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Calls for you participation at WordCamp Canada — as a sponsor, speaker, volunteer, or organizer for next year’s event.

  • WordCamp Canada 2026: Looking for New Co-Leaders

    WordCamp Canada 2026: Looking for New Co-Leaders

    After an incredible 2025 conference filled with inspiring talks, packed hallways, and way too many (metaphorical) Timbits, it’s time to start thinking about what’s next.

    And who’s next.

    WordCamp Canada isn’t just an event — it’s a team, a year-long collaboration, and one of the most rewarding ways to give back to the WordPress community.

    As our 2025 organizing team wraps up, we’re opening the door for a new co-leadership team to carry the torch for 2026 — and we’re also welcoming new volunteers who want to contribute in smaller but equally meaningful ways.

    What It Means to Be Part of the Co-Leadership Team

    WordCamp Canada is guided by a small group of co-leads who share responsibility across different areas — program, logistics, communications, community, and more.

    Together, this team sets the vision, recruits and supports volunteers, and coordinates everything from venue selection to speaker outreach to sponsor relations.

    The “primary lead” typically emerges organically from within this group as planning progresses — so you’re not stepping into a solo or top-down role, but joining a collaborative leadership circle.

    Think of it less like “running an event” and more like stewarding a community celebration.

    Typical Responsibilities

    • Building and guiding an organizing team (and helping everyone shine in their roles)
    • Setting timelines, goals, and priorities for the year
    • Coordinating the speaker program — managing the call for speakers, reviewing submissions, and supporting presenters from selection through to stage time
    • Liaising with WordCamp Central, sponsors, and venue partners
    • Making key decisions that shape the attendee experience
    • Ensuring accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability stay at the heart of it all

    Time Commitment

    Being a lead organizer typically involves:

    • Early months (planning stage): 4–6 hours per week
    • Mid-season (recruitment & logistics): 6–10 hours per week
    • Final stretch (pre-event + event week): 10–20 hours per week

    This role works best when shared among 4–5 co-leads, each focusing on different strengths (program, logistics, communications, community, etc.). No one does it alone — and no one should.

    Want to Stay Involved Without a Bigger Commitment?

    We also rely on an amazing team of volunteers to make WordCamp Canada possible, from helping with registration, room moderation, and signage to supporting speakers and sponsors on event days.

    If you’d rather lend a hand in a smaller role, we’d still love to have you involved!
    Volunteering is a fantastic way to meet new people, contribute to the community, and get a feel for what organizing is like . No ongoing commitment required.

    Why It’s Worth It

    WordCamp organizing isn’t just about spreadsheets and Slack channels.
    It’s about:

    • Building lifelong friendships with incredible people across Canada and beyond
    • Developing leadership skills that translate far beyond WordPress
    • Seeing your community come alive in ways that will stick with you for years
    • Experiencing that “we made this happen together” feeling when the doors open on Day 1

    Ask any past organizer, the reward isn’t in the title; it’s in the people.

    Interested?

    If you’re curious, even a little, we’d love to hear from you.

    You don’t need prior WordCamp experience, just enthusiasm, commitment, and a love for this community.

    We’ll be holding Info Sessions soon where we’ll walk through what it means to be a co-lead, share insights from past organizers, and talk about all the ways to get involved — including volunteering.

    It’s the perfect opportunity to learn more, ask questions, and see where you might fit best.

    If you’d like to chat before committing, reach out to Troy, I’ll be happy to answer any quick questions.

    Fill out the interest form below by October 30th.

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    From the 2025 Team

    To everyone who attended, spoke, volunteered, or sponsored this year — thank you. You’ve shown what’s possible when the Canadian WordPress community comes together, and we can’t wait to see where the next team takes it. ❤️


  • Call for Speakers

    Call for Speakers

    Speaker submission has been closed.

    This fall, speak at WordCamp Canada 2025!

    The WCEH Call for Speakers is open until June 15!

    Ottawa, Ontario • October 16-17

    When the leaves turn, do you ever think about the days you used to head back to school? The crackle of new ideas and energy, the excitement of seeing new faces and old friends?

    Remember that insatiable sense of possibility, where curiosity ruled, and no challenge was too big? 

    Feel a pinch of that old energy at WordCamp Canada 2025. And start thinking about the ideas you want to share.

    The web is evolving. And so is WordPress. The traditional website is no longer the hub of online connections: it’s all about the network. Walled gardens. Federations. Membership communities. Decentralized networks have been redefining digital interactions for years, for niche interest areas and entire communities. (Just try to exist in a tiny town, or an elementary PTO, without Facebook!)

    And yet: the open web matters more than ever. 

    AI lives and dies on open content (so maybe that content should be good?) Closed platforms stifle innovation. Walled gardens rob creators of the fruits of their work. But true innovation happens when ideas, products, and people connect freely. 

    And no platform can make connections more freely, both as in speech and as in beer, than WordPress. It’s no exaggeration to say that WordPress is the last, best hope of the open web.

    Here are a few topics to get you thinking:

    1. The Future of WordPress in an AI-Driven World.

    AI is reshaping the digital landscape. It’s producing content, images—even entire websites—faster and in more places than ever.

    Where does WordPress fit in when AI can generate a whole website? Critically, where do people step in to keep AI honest, accurate and inclusive? How do we keep human empathy at the heart of digital experiences?

    2. Keeping the Web Open in the Age of Closed Platforms.

    Today’s users expect seamless, omnichannel experiences—across apps, social platforms, search engines, voice assistants, and anything else that comes out in the future. Digital spaces are becoming more fragmented and controlled. How do we push back against these walls? How do WordPress, the Fediverse, the IndieWeb, and Open Source ecosystems help keep content accessible, independent, and interoperable? 

    3. Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation.

    WordPress has become more than a CMS, more, even, than an app platform. Today, it’s a launchpad for the next generation of digital experiences. Developers, creators, and all sorts of other people are pushing boundaries with headless architecture, AI integrations, automation, and new business models. This is where experimentation meets impact, where WordPress fuels innovation at the edge of what’s next.

    Here’s what you can expect:

    Event format and sessions

    WordCamp Canada 2025 will pack in two full days of talks and workshops. They’ll have these formats:

    Lightning Talk

    10 minutes total

    Short, sharp, and to the point! A lightning talk is perfect for quick tips, ideas, or insights with no Q&A. In ten minutes, you can make someone smile, fix a problem, or, maybe, change a life.

    Long Talk

    30 minutes total

    This is the classic WordCamp format. It gives you plenty of time to dive into a topic you care about—use the whole time, or leave room for questions.

    Workshop

    60-90 minutes

    Want to get hands-on? Lead a classroom-style session that lets people learn by doing, in a practical experience that will stay with them long after WordCamp is over.

    Got an Idea?

    Maybe you have another idea that doesn’t fit these formats. Don’t let that stop you—WordPress and WordCamps are all about creativity! Describe your idea in the application form, or drop an email. The team will be happy to consider it.

    What should I talk about?

    Please don’t feel limited by the futuristic discussions above. The possibilities are endless! If you’re passionate about WordPress and eager to share something great with the community, you should apply. 

    Is it a technical deep dive? A story of inspiration? An innovative use case for WordPress, or a part of WordPress? Maybe it’s the solution to a tiny problem that bothered you for what seemed like forever, until you sat down and found the answer (not necessarily by writing code!)

    Think about what drives you in WordPress:

    • How did you get to where you are today?
    • What’s an amazing thing you can do with WordPress?
    • How can we push WordPress to new heights?
    • Is there a community story that needs sharing?
    • Marketing, e-commerce, empowerment through WordPress — what excites you?

    Whatever your angle, we’re excited to hear your perspective. Ready to inspire and be inspired? Join us at WordCamp Canada 2025!

    How many talks can I submit?

    You can submit up to two proposals. If you need to withdraw a proposal or have any questions, please reach out.

    Do I need to be an experienced speaker?

    Definitely not! Whether you’ve presented before or it’s your first time, WordCamp attendees want to hear from you. In fact, some of the best talks in WordCamp history have been from first-time speakers. That said, WordCamp Canada does attract big audiences, so if you’re a seasoned speaker, this might be the forum for you. Either way, if you feel ready and excited, go for it!

    Support for underrepresented speakers

    Every WordCamp, including WordCamp Canada 2025, is all about diversity, inclusion, and creating a welcoming space for everyone. 

    From organizers to volunteers and sponsors, everyone involved with WCEH 2025 so far is passionate about hearing from new voices and fresh perspectives. If you’re part of an underrepresented group, please apply and share your ideas and your story. Now more than ever, your insights are too valuable to miss.

    Plus, we’ve got your back! You’ll have whatever support you would like, in the form of guidance and feedback from experienced speakers and community members, to feel confident and comfortable from your first slide layout to your last second of audience applause at the event. And in so many ways, you’ll help WordCamp Canada 2025 be an unforgettable experience that brings out the full richness of our community. 

    What you get in return

    If you submit, you automatically have the thanks of the organizing team. Almost every one of us has submitted talks and knows it takes work and a bit of courage.

    If you get accepted, you’ll get:

    • Your conference ticket for free (if you bought one before getting accepted, please say so when you reply to your acceptance email), 
    • A secure green room to put your things, 
    • A team to help you answer your questions and help you give the best talk possible. 

    Yes, all this! And the eternal thanks of a grateful community.

    Timeline

    April 23, 2025 — Call For Speakers opens

    June 15 to July 20, 2025 — Speakers selection

    July 20 to August 15, 2025 — Applicant notifications

    August 15 to September 5, 2025 — Schedule release/speakers lineup announcement

    September 30, 2025 — Delivery deadline for slides

    October 16-17, 2025 — WordCamp Canada

    Ready? Set… Apply!

    If you’d like to propose two topics, please submit the form twice, once for each topic. (Remember that two’s the limit.)


  • Call for Volunteers (Closed)

    Call for Volunteers (Closed)

    Like the WordPress software project WordCamp Canada is an open source event. It’s planned, organized, and run by the Canadian WordPress community with volunteers and attendees welcomed from all over the world. We’d love to have you join us!

    Our call for volunteers has now closed. Thank you to all who submitted.


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