SMS 2025 Information – February 11-13th, 2025 Ottawa
Station Manager Summit (SMS2025) – Ottawa
We are excited to announce the upcoming Station Manager Summit (SMS) and related events in Ottawa, ON, from February 10th to 13th, 2025.
The Station Manager Summit is a unique opportunity to connect with other station managers and key leaders (Board members, key staff), participate in valuable learning sessions, and discuss critical issues in community radio. The event also includes our World Radio Day celebration and a day of lobbying activities where we will have groups of staff and board visit MP’s to speak about the importance. The SMS has been happening since 2012, and typically draws 25-35 in-person attendees. In addition, the NCRA/ANREC Board of Directors will also be attending.
All members are encouraged to attend, whether in person or online. Look for flight deals and plan your schedule around these dates. Early bird ends November 30th, so buy your ticket now if you are interested in attending!
Schedule Overview
*All Times Eastern
| Date | Time | Location | Activity |
| Monday, Feb 10 | All Day | Ottawa, ON | Travel Day |
| 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Ottawa, ON – TBA | Welcome Dinner Market Crawl Event | |
| Tuesday, Feb 11 | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | Ottawa, ON Ottawa Embassy Hotel and Suites | Station Manager Summit (SMS) |
| 7:00 pm | West Park Bowling | Bowling (Separate registration) | |
| Wednesday, Feb 12 | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm | Ottawa, ON Ottawa Embassy Hotel and Suites | Station Manager Summit (SMS) |
| 7:00 pm- – 9:00 pm | Ottawa, ONhttps://g.co/kgs/M12voZx https://maps.app.goo.gl/uuG7f69nckQGp5eAA | Skating at City Hall/Canal/WinterludeOttawa 67’s Broadcast Experience (separate registration) | |
| Thursday, Feb 13 | 8:00 am – 11:00 am | Ottawa, ON – TBA | World Radio Day Event with Farm Radio International |
| 11:00 am – 5:00 pm | CRFCCommunity Radio Fund Of Canada | Home Base for Lobbying – Food, Drinks and Strategy. | |
| Noon – 5:00 pm | Ottawa, ON Parliament Hill | Hill Day Lobbying | |
| 6:00 pm | Ottawa, ON – TBA | Dinner TBA (Included in Registration) | |
| Thursday, Feb 13 / Friday, Feb 14 | All Day | Ottawa, ON | Travel Day (We ask that you stay till approximately 5 pm on the 13th to help with our Hill Event) |
| Friday, Feb 14th | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm | Ottawa, ON Ottawa Embassy Hotel and Suites | Board of Directors Meeting *For NCRA/ANREC board only |
SMS Schedule
Tuesday February 11th, 2025
| Time | Session | Info |
| 9:15 am | Breakfast | Included in registration |
| 10:00 am | Keynote and Welcome | TBA |
| 10:45 am | Training / Work Session | TBA (Could include CRTC or others) |
| Noon | Lunch | Included in registration |
| 1 pm | Finance | Caucus Discussion with mini breakout |
| 2:30 pm | Break | |
| 2:45 pm | Governance | Caucus Discussion with mini breakout |
Wednesday February 12th, 2025
| Time | Session | Info |
| 9:15 am | Breakfast | Included in registration |
| 10:00 am | Lobbying & Advocacy Discussion | With CRFC Support |
| 11:00 am | Training Session – Working the Hill | How to lobby, in person – Preparation for World Radio Day |
| Noon | Lunch | Included in registration |
| 1 pm | Hot Seat | Need 3 People (Emmanuel of the CRFC +2) |
| 2:15 pm | Break | |
| 2:30 pm | Operations | Caucus Discussion with mini breakout |
Thursday February 13th, 2025
| Time | Session | Info |
| 8:00 am – 11:00 am | World Radio Day Event | World Radio Day Event with Farm Radio International |
| Noon – 5:00 pm | Hill Day Lobbying | Parliament Hill |
| 6:00 pm | Final Social Event | Dinner TBA (Included in Registration) |
Virtual Participation
Is available for those who cannot attend in person. The sessions above will be available for hybrid participation. These sessions will be recorded, transcribed, summarized, and made available to everyone registered (in person or online).
Registration
Register in person or online by completing the form here. Payment is required at the time of registration. There are a variety of registration options. Early bird ends November 30th, 2024. You have the option to buy in-person tickets, which include all or some of the evening events or you can buy the ticket by itself. If you cannot attend after registering, or if you have any questions, please contact barry@ncra.ca to coordinate a credit or refund.
Funding for underrepresented groups:
As part of our ongoing commitment under the NCRA/ANREC Mission, Vision and Values, the NCRA/ANREC is once dedicating a portion of its sectoral initiatives to grant funding from the Community Radio Fund of Canada to bring underrepresented and first-time attendees to the SMS. Please complete the form here before October 30th to apply for funding support to attend the SMS. Decisions will be made by November 15th, with amounts to be confirmed by November 30th. Not all applications will be awarded, as we have limited funding resources but are actively looking to grow this program. We recommend registering above if you plan to attend but need additional travel support to participate.
Evening Events
Tuesday -Bowling at WestPark Bolling Ally—We will rent a few lanes (6/lane). The cost is $15 for two hours. Register when paying for your summit ticket.
Wednesday – Skating at City Hall/Rideau Canal (renting skates costs a few dollars). No registration is required.
Ottawa 67 Broadcast Experience—We are coordinating with the local OHL hockey team to set up a behind-the-scenes look at how TV and Radio cover the game. (If we can’t arrange the broadcasting, we will go anyway.) Tickets will be $25. Register when paying for your summit ticket.
Location & Lodging
The learning sessions (Ontario Room), breakfast & lunch, as well as preferred hotel, are at the Ottawa Embassy Hotel & Suites | 25 Cartier St, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 1J2
Ottawa Embassy Hotel and Suites
Call 1-800-661-5495 and say you are with the NCRA for our preferred rate ($189/night) before January 11th, 2025. We only have 20 rooms reserved, first come, first serve.
Travel
Delegates are encouraged to book flights or schedule other travel (such as train) as you see fit, arriving before we start the SMS at 10 am on Tuesday, February 11th, and leaving after the Hill day at 5 pm on Thursday, February 13th (Note the dinner on the 13th). See the schedule for other events before and after.
Travel from the airport and train station SHOULD be available via OCTranspo Light Rail.
Plan for cold weather; all of our events are located in the downtown area within 10 minutes walking distance to the Ottawa Embassy Suites, except for Bowling and Parliament Hill (Both on
bus routes or under $15 per cab/rideshare each trip).
Questions? Contact barry@ncra.ca
Join Us at NCRC43 in Nanaimo, BC – June 17-20, 2025!
We are excited to invite you to NCRC43, our annual national conference for campus and community radio stations, which will take place in Nanaimo, BC, from June 17 to 20, 2025! This is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow broadcasters, learn from industry experts, and celebrate
the community radio sector’s achievements.
Event Highlights:
- Location: Vancouver Island University (VIU), Nanaimo, BC.
- Key Dates:
- June 16 – Pre-conference !earshot Distro training and social event in Victoria, BC. (pm)
- June 17 – CFUV Tour (am), Welcome Party (pm)
- June 18-20 – NCRC43 sessions and workshops at VIU.
- June 20 – CRABO Awards Gala (pm)
Why Attend? NCRC43 will feature insightful workshops, station tours, and networking opportunities to help your station thrive. You will also have the chance to join the celebration of our sector’s successes at the Awards Gala.
New Website Launch: We are thrilled to announce that a brand-new conference website is being built to enhance your experience! The new platform will feature up-to-date event details, easy registration, and a user-friendly interface for managing your participation in the conference. Stay tuned for the website launch!
Streamlined Management for a Smooth Conference: To ensure a successful and well-organized conference, we have made some key management changes:
- Barry Rooke, Executive Director, will oversee logistics, including accommodation, transportation, and coordination of the Awards Gala.
- Eloisa, Communications Director, will lead the development of learning sessions, promotional materials, and manage the Awards process.
- Operations Director will handle sponsorships and funding to ensure financial success.
- CJS Events Coordinator will support on-site logistics during the week of the conference, managing last-minute arrangements and volunteers.
These improvements in management roles will ensure that the NCRC43 Conference and Awards Gala run smoothly and efficiently.
Register in early 2025, or sooner! Save the date and get ready for an unforgettable conference experience. More details, including registration, residence/hotel registration and the conference schedule, will be available soon on our new website. Early Bird Tickets start at $275 in-person or $100/online.
For questions or sponsorship inquiries, contact barry@ncra.ca
We look forward to seeing you in Nanaimo!
Note: Funding for underrepresented individuals to attend the NCRC provided by the Community Radio Fund of Canada will be included when NCRC registration is opened.