Niagara Falls 2026

The 9Th MEtropolis IDentities Conference

October 22 and 23, 2026
Sheraton Fallsview Hotel
Niagara Falls, Ontario

Restoring Trust, Strengthening Relationships: Identity, Diversity, and Social Harmony in Canada

Canada’s identity is at a moment of uncertainty as converging challenges test long-held narratives and raise new questions about unity, trust, and harmony. Debates around separation in Quebec and Alberta, changing views on immigration, and reduced migration targets coexist with ongoing conversations about Indigenous identity affirmation and reconciliation, and discussions about the enduring role of francophone communities and institutions, reminding us that Canada’s identity is not singular but evolving and often contested. 

In an international context marked by heightened geopolitical tensions and growing concerns about prejudice and hate, and language which struggles to keep up with the complexity of current realities, there is a growing need for vigilance, effective policy responses and renewed efforts to restore trust and strengthen relationships across communities. This summit will bring together scholars, policymakers, community leaders, journalists, educators, and practitioners to reflect on these developments and to explore how Canada can restore trust, strengthen relationships, and sustain social harmony in an era of demographic change, political tension, and evolving identity discourse.

The co-chairs

Elise Herzig

Elise Herzig is the Executive Director of JIAS (Jewish Immigrant Aid Services) Toronto, a settlement  agency that has been serving newcomers and refugees for over 100 years. In this role, Elise has  exponentially grown the agency’s clients, programs, revenues, and partnerships. Prior to joining JIAS in  2019, Elise worked as a senior executive and consultant in the private and public sectors creating  transformational changes and helping organizations remain relevant and sustainable. Elise is a huge  advocate of creating trusted collaborations that resonate with the values of each stakeholder so that  new possibilities emerge. 

Elise has a long-standing relationship with McMaster University. In 2016, she helped create and design  the McMaster Indigenous Research Institute to address the urgent need of creating a harmonized  approach that utilizes both Indigenous Knowledge and ways of knowing (IK) and mainstream research  practices and protocols. As Director of Commercial Operations for the McMaster Nuclear Reactor (MNR),  Elise spearheaded the turnaround of the reactor, which had been scheduled for shutdown. She made  MNR a financially viable operation that became the largest global supplier of Iodine-125 and increased  MNR’s revenues 25-fold. Elise has worked in multiple fields, including five years in the energy sector as  CEO of the Ontario Energy Association. 

Elise is the recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal and the National Metropolis Service  Provider Award (Non-Profit). She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University and a  Master of Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business. 

Ahmed Hussein

Ahmed Hussein has served as the Chief Executive Officer of TNO – The Neighbourhood  Organization, a Toronto-based multi-service agency, since 2014. Under his visionary  leadership, TNO has grown from a modest team of 35 staff to an organization of over 300  employees, delivering a wide range of services across Ontario. 

With over 30 years of leadership in the community and settlement sector, Ahmed has been a  driving force in responding to the evolving needs of newcomers and communities across Canada.  He has played a critical role in the transformation of the settlement and community-based service  landscape, aligning programs and strategies with changing immigration policies and integration  frameworks. 

Ahmed’s impact goes beyond Canada’s borders. He has led the development of innovative  programs in regions across Africa and the Middle East, helping to build capacity in global  community service delivery. 

He is a respected voice in national and provincial settlement discourse, regularly contributing to  forums such as the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), Immigration,  Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and the Canadian Council for Refugees. 

Ahmed holds academic credentials in Public Policy from the Caledon Public Policy Institute and  a Master’s degree in Infrastructure Planning (MIP) from the University of Stuttgart in Germany. 

One of Ahmed’s signature accomplishments is his leadership in integrating social and health  services to improve access for newcomers through a “one-stop” model. This innovative approach  allows individuals to access settlement services, primary healthcare, and other supports all in one  place. 

He was also instrumental in the creation of the Thorncliffe Park Hub, a $25 million centre that  has become a cornerstone of newcomer support in the community. Ahmed successfully brought  together all levels of government and private donors to support the Hub’s construction, making it  a model for collaborative service delivery in urban communities. 

Call For Proposals

Registration

Please note that earlybird registration is available until July 31st.

No refunds will be issued after October 1, 2026.

Book a Hotel Room

Sheraton Fallsview Hotel

5875 Falls Ave, Niagara Falls, ON L2G 3K7

Hotel guestrooms are available at the conference rate from $209 (plus applicable taxes) per night.  

Use this link to book your hotel room at the group rate* for Metropolis Identities Conference.

Please note that this special rate is available for bookings checking in as of October 20, 2026 and checking out no later than October 24, 2026.

The deadline to obtain the special conference rate is September 29, 2026. Limited rooms are available. Following September 29 the rate and/or availability of rooms is no longer guaranteed.

For further details about the hotel (the conference venue) , visit the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel’s website.  

*Note the message at the top of the landing page when you use our booking link which explains cancellation policy and warns about pricing display.
(When you browse rooms, the price displayed will include a Resort Fee. This will be deducted from your reservations costs at check-out as this fee is waived for group reservations.)

Travel information

Getting there

Please note that this summit takes place in Niagara Falls, and that the Toronto Pearson airport (YYZ) is approximately 125 kilometres away. The John C. Munro Hamilton airport (YHM) is approximately 85 kilometres from the hotel in Niagara Falls.

We recommend consulting the Toronto Pearson airport’s website or the Hamilton airport’s website to see the different options to get from Toronto to Niagara Falls.

Airline discounts

Air Canada

To book a flight at the conference’s reduced rate, book your flight at aircanada.com and enter the promotion code WDMJDD31.

The discount applies to flights to and from Toronto between Thursday, October 15, 2026 and Friday, October 30, 2026.

Discount rates:

North America:

• Standard fares: 5%
• Flex fares & higher: 10%

International Travel:

• Standard fares & higher: 10%
• Business Class fares: 12%
  (exception: 5% on the lowest Business Class) 

WestJet

To book a flight at the conference’s reduced rate, book your flight at https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/flights/conventions?p=1&discount=enter.code and enter the Guest Web/Travel Agent Web coupon code 5W9E8QV (Travel Agent GDS Code: YBC79).

The discount applies to flights to and from Niagara Falls between Thursday, October 15, 2026 and Friday, October 30, 2026.

Discount rates:

• Within Canada:
  • Econo fares: 5%
  • EconoFlex & Premium base fares: 10%
• Between Canada and the United States:
  • Econo fares: 2%
  • EconoFlex: 5%
  • Premium base fares: 10%

(No discount will apply to Ultra Basic or Business class bookings)

Porter

To book a flight at the conference’s reduced rate, book your flight online at https://www.flyporter.com/en-ca/?promocode=MIC26 or through your travel agent using promo code “MIC26”.

The discount applies to flights to Toronto between Tuesday, October 20th, 2026 and Friday, October 23rd, 2026 and to flights leaving Toronto between Thursday, October 22nd, 2026 and Sunday, October 25th, 2026.

Discount rates:

• Up to 15% for Ultimate and Navigate (with the exception of the lowest class fare during a public seat sale)
• Up to 10% for Standard, Flexible and Freedom

Become a Partner, Sponsor or Exhibitor for the 9th Metropolis Identities Summit

Select your package to reach stakeholders and maximize your organization's presence at the conference.

About the Metropolis Institute

The Metropolis Institute (MI) pursues research and supports policy deliberations while providing key national and multinational platforms for knowledge mobilization.

Research

Supporting cross-sectoral cooperation, the Metropolis Institute serves as a trusted bridge for interaction, dialogue and learning between practitioners, policymakers, researchers and civil society through national and multinational knowledge mobilization programs.
We aim to provide reliable and timely research, data and analysis to enhance understanding of migration, integration and inclusion.

Publications

Metropolis Institute has three flagship publications that are integral to its knowledge transfer mandate.
1. The Canadian Issues magazine showcases academic work in the form of short essays designed to expand Canadians’ knowledge about their country.
2. A second publication, Canadian Diversity, introduced in 2000, focuses on the challenges confronting Canada and other countries arising from migration and rapid demographic change.
3. A third publication - The Metropolis eBook - highlights a selection of the cutting-edge cross-sectoral presentations in the immigration field intended for the annual Metropolis Canada Conferences.