. ft. of event space can spread across
five venues, two of which are combinable.
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver underwent a
$75 million renovation in 2019, which included
updates to its suites on its ninth through 14th
floor, as well as the 14th floor's private lounge.
Twenty-two classic-styled rooms and two
grand ballrooms that can combine to create
the 11,400-square-foot BC Ballroom make up
the 557-room property's total 63,000 sq. ft. of
meeting and event space.
Hotel Blu takes its name to heart. In several
" Canada is one of many
nations that tries to shed
light on its history and
the many Indigenous
nations that were on the
land before European
settlers arrived. "
areas throughout the property, including its
brightly lit lobby desk and its
accompanying backdrop to its
tinted-window 14-person Pacific
Boardroom, its namesake is seen
throughout. The property's second
venue and conference room can
accommodate up to 60 people.
Hotel Blu has also partnered with
Bullfrog Power, a Canadian company
that specializes in renewable
energy, pursuing efforts in sustainability, with its
second floor being entirely carbon neutral.
CALGARY
Calgary, Alberta, is investing more than $1 billion
dollars into its meetings and events infrastructure,
scheduled for completion by 2024. The
investment will include a $500 million expansion
to BMO Centre, after which the facility will offer
Indigenous Hotels and Event Spaces
The year of 1877 marks the signing of Treaty
7, one of eleven agreements between Canada
and several First Nation governments in which
reserves were established for five tribes and they
were promised annual payments, provisions,
or both. In exchange, they gave up their rights
to their territory-which is what now makes up
Southern Alberta. Ongoing arguments exist as to
whether they knew what they were agreeing to at
the time when the treaty was signed.
Fort Calgary National Historic Site is one of
many sites that rests on the native soil of the
people of Treaty 7. Fort Calgary serves as a
beacon of history, where stories, documents and
maps of the area's former life are shared. Before
or after perusing the Fort Calgary, groups can
settle down at the property's more than 6,000 sq.
ft. of indoor meeting space, as well as its ample
outdoor space, to get on with the gathering.
Canada's largest living museum, Heritage
Park Historical Village, is also located on the
Treaty 7 territory, where nearly 100 years of Canadian
history is shared through more than 180
exhibits and 55,000 historical artifacts.
Lobby at Hotel BLU, Vancouver
Smart Meetings September 2022 Digital Issue

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