Men’s Shed Canada Shedfest West 2026 – Trip Report
John Latchford – May 2026
Shedfest West 2026 marked a significant milestone for Men’s Shed Canada (MSC), being the organisation’s first national conference. More than 125 Shedders representing around 70 Sheds from across Canada gathered in Edmonton for two full days of learning, networking and fellowship.
MSC reports that there are currently approximately 200 Sheds either operating or in development across Canada. With 70 Sheds represented, this means around 35% of Canadian Sheds attended. To put that into perspective, an equivalent turnout in the UK, with approximately 1,160 open Sheds and 200 in development, would see around 475 Sheds attending a national Shedfest.
The conference was widely regarded as a success, with a strong emphasis on supporting both new and established Sheds. Alongside the formal programme there were opportunities for social interaction, including an enjoyable open-mic evening on the Tuesday night.
Keynote Session
The keynote speaker was David Irvine from Cochrane Men’s Shed. David is a globally recognised leadership speaker and delivered an engaging and thought-provoking presentation. One particular highlight was his observation that a Boy Scout troop could be considered one of the original Men’s Sheds—a comparison that certainly resonated with me.
International Perspectives
One of the conference highlights was the International Session, introduced by MSC President Robert Goluch.
The session featured:
- Barry Golding, Patron of the Australian Men’s Shed Association (joining online from Australia)
- Ayahito Ito from the Japan Community Men’s Sheds Association
- Myself, representing the UK Men’s Sheds movement
Each speaker was given seven minutes to provide an international perspective on Men’s Sheds and their development.
The full 45-minute session is available online and provides an interesting comparison of how the movement has evolved in different countries.
An Ideal Conference Venue
The conference took place at the Providence Renewal Centre, a Catholic retreat and conference centre located in a suburb of Edmonton.
While not luxurious, it proved to be an excellent venue for the event and it included exhibition space where Sheds could display examples of their work.
Most attendees stayed on-site, creating a real sense of community throughout the event. Some attendees, including the MSC staff team, Ayahito Ito and myself, stayed at a nearby hotel. Local Edmonton Shedders kindly provided transport between the hotel, conference venue and airport, demonstrating the generosity and hospitality that is such a hallmark of the Men’s Shed movement.
Canadian Distances Put Things Into Perspective
One aspect that particularly struck me was the Canadian attitude towards travel.
MSC covered accommodation, meals and the majority of travel expenses for attendees, and there were remarkably few no-shows.
Many Canadian Shedders think nothing of travelling vast distances to attend events. One Shedder I spoke with had driven 14 hours to reach Edmonton. Another attendee, an MSC Board member, had flown from Halifax, Nova Scotia—a journey of approximately five hours each way—and was accompanied by his service dog.
It certainly makes some of our UK discussions about travelling more than two hours to Worcester seem rather modest by comparison!
Conference Giveaways
Every attendee received a conference goody bag containing:
- A combined spirit level and mini tape measure
- A Shed Passport
- A mini notepad
- A printed conference programme
- An A4 conference workbook designed to encourage note-taking
There were also regular prize giveaways throughout the conference. At the start of selected sessions, conference pass numbers were drawn from a hat and lucky winners received handcrafted items donated by Sheds.
Fortunately, I didn’t win anything, as many of the prizes would have been difficult to fit into my carry-on luggage for the journey home!
Presentations and Recognition
During the conference I had the pleasure of presenting two plaques, made by Collingham Men’s Shed, to Barbara and Robert Goluch. Special thanks to Dez and Derrick at the Collingham Shed for their great work producing the plaques.
A particularly well-deserved recognition was given to Punch Jackson from Edmonton, who received a plaque from Robert Goluch in acknowledgement of his many years of volunteer work promoting Men’s Sheds throughout Alberta.
The Team Behind the Event
Almost the entire MSC staff team attended the conference, supported by local Edmonton Shedders. Their hard work behind the scenes was evident throughout the event.
Special mention should perhaps go to MSC’s intern, who joined the organisation only on the Monday before the conference and was immediately immersed in a major national event!
Final Thoughts
Shedfest West demonstrated both the growth and the potential of the Men’s Shed movement in Canada. Bringing together over 125 Shedders from across such a vast country was a considerable achievement and reflected the enthusiasm and commitment of Canadian Sheds.
The event provided valuable opportunities for learning, sharing experiences and strengthening connections between Sheds, while also highlighting the increasingly international nature of the Men’s Shed movement.
Congratulations to Men’s Shed Canada, its staff, volunteers and supporters for delivering a successful first national conference. It will be interesting to see how future Canadian Shedfests build on this strong foundation.