The annual meeting of childcare professionals in British Columbia

May 1 and 2, 2026

Register Programming Prix Horizon 2026
French version

We respectfully acknowledge that this conference is being held on the unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people, custodians of this territory since time immemorial. In a spirit of truth and reconciliation, we also honour the territories of the many First Nations where the Francophone educators of British Columbia live and work. We reaffirm our commitment to contributing, through education, to respectful, inclusive, and forward-looking relationships with the Indigenous peoples of the province.

“Horizon 2026 marks a bold and innovative provincial first. We want to break down geographical barriers and bring together professionals from Francophone school and preschool child care centres across the province for a festive, friendly weekend rich in learning and sharing. I look forward to seeing you there.”

Joannie Dubuc, acting executive director of the Fédération des parents francophones de Colombie-Britannique and general director of le Phare C.-B.

Welcome!

The Francophone Child Care Resource and Referral (FCCRR) is proud to offer the first Francophone conference in the early childhood sector in British Columbia. Our goal is to assist in the building of quality relationships among professionals in the sector to support and continue the development of an engaged Francophone community, capable of responding to current educational issues, and focused on the future of our young generations.

About us

Since September 1, 2024, the Fédération des parents, through le Phare C.-B., has managed the Francophone Child Care Resource and Referral (FCCRR), which is now part of the province’s network of CCRR centres. One of our mandates is to support early childhood professionals by providing them with access to training, workshops, and webinars in French, as well as to educational resources to help continuing professional development and ensure quality, inclusive, and accessible Francophone child care services for all Francophone families in the province.

Our vision for the HORIZON 2026 annual conference  

  • Create a vibrant and engaged Francophone space where early childhood educators in British Columbia meet, connect, and support each other.
  • Create a space to build lasting connections between people, knowledge, and cultures.
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Our presenters and experts

Leonie Galarneau

Trainer and presenter in relational education, with over ten years of experience in education with children of all ages.

Léonie is a trainer and presenter in relational education, with over 10 years of experience working with children of all ages. Driven by a deep passion for human relationships, she now supports families and educational settings to create more harmonious, secure, and meaningful environments. She offers her expertise to parents and educators who wish to cultivate more conscious, respectful, and caring relationships with young children.

Sandra Hassan Farah

Holder of a Master’s degree in educational sciences, a Bachelor’s degree in social work, and a diploma as a supervisor in early childhood education.

“First and foremost, I am the mother of two wonderful teenagers/young adults who have instilled in me a passion for early childhood and childhood development. I hold a Master’s degree in educational sciences, a Bachelor’s degree in social work, and a Level 3 diploma in early childhood education. I was an instructor for Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Curriculum Framework, Flight, from 2019 to 2025 and have been part of the framework’s research team since 2023.

I have extensive experience in the field of early childhood, having worked as a teacher, lecturer, course designer, content expert, support worker, and in management of early childhood education centres.

This experience was gained within Francophone communities in Western Canada (at the Centre collégial de l’Alberta, the Fédération des parents francophones de l’Alberta, Collège Mathieu, and in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan), and also in Djibouti, Africa, and in France.”

Tessy Vanderhaeghe

A certified sexual health educator with a master’s degree in gender studies, and also the author of “100 petites conversations à avoir avec son enfant”.

Tess is a certified sexual health educator with a master’s degree in gender studies. She leads workshops for children from kindergarten to grade 12 across the province, addressing bodily autonomy, consent, and healthy relationships in a positive and inclusive way. She also regularly collaborates with the media to open dialogue around these topics and make them accessible to a wider audience. In 2025, she published the book “100 petites conversations à avoir avec son enfant,” intended for trusted adults who want to introduce positive sexuality education to children from a young age.

Ratiba Sebhi

Holder of a master’s degree in cultural and educational sociology with several years of experience in teaching and early childhood.

“I hold a Master’s degree in cultural and educational sociology, an attestation of college studies in early childhood education techniques, a professional specialization certificate in business launching, and a diploma as an early childhood supervisor.

I have held various roles, including teacher, lecturer, trainer, pedagogical support representative, and home child care provider.

My professional experience has been built in diverse educational settings: in Quebec as a child care provider, in Alberta — notably at the Centre collégial de l’Alberta, the Centre d’Expérience Préscolaire et Parascolaire, and at MacEwan University — and in Algeria, my country of origin.”

Geneviève Issalys

Involved in the field of early childhood and families since 1997, and recognized for her original approach in supporting collective processes and in mobilizing knowledge.

Having worked in the field of early childhood and families since 1997, she has contributed to several important quality improvement and professionalization strategies, including within the network of Early Childhood Centres in Quebec, in Indigenous contexts, and in Francophone communities outside Quebec. These experiences have allowed her to develop an original approach to supporting collective processes and mobilizing knowledge. A passionate consultant and trainer, she believes deeply in the power of “doing things together” as a driver of innovation in our communities.

Blanche Monabeka

Psychotherapist, and a consultant, Blanche holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology and has years of experience working with youth in Greater Vancouver communities.

Blanche is Franco-Columbian and Congolese, born in Montreal. She holds a Master’s degree in counselling and has years of experience working with youth in Greater Vancouver communities.

She is passionate about social justice, particularly the themes of equality in education, anti-racism, mental health, and youth engagement. She has been a project manager for the Jeunes Leaders des Relations Saines program at Réseau-Femmes, a Youth Advocate at UNICEF Canada, a board member of the Conseil jeunesse francophone de la C.-B., and much more!

She is currently a project lead at Mentor Canada, a psychotherapist, and a consultant.

Learn more

Registration deadline

April 5, 2026

Registration process

1

Each participant must register individually by completing the registration form. The registration fee is $50 per participant for the entire conference, including the opening evening on Friday, May 1, and the full day of training on Saturday, May 2.

2

Indicate your preferences for the training courses. We will do our best to respect your choices; however, we cannot guarantee your first choice.

3

Following your registration, an email will be sent to you with an invoice corresponding to the registration fees, and single-room reservation fees if you have requested this.

4

Make the $50 registration fee payment by Interac e-Transfer to info@fpfcb.bc.ca, indicating in the message “Inscription à la conférence Horizon 2026” (+ « accommodation fees, » if applicable).


5

A confirmation email for your conference participation will be sent upon receipt of payment.


6

A confirmation email for your training course choices will be sent two weeks before the start of the conference.


Registration form

Important information

Travel expenses

  • The FCCRR will reimburse conference participants for their travel expenses following their participation :
    • By bus — reimbursement of the bus ticket.
    • By car — reimbursement of $0.60 per kilometre; car travel reimbursement will be capped at the cost of an airline ticket.
    • By ferry — reimbursement of the ferry fare, plus car travel reimbursement if applicable.
    • By plane — reimbursement of the plane ticket, up to a reasonable amount. You can confirm with our team before purchasing your ticket. The FCCRR recommends booking your plane tickets as early as possible, with a “free refund” option, if possible.

Accommodation expenses

  • The FCCRR will cover the accommodation costs on Friday, May 1, for participants who require this, who live more than 50 km from the conference venue, except in exceptional circumstances discussed directly with the organizers.
  • The rooms offered by the FCCRR are shared rooms. Participants are asked to indicate the name of the person with whom they wish to share the room on the registration form.
  • If a participant wishes to have a single room, a fee of $140 will be added to the total invoice.
  • Accommodation costs for Saturday night will be covered upon special request; for this, we invite the participant(s) concerned to contact a member of our team at ccrr.franco@fpfcb.bc.ca.
  • Participants who require a hotel room should indicate this on the registration form, and the FCCRR will take care of booking the rooms. There is no need to call the hotel.

Meal expenses

  • A cocktail reception will be held on Friday evening.
  • On Saturday, coffee breaks with pastries and fruit will be offered, as well as lunch.
  • Vegetarian, gluten-free, and lactose-free options will be available, and participants are responsible for indicating these requirements on their registration forms, as well as for any other food intolerances or allergies.
  • Outside of the conference, the FCCRR may pay a daily meal allowance to cover food costs during travel.

  • Participants are asked to keep the receipts.
  • Complete the expense form, previously sent by email, and provide all travel details necessary to attend the conference.
  • Provide an email address for the Interac e-Transfer reimbursement.
  • The reimbursement will be processed following participation in the conference.
  • The deadline for reimbursement of expenses is May 24, 2026.

Following the conference, participants will receive a professional development certificate for the training courses they participated in.

The community organizations present at the conference

The conference will be a prime opportunity to meet representatives of organizations that actively contribute to the development of the sector.

The Horizon 2026 conference will take place at the Executive Hotel Richmond Airport, located at 7311 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V6X 3K3.

For any questions, please contact our team by email or phone at ccrr.franco@fpfcb.bc.ca or 604-736-5056 (option 3)

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La Petite Info

Contactez-nous!


Heures d’ouverture du bureau

Lundi à vendredi, entre 9 h et 16 h.

Adresse

1565 7e avenue Ouest, Vancouver, C.-B. V6J 1S1

Courriel et téléphone

ccrr.franco@fpfcb.bc.ca
604-736-5056 (option 3)

Bureau du CCRR


Ministère de l’Éducation et des Services à la petite enfance

ChildCareBC Contact Centre

Téléphone

1-888-338-6622
(option 4)