The Water Haller - Moving the Window on Ottawa?

Robert Haller, Executive Director

Moving the Window on Ottawa?

Yes, we’re thinking on moving that most established November event to the springtime.  And we want to know what you think!

While the Window on Ottawa, CWWA’s signature event, has traditionally been held in late November, it comes just weeks after our national conferences every year.  In 2013 we rushed from the National Energy and Water Efficiency Conference into the Window just four weeks later.  This year our Window on Ottawa was just three weeks after our National Drinking Water Conference.  Not only is this hard on staff, Including me, but it is difficult for delegates and sponsors to justify two CWWA events in a month.

As we focus on our first consolidated ANNUAL CWWA CONFERENCE in Whistler for October 2015, we think we need time before we host another national level event like the Window.  While the two events are quite different in nature, we hope that many delegates would be interested in both.  So our thought is to slide the Window on Ottawa to the late spring - always mindful of other conflicting water events.

Not only is Ottawa a much nicer place to visit in springtime, I can space out our CWWA Board meetings and corporate requirements by 6 months. Our proposal is to hold our Annual General Meeting, Awards Banquet, and CWWA Board meetings as part of the Whistler conference in October.  We would then incorporate our regular spring meeting of the Board into the new Window on Ottawa on late May or into mid-June; again saving travels costs and staff resources.

We are checking with our federal contacts to ensure they are available for such a springtime shift and if a season shift  might affect the content of their presentations.  We are also looking for other suggestions to improve the Window event, especially with regard to strengthening the experience for you when it comes to interaction with the federal policy-makers and other presenters.

But what do you think?

- Is a late-May to mid-June timeline more or less likely to attract you?
- Both times are fine or neither time would interest you
- What else can we do to improve the Window on Ottawa experience?

Send your comments to:  admin@cwwa.ca

Thanks!

Robert

Canadian Water and Wastewater Association