Join us in Ottawa for the 31st Triennial World Conference in 2026!

When you complete your registration form, you will be asked to select your order of preference for the options for the Mid-Conference Tours. Each option has a set number of places, so these will be allocated on a first come, first-served basis.

Make an 8 am start to drive through lovely countryside to beautiful Lanark County, less than 1 hour west of Ottawa to visit two centres.  For over 180 years, Fulton’s Sugar Bush & Maple Shop has been crafting pure, single-source maple syrup in the heart of Ontario. What started as a family tradition has grown into an eco-friendly maple sugar bush where visitors can immerse themselves in the art of maple making.  Enjoy a guided tour with lots of family history, an opportunity to walk in their 8km of trails to view the land where the pipeline criss-crosses 400 acres, a stop in the Sugar Camp (production building where they produce their organic maple syrup), a linger in the Maple Shop where they sell maple candy, maple inspired gourmet products, and bath and body products.   Of course, no guided tour is complete without lots of maple sampling!

The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum collects, preserves, and tells the stories of the mill workers and the local labour history while offering an open, inclusive space for the local community and visitors from across the globe. Through contemporary textile and textile themed art and historical interpretation and programmes the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum conserves and interprets the industrial textile heritage of the Mississippi Valley. 

Catered lunch at Almonte Old Town Hall with optional exploration of downtown Almonte. 

Visit a working farm located within Ottawa's urban city! The museum highlights Canada's agricultural heritage, food literacy, and the relationship between agricultural science and technology. You can also meet farm animals, from ducklings to cows. The new Learning Centre, heritage barns and outdoor spaces provide opportunities to learn and relax in a casual, fresh air setting.  Through immersive exhibitions, food demonstrations, and memorable animal interactions, explore how agricultural science and technology is shaping Canadians’ everyday lives.

After visiting the Museum, this tour will continue to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride Stables. A symbol of tradition, honour, and pride, the Musical Ride is a  Canadian icon recognized at home and abroad. The Musical Ride supports  front-line police operations by building positive relationships,  supporting recruiting efforts and promoting the RCMP's image in communities in Canada and around the world. The troop of up to 32 riders, who are all police officers, and their  horses perform intricate formations and drills set to music. Meet the riders (and the horses) of the Musical Ride during your tour.

Visiting this family farm dating back to the 1850s will give you the opportunity to taste delicious wine or fruit juices and cheese whilst unwinding in an unspoiled rural setting in St Pascal Baylon, Ontario about 45 minutes from the Westin.  This is a fifth-generation family farm in the bilingual rural heartland of Eastern Ontario, owned and operated by Michel Villeneuve and his wife Carrie McKay. 

The 40-acre farm produces a wide range of trees (including Christmas Trees)  and soft fruits - pears, blueberries, apples, grapes, raspberries and cherries, much of which is made into wine. They also make non-alcoholic drinks with pure local blueberry juice (their own product), haskap juice and kiwi juice.   

As you listen to the guide you will enjoy sampling their produce, accompanied by bread, crackers, fruit and vegetables. This wine and cheese tasting is more like a complete meal, so no additional lunch stop included.  

Started in 2012, the Just Food Community Farm is where people and  projects come together to model and inspire small-scale, viable  agriculture businesses and initiatives in the Ottawa region. Located on a  150-acre farmstead in the Ottawa Greenbelt on the west side of  Blackburn Hamlet, the Just Food Farm is between a residential  area and the ecologically protected Green’s Creek, allowing us to  demonstrate that agriculture can flourish in this context. 

Take pleasure in experiencing a meal where every dish features ingredients from the forest! 

C’est Bon Cooking’s Forest-to-Table culinary events are led by professional chefs and feature local Canadian products and boreal forest ingredients. Interactive cooking demo with some guest participation, three-course meal with appetizer and dessert prepared in advance.  Local wine and beer; coffee and tea included.  Includes a presentation by Forêt Capitale Forest.  

This option includes a sightseeing tour of Ottawa and Gatineau by bus, providing an opportunity for an informative, relaxing, and entertaining way to visit all of the most interesting sites in the National Capital region. Live guides will introduce you to Ottawa's historic scenery from every possible angle. 

After the bus tour explore the seat of Canada's federal government and the setting for national celebrations the year round, Parliament Hill is the most visited Ottawa attraction. This will be an immersive tour and a great opportunity to visit the home of Canada's democracy. 

Packed lunch provided. 

Make you own way back to the Westin via the Famous Five statues of Canadian suffragettes.