Top 5 Reasons the Future Gathers in Canada | Destination Canada

0:00 Oh, I've been looking forward to having this conversation all day.

0:04 I love Canada.

0:05 Take one.

0:06 Are we ready for a top five?

0:17 Why does the future gather in Canada?

0:19 It's really amazing what Canada brings to the table.

0:22 We've been able to spotlight some really great Canadian thought leaders,

0:26 whose work is shaping global conversations that are based here in Canada.

0:30 And the Vancouver Convention Center has been an extraordinary partner to us.

0:35 Having TED hosted in Vancouver,

0:38 for the past ten years was incredibly intentional.

0:41 I think we have built such a strong foundation of trust and of shared vision,

0:49 of how ideas really change minds and how

0:53 bringing people together can change the world.

0:58 One of the reasons Canada works is their accessibility and belonging.

1:03 What I really appreciate about Canada is the very smooth,

1:06 easy access and visa policies that they have here.

1:09 This is one of Canada's most underappreciated competitive advantage.

1:14 When people aren't worried about whether they'll get

1:16 in or how they'll move around or what to expect,

1:20 they arrive calmer, more focused on why they're there.

1:24 That sense of belonging fundamentally changes how people show up,

1:27 connect and engage with one another.

1:29 I think that that culture of belonging creates

1:31 a place where anybody can pursue their own idea.

1:34 Living in Canada has given me a freedom to think about how to do it better,

1:38 to not follow the dominant views that everybody else is following.

1:42 It's a very welcoming place.

1:44 Do your thing.

1:45 We will be supportive.

1:46 There is such a rich tapestry of cultures represented that make

1:50 it easier for you to find yourself reflected within Canadian identity.

1:58 What stands out about Canada is their innovation and experience design.

2:03 When we look for destinations, we're looking for destinations where innovation

2:07 is genuinely embedded in the civic fabric.

2:11 Where universities, industries, government, community actually collaborate.

2:17 Innovation hubs thrive in Canada because innovation

2:19 here isn't just about speed or disruption, but about real world impact.

2:23 In Montreal, for example, deep intellectual work around AI,

2:27 ethics, gaming and design exists alongside a bold cultural ecosystem.

2:32 There's no question that Canada has played an important

2:34 role in developing the tech that we have now.

2:36 The computer science department at UBC is a really good example,

2:40 I think, of not swallowing the orthodoxy that is spread throughout the land.

2:45 And I love that there are, you know,

2:47 strong departments in Canada that are starting to think about other ideas.

2:50 When TED is hosted in Canadian innovation hubs,

2:52 places like Vancouver, Montreal or Calgary, it creates a feedback loop.

2:57 Ideas inspire action, action informs conversation,

3:00 and the gatherings feel connected to the world beyond the room.

3:06 Part of how we define progress within Canada,

3:09 is progress that considers sustainability and considers what we need

3:14 to be able to continue to exist in the way we are.

3:17 Working in environments like the Vancouver Convention Center

3:19 reinforces that sustainability isn't a concept you talk about.

3:23 It's something you practice, We bring in water from the ocean and really convert

3:28 that into the cooling and the heating that keeps the building comfortable.

3:33 We have the largest green roof in Canada that really adds

3:38 an insulation layer to make the building so much more efficient.

3:42 It just demonstrates what's possible when

3:44 sustainability and design are fully integrated.

3:49 Canada is a perfect partner for us because it delivers

3:52 the rare combination of world class creative talent and operational excellence.

3:57 The Canadian dollar gives organizers meaningful

3:59 flexibility to invest where it matters most.

4:02 Local partners here in Vancouver, Canada.

4:05 I mean, they are bar none some of the top professionals in the industry.

4:10 The local production companies and crews bring

4:13 film industry rigor to our event production.

4:15 The same technical specialists who work on major motion

4:20 pictures apply that level of craft to our conferences.

4:23 Community integration and impact is truly the heart of Canada.

4:27 Someone comes in with a half formed idea,

4:31 presents it in one of our workshops or at one of our brain dates,

4:35 and then suddenly they're connected to five people working on similar problems.

4:40 And by the time that they leave, they have their own working group.

4:43 And the natural environment creates opportunities

4:45 for experiences that wouldn't be possible elsewhere.

4:48 I've watched some of the most meaningful connections at TED form on a boat tour,

4:54 during an offsite dinner, or during a hike through the forest.

4:59 When I'm sitting in a boat out on the West Coast,

5:03 the motors off, you hear the ocean and you see basically nothing else.

5:09 It is a blessing.

5:10 And you can't help but feel that profound sense of gratitude.

5:14 For being able to have that experience.

5:16 Listen after this conference, I'm less a shell of myself because I get

5:22 to go outside and experience the beauty and the air.

5:26 It just the air is so different here.

5:28 Like I really feel like, oh, so this is what air feels like.

5:31 This is not New York.

5:34 So I really kind of need this place.

5:37 Those moments outside the venue.

5:38 They foster trust, reflection, and deeper conversation.

5:41 The kind that happens when people feel connected

5:44 not just to ideas, but to a place.

5:46 If you're leading a global organization

5:48 looking to create experiences that challenges, connects,

5:51 and inspires participants in lasting ways,

5:54 you should seriously consider what Canada makes possible.