Thank you for your interest in joining the Banff Forum community. The Banff Forum is one of Canada’s preeminent public policy forums, bringing together a diverse group of young and established Canadian leaders to enhance their leadership skills and debate key issues to build a stronger and better Canada. By attending, you will become part of a thriving community of accomplished individuals actively engaged in their communities through a variety of corporate, political, non-profit, entrepreneurial, governmental, and artistic endeavours.
The Arne Bengt Johansson (ABJ) Fellowship was founded in 2021 to support the inclusion of practicing artists in the Banff Forum community. The initiative is supported by a generous private donation.
The Fellowship is named in honour of the late Arne Johansson, an artist, writer, poet, essayist, painter, and philosopher. Johansson was also a stonemason, tree planter, translator, and athlete. He was a brother, father, and friend. He was principled, fearless, and optimistic. He was inspiring. The purpose of this fellowship is to provide artists and creators with the opportunity to contribute to policy discussions that they may not otherwise have access to.
The Fellowship will cover expenses related to travel, accommodation, and registration for the 2026 Banff Forum.
The 25th anniversary edition of the Banff Forum (Banff Forum XXV) will take place from November 5 to 7, 2026, in Banff, Alberta.
The Banff Forum's leadership team is in the process of developing a robust and thought-provoking program that will explore Canada’s evolving cultural and political identity at a pivotal moment for the country. With Canadians facing pressing public policy questions—from energy transition, climate adaptation, immigration, and affordability, to technological change, reconciliation, and shifting federal–provincial-and global dynamics—we will create space for meaningful dialogue across regions, including important perspectives from Alberta as it charts its path on resource development and provincial autonomy.
Discussions will examine Canada’s relationship with the United States, its role on the global stage, and the domestic forces shaping national unity. Together, experts and thought leaders will reflect on how Canada’s distinct blend of identities and policy choices has shaped the country over the past 25 years—and what it will mean for the decades ahead.
Land Acknowledgement
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we honour and acknowledge that Banff Forum XXV will take place in the town of Banff, located on traditional Treaty 7 territory. These sacred lands are a gathering place for the Niitsitapi of the Blackfoot Confederacy — including the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani First Nations — as well as the Îyârhe Nakoda Nations of Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney; the Tsuut’ina First Nation; and the Métis Nation of Alberta, among many others whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to enrich this region.
The Bow Valley has also long been important to the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc Nations, who traditionally occupied lands and used the watersheds of the Columbia and Kootenay Rivers and the eastern slopes of the Rockies. The area was also used by the Mountain Cree clan of Chief Peechee, and by the Dene of the far north and far south.
The Banff Forum is committed to continually learning about the rich and complex histories of Indigenous peoples in this region and to refining how our organization and community better understand and acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who have contributed — and continue to contribute — to the places where we live, work, and gather. We recognize the land as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to the First Nations and Métis who have lived on and cared for these lands for generations.