At Incentive Canada Summer 2023, attendees learned about—and experienced—immersive local activities targeted to incentive groups.
“What sets Canada apart is its exceptional knack for seamlessly weaving authentic local experiences into incentive programs, creating genuine engagement rather than passive observation,” says Jennifer Attersall, Acting Senior Director, Business Events, Destination Canada. “We’re redefining luxury to place the emphasis on creating those profound and transformative moments, fostering meaningful connections, and prioritizing well-being.”
Here are 5 unforgettable incentive experiences from different corners of the country:
Foraging With Lori McCarthy in St. John’s
One of the most talked about activities at Incentive Canada in St. John’s, Newfoundland, was a foraging experience with local chef, author, and TED Talk speaker Lori McCarthy. Participants started on the beach, where they met Lori, local fisherman Jamie Power, and local father and son musicians Stephen and Liam Maher. They drank freshly brewed tea together and learned about Newfoundlanders’ connection to forest and ocean as “Fisherman Jamie” filleted and prepared freshly caught cod, showing the group how all parts of the fish can be used and eaten. From there, participants followed a path through a dense forest where McCarthy often forages. Arriving to her home yurt, they ate more freshly sourced and foraged foods, including seal prepared on the grill and seasoned with freshly cut sage.
Ice Canoeing in Quebec City
Ice canoeing is a unique experience for incentive groups visiting Quebec City in the winter. Professional guides from Ice Canoeing Experience teach participants the rowing and “scootering” techniques needed to safely navigate the magnificent frozen waterscape of the St. Lawrence River. It’s a thrilling, team-building, adrenalin pumping activity that can be followed by a visit to the luxurious Strøm Spa Nordique in Old Québec.
Vancouver Foodie Tour
Vancouver is known for being a vibrant, multi-ethnic, and very walkable city with a compact downtown core and the stunningly beautiful, 1,000-acre Stanley Park. Incentive groups don’t need to leave in the city for a bucket list experience. Vancouver is also famous for its delicious local cuisine, and a foodie tour here is a special experience. For example, team building tours from Vancouver Foodie Tours include “Gourmet Dining with a Side of Community” in the historic Gastown neighborhood, an area filled with iconic restaurants and quirky pubs. The tour combines local eats with some of Vancouver’s most picturesque points and stories about the past, present, and future of the neighborhood.
Banff Lake Louise High Flying Adventure
With spectacular, glacier-capped Canadian Rocky Mountain vistas and vivid turquoise lakes, Banff and Lake Louise is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers singular experiences reconnecting people to the natural world. One unforgettable incentive adventure is a Canadian Mountain Holidays helicopter tour. Getting up in a helicopter offers incentive groups not only a unique perspective on the majestic mountain scenery, but it also allows participants to explore the remote corners of the Canadian Rockies. It’s possible for groups to not only visit remote glaciers but also to conquer North America’s longest via ferrata (a protected climbing route on a mountain face).
Kayak With Beluga Whales in Manitoba
Many know Churchill, Manitoba as the polar bear capital of the world, but from June to September, beluga whales take the spotlight when thousands of these friendly creatures choose the Churchill River Estuary as their summer home to mate, birth and feed. A kayak excursion here gets incentive attendees up close and personal with the belugas, famous for their curious and affable natures. Known as the gentle giants of the sea, belugas are playful, intelligent and curious. They also have the gift of song—whistling, chirping, clicking and clanging, earning a reputation as the most vocal whales in the world. Belugas are highly social and freely approach passing water craft.
Learn more about Canada’s many other signature experiences here.
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