here is what presenters and delegates had to say

"I love these conferences because I go back home to my work and by having the conversations I have I’ve learned so much that I actually see my work in a very different light."
John Knott

"What I really like about Gaining Ground is you’ve got a wonderful mix of world-class keynoters. Then after the audience has been stimulated by these leading-edge thinkers, they break out into very intimate, very well-facilitated sessions. Gaining Ground is combining the green sustainability and socially responsible trend and helping it converge with this move from the pioneer, the sprawl economy, into the restorative economy. And having both of them here on one program is just magic."
Storm Cunningham

"It’s really exciting for me to be here with so many people who are so passionate about doing the right thing in terms of land use and development. A conference like this that brings developers together with environmentalists and with local government officials and with civic activists – I think that’s what we really have to be doing, and when you sit down with these people and break bread together, what you find out is that you actually agree about many more things than you disagree about."
Ed McMahon

"There are plenty of glimmers of hope at a conference like this. There are a lot of very impressive, earnest, intelligent people who are doing interesting things and are preparing themselves and are brave and intrepid and resourceful and resilient, and they’re going to do good things."
James Kunstler

"The role we have in business is to improve the lives of others. I was trained that creating great product and service was the goal and the result was profit. The goal was not the profit. And we got it bass-ackwards…"
John Knott

"These systemic issues aren’t answered by simple solutions but by multiple people coming together from different perspectives, and engaging in that kind of dialogue [you] begin to see the whole. Just having that intention as a conference is radical."
Pamela Mang

"What’s the best way to predict the future of any community, whether it’s in Canada or the United States, is to create it yourself. And I think that idea of getting people together to talk about what matters and what’s important,…that’s when we start to change the paradigm."
Ed McMahon

"Far exceeded my expectations."
Gaining Ground delegate

"It is my judgment, that in every area, the ‘Gaining Ground conference excelled. It was one of the, if not the, most enjoyable conferences I have attended…"
Gaining Ground delegate

"The conference helped renew my passion for this work and it was great to network with others who are already achieving so much."
Gaining Ground delegate

"This was a great experience! I would put the Gaining Ground Conference at the top of my list for opportunities to meet and converse with some of the leading thinkers and doers in the sustainable development industry."
Gaining Ground delegate