Matawa Education Conference 2026 – Educating for a Good Life
MEDIA ADVISORY
March 5, 2026 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Matawa Education Conference 2026 – Educating for a Good Life
Thunder Bay, ON — Media are invited to attend the opening ceremony of the Matawa Education Conference 2026, northern Ontario’s largest annual education conference, now in its 18th year.
Hosted by Matawa Education, the three-day conference brings together over 400 educators, administrators, and support staff from schools within the Matawa First Nations for networking, strategic planning, cultural programming, and over 50 workshops and training sessions led by 50 presenters.
The conference’s theme, Educating for a Good Life: Gikinoomakoyan Chiimino Piimaatiseyan, reflects a shared commitment to supporting student success through culturally grounded, community-led education.
This year, the Matawa Education Conference takes place March 10–12, 2026, at the Valhalla Hotel & Conference Centre. The 2026 keynote address will be delivered by Shy Anne Bartlett, manager of Indigenous education at the Superior-Greenstone District School Board. For more information, please visit https://matawaeducationconference.com/.
What: Opening Ceremony – Matawa Education Conference 2026
When: Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Where: Valhalla Hotel & Conference Centre, Thunder Bay
The following representatives will be available for interviews:
- Suzanna Baxter, President, Matawa First Nations Education Authority Board of Directors
- Georgette O’Nabigon, Executive Director, Matawa Education
- Stephanie Hogan, Education Coordinator, Matawa Education
For more information, please contact Shelby Ch’ng, Education Partnership Program Liaison – Matawa Education at (807) 629-4996 or by email at schng@matawaeducation.ca.
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