In 2017, Coworking Canada held its conference in a building that wasn’t finished yet.
The venue was 312 Main, Vancouver’s Centre for Social and Economic Innovation. Ashley Proctor, Coworking Canada’s Founding Executive Director, had been helping develop the space since 2015. Rather than wait until everything was ready, the organizers invited people in to see what it could become.
The atmosphere was raw and unpolished, but the energy was electricAshley ProctorFounder of Coworking Canada
Inside, a communal area inspired by a traditional longhouse was taking shape. During the conference, its first log arrived, hand-cut on reserve land. Everyone paused as Indigenous Elders performed a blessing ceremony.
Everyone in the audience witnessed this powerful moment, a testament to the cultural significance of the longhouse.Ashley ProctorFounder of Coworking Canada
Seven years later, Coworking Canada returned to 312 Main. The longhouse was complete, and people were gathering and collaborating in the space Ashley had helped imagine.
For Ashley, that first gathering remains a cherished memory. It’s also a reminder that a shared space is never just a building. Its meaning comes from the people, relationships, and histories it holds.
Growing together without losing local roots
Coworking Canada was established in 2012 to support Canadian operators and the wider coworking movement. Its first annual Unconference took place in 2015.
Since then, the event has travelled through Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Banff, and Calgary, with online editions from 2020 to 2022. Each gathering offers a chance to learn from a different local community—and bring those ideas home.
The spaces themselves have changed along the way.
Since our first event, the Canadian coworking landscape has transformed.Ashley ProctorFounder of Coworking Canada
In our conversation, Ashley described a more varied, sophisticated market, with spaces serving particular professions and ways of working. Coworking has also grown beyond cities, becoming part of life in rural communities.
For operators, more choice creates opportunities, but it also makes communicating their value important. Building a welcoming community and running a sustainable business both take work.
Having peers to learn from helps. Coworking Canada is a nonprofit organization that provides guidance, programming, resources, and support beyond the annual event.
In 2024, Coworking BC, Coworking Ontario, and Coworking Quebec came together under Coworking Canada. Their shared aim is to help more than 600 local coworking communities thrive. Regional chapters continue to lead their own initiatives, with a national nonprofit behind them.
It’s a way to share support while keeping decisions close to the communities they affect.
The people in the room are part of the program
That same approach shapes the Unconference.
There are invited speakers and planned sessions, but participants aren’t there only to listen. They bring experience from their own spaces, help choose topics, and contribute to discussions.
As Ashley explained, the format “empowers people to take what they need.”
For operators, that means room to discuss the questions that don’t fit neatly into a presentation. How do you balance community building with the financial realities of running a space? What can you learn from an operator whose community or business model is different from yours?
The variety of topics and different approaches makes our event beneficial for Canadian operators and international audiences alike.Ashley ProctorFounder of Coworking Canada
The learning continues outside the sessions. Space tours give participants a chance to see how other communities use their buildings, welcome people, and work together. The original event model has included visits to artist studios, libraries, shared kitchens, and coworking hubs—not just one kind of workspace.
You don’t have to run the same kind of space to learn something useful from each other.
Coworking Canada Unconference 2026: a return to Montréal
Ten years after its previous Montréal gathering, Coworking Canada returns for its 12th annual Unconference, with the theme “Shared Futures: Building Stronger Communities Together.”
The Coworking Canada Unconference takes place on October 19–20, 2026, in Montréal, Quebec, followed by collaborative space tours on October 21. The online edition takes place on November 18, 2026.
The event takes place in Tiohtià:ke (Montréal), on the traditional and unceded territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) Nation. This has long been a place of gathering, exchange, and relationship-building for Indigenous Nations.
Montréal’s coworking and cooperative communities have strong collaborative roots of their own. This year’s program gives visitors time to meet those communities and explore the city’s shared spaces.
1. October 19 — Conference at Montréal Science Centre
The first day brings participants together for curated speakers, panels, and a trade show, followed by a welcome reception. It’s a chance to hear different perspectives and start conversations that can continue over the following days.
2. October 20 — Unconference at Montréal Cowork
The second day makes more room for participation through workshops, presentations, and group discussions. Many sessions will be determined collectively on the day, so attendees can help shape the conversation around their interests and questions.
3. October 21 — Montréal Collaborative Space Tours
Smaller groups will explore coworking, coliving, creative, and other collaborative spaces across the city. Morning and afternoon tours offer different routes, giving participants a choice of what to explore.
The event program continues to develop as the gathering is co-created. For those joining remotely, the online edition takes place on November 18, 2026.
Coworking operators and community managers are an important part of the audience, but the invitation is broader. Artists, entrepreneurs, community organizers, cooperative organizations, and people preparing to open a space all bring something to the conversation.
Making participation possible
Coworking Canada’s scholarship program began in 2015—the same year as its first Unconference.
It recognizes a simple problem: someone may have plenty to contribute but not the means to buy a ticket.
With support from sponsors and partners, the program offers some complimentary tickets for in-person and online participation. It aims to improve access for operators across Canada, including people who are underrepresented or have historically been excluded from the industry.
Applicants can explain how attending would support their personal or professional progress. The form also invites them to share accessibility needs or accommodations that would improve their experience.
That attention to participation reflects Coworking Canada’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. The invitation isn’t complete without considering what might stop someone from accepting it.
If the cost of admission would prevent you from attending, you’re invited to apply for a scholarship.
What operators are building beyond their spaces
I believe that coworking spaces are taking on much more important roles in our communities than simply offering desks.Ashley ProctorFounder of Coworking Canada
Ashley sees coworking hubs becoming essential infrastructure: places that support local businesses, help people find belonging, and contribute to community development.
In rural areas, that can mean becoming a gathering place for small businesses, community events, and information sharing. A workspace’s role can extend well beyond the working day.
Making that contribution last requires a sustainable business. Operators need to care for their communities while finding ways to keep their spaces running for the long term. The Unconference gives them time to step away from daily responsibilities, compare experiences, and learn from people doing that work elsewhere.
The more of our neighbours and community leaders who experience the magic of coworking, the stronger our communities will become overall.Ashley ProctorFounder of Coworking Canada
Back in 2017, participants at 312 Main saw a gathering place still being built. When they returned in 2024, they saw people using it. The work between those moments—the planning, relationships, and everyday care—is familiar to anyone who runs a coworking space.
Coworking Canada brings those people together, with room to share both what is working and what they are still figuring out.
Join the next chapter
Spacebring is supporting Coworking Canada for the third time, and we’re glad to help share the invitation to this year’s gathering.
Join the conference and Unconference in Montréal on October 19–20, 2026, explore collaborative spaces on October 21, or take part in the online edition on November 18.
Use the code SPACEBRING for $99 off Coworking Canada Unconference tickets.
Get your ticket, explore the event program, or apply for a scholarship if admission costs are a barrier.
Bring your experience, your curiosity, and the questions you haven’t answered yet. There’s room for all three.
Coworking Canada 2026: frequently asked questions
1. What is Coworking Canada?
Coworking Canada is a nonprofit organization established in 2012. It supports coworking operators, collaborative organizations, and cooperative communities through guidance, programming, resources, and an annual Unconference.
2. When and where is the 2026 Coworking Canada Unconference?
The conference takes place at Montréal Science Centre on October 19, 2026, and the Unconference takes place at Montréal Cowork on October 20. Collaborative space tours follow on October 21. The online edition is on November 18, 2026.
3. Who can attend?
The gathering welcomes coworking owners, operators, community managers, people planning to open a space, and others interested in collaboration and community building. Participants from outside Canada are welcome too.
4. How is an unconference different from a conference?
At an unconference, participants help shape the program and contribute their own knowledge. Many Coworking Canada sessions will be decided collectively on the day, alongside planned presentations and workshops.
5. Is there a discount code for Coworking Canada 2026 tickets?
Use SPACEBRING for $99 off Coworking Canada Unconference tickets through the ticket page.
6. Are scholarships available?
Yes. Coworking Canada offers some complimentary tickets for in-person and online participation through its scholarship program. If admission costs would prevent you from attending, submit a scholarship application.
