Programs & Training
The LGMA provides educational support and training for every stage of your local government career.
From leadership and communications training for people new to the profession, to accessible online learning programs to help local government professionals in every corner of the province, the LGMA offers an ever-changing suite of professional development, technical training, e-learning, and intensive residential programs designed to support your learning, leadership, and growth.
Review the 2025 learning calendar for online courses and training options.
The following signature programs are being offered in-person for 2025:
- CAO Forum (February)
- Annual Conference (June)
- Corporate Officers Forum (October)
- Administrative Professionals' Conference (November)
Visit MATI Programs for a suite of MATI Training programs available annually.
Featured Programs
Indigenous Consultation & Engagement September 12, 2025 9AM - 12PM Registration is now open. NEW Course! Are you looking for training to help you get beyond awareness in your work with Indigenous Peoples? Are you ready to engage with an Indigenous community but aren't sure where to start? Join us for a half-day webinar designed to provide a guide to fostering sustainable, long-term partnerships between local governments and Indigenous communities. Offered in partnership with Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. , this training will: Review and build on the elements of consultation Understand the difference between consultation and engagement Learn when engagement turns into consultation Review what constitutes accommodation Review ways we can strengthen our consultation practices Prepare for questions your Indigenous counterparts will ask you Review the brochure and register online before August 29, 2025. Eligibility: B.C. local government leaders, managers, and staff who are directly responsible for consultation and engagement with First Nations. To get the most out of this training, it is highly recommended that participants have completed Indigenous Awareness & Indigenous Relations training or training with a similar agenda recently. If you wish to attend but do not meet the criteria or have any questions, please contact us at office@lgma.ca before registering. Cost: $255 + GST LGMA Member, $285 + GST Non-Member Cancellation Policy: No refunds will be provided after the registration deadline of August 29, 2025. Instructor: Norman Doerksen , Indigenous Corporate Training Inc.
Invigorate Your Leadership February 18-20, 2025 Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort, Victoria, BC Registration is limited to CAOs, appointed Deputy CAOs and Executive Director CEOs of Affiliate Members. CAO Forum sessions can be used towards Continuous Professional Learning credits. The CAO Forum is an annual offering for local government Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to meet with their colleagues and discuss issues of mutual concern in a congenial atmosphere. The 2025 Forum is designed to invigorate CAOs leadership strengths to include good governance, labour negotiations, self-compassion, navigating Indigenous engagement, and HR trends. A pre-forum workshop on 'Your Employment as a CAO' is also offered through a separate registration and pricing. Review the program brochure and register online before February 4, 2025. Early Bird registration rates until December 31, 2024. member rate: $770 + GST / non-member rate: $895 + GST Regular registration rates starting January 1, 2025 member rate: $870 + GST / non-member rate: $945 + GST Off-site dinner is included in the forum fee, but participants can purchase an $80 ticket for their spouse or companion when they register. Register separately for the Pre-forum workshop: Your Employment as a CAO $210 LGMA Member, $235 Non-Member Hotel Accommodations: Delta Hotels Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort, room rate: $199 + GST Reservations must be made by January 28, 2025. Book your hotel room via the hotel reservation passkey link. Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted without penalty before 4:30 p.m. on February 4, 2025. No refunds provided after this date but registration can be transferred to another colleague. NEW $500 Travel Grant: Through financial support from Lidstone & Company Law Corporation, one grant in the amount of $500 is available for eligible local government professionals travelling to the 2025 CAO Forum. Review the eligibility requirements and submission form. LGMA gratefully acknowledges the financial support of this program from:
Registration is open for the following Programs and Training
The following programs are currently open for registration and can be searched by using the search bar below
(i.e. "CAO Forum").
To explore additional programs by topic, visit our In-Person Programs, Online Training , MATI Programs , or On-Demand Programs pages.
Corporate Officer Connect Lunch Series Quarterly on Wednesdays 2025 Dates: April 16 and September 17 Noon - 1 p.m. PST Are you a local government Corporate Officer (CO) or Deputy CO in British Columbia who wants more networking opportunities with your peers, advice about the challenges you face in your increasingly complex role while building meaningful connections, without travelling or a significant time commitment? Join your colleagues quarterly for a complimentary LGMA-hosted lunch hour discussion inspired and led by COs. You and your peers can submit suggested discussion topics in advance. Take advantage of the knowledge and experience of your peers while you strengthen your professional networks, and access mentoring opportunities in a safe, supportive environment. The CO Advisory Committee, with the support of the LGMA, has identified the need for additional educational support for new and experienced COs to connect with their peers and engage in collaborative learning and problem solving. The Committee noted in their positions, COs are faced with an increasingly complex environment within which they must perform various roles, and they would benefit from a virtually accessible peer discussion network to share current issues and problem solve. Submit your suggested discussion topics, questions, or challenging scenarios in advance on the CO Lunch Hour Connect Series SUBMISSION FORM or by emailing Liz Cornwell, Advisor, Corporate Officer Advisory Committee at lcornwell@lgma.ca Registration is complimentary and is open to Corporate Officers and Deputy Corporate Officers only. You only need to register once for the entire series. Please note, registration will close 5 business days prior to the scheduled lunch series date. For more information review the CO Connect Lunch Series brochure or contact Liz Cornwell at lcornwell@lgma.ca
CAO Connect Lunch Series April 25 and November 14, 2025 12 – 1:00 p.m. Registration Eligibility Requirements: You must be a CAO or board/council-appointed Deputy CAO for a local government organization in order to register for this complimentary lunch series. A complimentary LGMA-hosted lunch hour discussion is being offered to CAOs who want an informal space to connect with peers and gain support and advice for the challenges faced on a day-to-day basis. This virtual opportunity is inspired by the historical efforts of local government leaders who have sought to create informal opportunities for CAOs, by CAOs. Bring your own lunch and take advantage of the wisdom of your peers while you strengthen your professional networks in a safe, supportive environment. The CAO Advisory Committee, with the support of the LGMA, has identified the need to build on previous efforts by local government leaders to strengthen informal networking opportunities for CAOs by hosting a virtual space for CAOs to connect with their peers and engage in collaborative problem-solving. The CAO Advisory Committee and the LGMA acknowledges the incredible work that has been done by past leaders to hold space for these important gatherings and recognizes that this work would not be possible without such a solid foundation upon which to build. The Committee noted CAOs are faced with significant challenges and mounting stressors and would benefit from a virtually accessible peer discussion network. The accessibility and technological familiarity gleaned over the past year affords CAOs the opportunity to connect with their peers for informal discussion without travel constraints or significant commitment. Submit your suggested discussion topics, questions, or challenging scenarios in advance on the CAO Lunch Hour Connect Series form . Complimentary registration is online for all sessions, for CAOs or board/council-appointed Deputy CAOs. Attend one or all with one registration. Registration will close 48 hours prior to the scheduled lunch series date. For more information contact Candace Witkowskyj, Executive Director at cwitkowskyj@lgma.ca
HR Connect Lunch Series May 5 and September 29, 2025 Online Monday, Noon - 1 p.m. PST Are you a local government Human Resources (HR) practitioner or have HR duties as part of your role, who wants more peer learning opportunities and exposure to experienced HR knowledge holders? Would you appreciate a safe space to get advice about the challenges you face in your increasingly complex role while building meaningful connections and mentorship, without travelling or a significant time commitment? Join your colleagues for the complimentary LGMA-hosted lunch hour virtual discussions inspired and facilitated by HR knowledge holders. The HR Advisory Committee, with the support of the LGMA, has identified this exciting new opportunity to connect with your peers and engage in collaborative learning and problem solving. HR practitioners are faced with an increasingly complex environment within which they must perform various roles and would benefit from a virtually accessible peer discussion to share resources, discuss gaps, support one another, and problem solve to increase the capacity of local government HR practitioners in BC. Submit your suggested discussion topics, questions, or challenging scenarios in advance on the HR Lunch Connect Series Form or by emailing Teressa Johnson, Program Manager, LGMA at tjohnson@lgma.ca with the subject line: HR Connect Lunch Series Topics. Complimentary registration is online for all sessions. Attend one or all with one registration. Please review the brochure . Registration will close 5 business days prior to the scheduled lunch series date . Online registration is complimentary. Attend one or all sessions with one registration.
Invigorate Your Leadership February 18-20, 2025 Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort, Victoria, BC Registration is limited to CAOs, appointed Deputy CAOs and Executive Director CEOs of Affiliate Members. CAO Forum sessions can be used towards Continuous Professional Learning credits. The CAO Forum is an annual offering for local government Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to meet with their colleagues and discuss issues of mutual concern in a congenial atmosphere. The 2025 Forum is designed to invigorate CAOs leadership strengths to include good governance, labour negotiations, self-compassion, navigating Indigenous engagement, and HR trends. A pre-forum workshop on 'Your Employment as a CAO' is also offered through a separate registration and pricing. Review the program brochure and register online before February 4, 2025. Early Bird registration rates until December 31, 2024. member rate: $770 + GST / non-member rate: $895 + GST Regular registration rates starting January 1, 2025 member rate: $870 + GST / non-member rate: $945 + GST Off-site dinner is included in the forum fee, but participants can purchase an $80 ticket for their spouse or companion when they register. Register separately for the Pre-forum workshop: Your Employment as a CAO $210 LGMA Member, $235 Non-Member Hotel Accommodations: Delta Hotels Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort, room rate: $199 + GST Reservations must be made by January 28, 2025. Book your hotel room via the hotel reservation passkey link. Cancellation Policy: Cancellations are accepted without penalty before 4:30 p.m. on February 4, 2025. No refunds provided after this date but registration can be transferred to another colleague. NEW $500 Travel Grant: Through financial support from Lidstone & Company Law Corporation, one grant in the amount of $500 is available for eligible local government professionals travelling to the 2025 CAO Forum. Review the eligibility requirements and submission form. LGMA gratefully acknowledges the financial support of this program from:
