In 2026, the OAA Conference themed Collaboration Powering Innovation comes to the Kitchener-Waterloo area—home to the world’s biggest tech companies, from Apple to Google. Here in Ontario’s Silicon Valley, the opportunities and challenges posed by AI, automation, and energy modelling grab the headlines, while meaningful collaboration quietly powers creative decision-making relative to architectural quality, practice, and problem-solving.

Next Year's Conference will explore how collaboration thrives in the Grand Valley, with its mid-sized cities and architectural gems, as well as across the province. The climate crisis, housing shortages, and anxieties around economies and supply chains mean the need for collaboration and innovation has never been more valued.

To achieve a resilient, adaptive, and functional built environment, the profession must examine the tools for better co-creating with project team collaborators, clients, citizens, and municipalities. The OAA’s flagship event brings experts and delegates to the heart of Canadian tech innovation for three days of experiential local learning, professional development, and celebration.