Running an event company over the past few years hasn’t been easy, but Shawn Pierce, President of Lift&Co. Expo producer MCI Events, says he’s excited to bring the cannabis industry together for another engaging and impactful show this May.
Lift&Co. Expo, Canada’s premier cannabis industry event, is returning to its traditional time and location at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from May 12-15 (exhibits open May 13-15). The four-day event will include the Lift Cannabis Business Conference (May 12), two Lift&Co. Expo Industry Days (May 13-14), and a Lift&Co. Expo general public/consumer day (May 15).
Additions to the event this year include the CannaVest North Investment Forum, new budtender masterclasses, an ambassador board of cannabis industry personalities, a Discovery Zone on the expo floor, and many more signature surprises.
We’ll continue to follow every necessary precaution this year, and we look forward to helping Canadians celebrate this industry.
Shawn Pierce, MCI Events
“It’s been a rough couple of years to be in the event business,” says Pierce, who helped take the reins of the Expo in 2020 at the very beginning of the pandemic. “We were lucky enough to hold a conference last November, and feedback was very positive. We took a lot of steps to ensure people were safe, and we didn’t see any problems. We’ll continue to follow every necessary precaution this year, and we look forward to helping Canadians celebrate this industry.”
Lift&Co. Expo also has plans for a larger afterparty this year, taking place on Saturday, May 14, following the show at Steam Whistle Brewing, which is within walking distance of the convention centre. The event will feature live music and plenty of networking, giving the industry a chance to connect in a less formal setting.
“We have some great information sessions and talks during the day, but being able to get together afterwards is often a big reason people come to events like this,” Pierce says. “Last November we had a smaller event, but this year we’re planning something larger and closer to the venue.”
Although Lift&Co. Expo held its first event since the advent of COVID-19 restrictions last November, this return to its May time slot signals the event “coming home,” says Pierce.
Adding to that, the team are also planning Lift&Co. Expo Vancouver in January 2023, the same month the event had traditionally been held in the British Columbia city prior to pandemic-era shutdowns.
“We’re excited to have the chance to continue highlighting Canada’s world-renowned cannabis industry, and having these two anchors in both eastern and western Canada helps us celebrate that,” Pierce explains. “I think that, in the long term, there’s a big opportunity for Vancouver to be a key location in the emerging western American market once federal legislation in the U.S. catches up with Canada.”
Lift&Co. Expo Toronto will take place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from May 12-15, 2022 (Exhibits Open May 13-15).
More information and tickets can be found here.
