By Erin Engstrom

The official conference website—and registration—launches very soon!

While we are moving conference into the bigger and brighter space of the new West Building of the Vancouver Convention Centre, we are thrilled to announce we have managed to keep registration fees the same as last year.  Below are some ‘insider tips’ on further savings for your 2012 conference registration:

Bid on Registration at the Jingle Silent Auction
Attend the Jingle: Silent Auction and Artisan Market on Tuesday, December 6^th at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and you might grab a great deal on conference registration (and other holiday shopping). Last year someone got a ‘steal’ by paying only $450 for a $1,000 conference registration. Please note that preregistration for this event is required; tickets are $35; registration deadline December 1.

Chance to Win Free Conference Registration
On New Year’s Day we are drawing the name of one conference delegate who will win their registration fee back.  Traditionally, less than five per cent of delegates register before January 1^st so this makes your odds of winning free registration very high.  If we draw your name, your registration fee will be refunded.

$200 Early Bird Savings until Feb. 29th
You can save $200 by taking advantage of the early bird registration rates until February 29^th, 2012.  Did you know that almost 70 per cent of people register for conference the week before the early bird deadline?  The most popular sessions sell out quickly (particularly the interactive workshops with limited capacity) but an early registration makes you don’t miss out on getting the sessions you want.

Save $50 with CHRP designation
CHRPs get an additional $50 rebate on conference registration.

Register Online
Manual registrations — registration forms submitted by mail or fax — cost you an extra $50 in administration fees.  Register online and save.

Student Registration
We’ve decreased the cost for student registration in honour of our ‘Founding our Future’ theme for our 50^th annual conference.

Bonus Stuff with Conference Registration
In addition to our two-day conference, registration also grants to access to our preconference activities on Wednesday April 25^th. This day will be packed with activities such as:

• Sneak peak of our tradeshow (including Speakers’ Corner presentations every half hour)
• Access to several high-profile panel discussions and a free ticket to see our celebrity guest appearance on Wednesday afternoon (more details to follow soon!)
• Prizes, activities, networking and more!

Erin Engstrom is the conference and events manager at BC HRMA. When Erin isn’t working, she can be found cooking for friends at an impromptu kitchen party or racing her kids between the pool, rink and pitch. Erin never stops—but that’s because she’s afraid that she would be too tired to jump back into the race of her wonderfully chaotic life. e.engstrom@bchrma.org.