ABOUT THE SUMMIT
Built for the people behind email.
The Canadian Email Summit is an annual gathering dedicated to email marketing, the people who practise it, and the technologies and policies that shape it.
We bring together marketers, CRM and lifecycle teams, deliverability specialists, privacy professionals, technology providers, and industry leaders for practical learning and meaningful connections.
OUR SPONSORS
Supported by the email community
Presenting Sponsor
Lead Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
OUR BEGINNINGS
It started with a conversation.
After attending a digital marketing conference in Toronto, Matthew Vernhout and Derek Lackey found themselves waiting for the train home, enjoying a beer, and reflecting on the day. Despite email’s importance to digital marketing, only one session had focused on it. They wondered what a conference dedicated entirely to email could offer.
That conversation planted the seed. Matthew registered the Canadian Email Summit domain name and began turning the idea into an event. With support from Derek and the Response Marketing Association (RMA), the first Summit took place in 2019.
The RMA provided financial support, processed payments, and helped organize venues. The collaboration also established a bursary for a senior college or university marketing student, funded in years when the event is profitable.
THE FIRST EVENT
A snowy start, a full room.
Snow greeted Toronto on the morning of the inaugural Summit. The sun came out, the room was full, and a strong group of speakers led a day of thoughtful discussions and networking.
That first gathering showed there was room for an event devoted to the craft of email, with practical expertise and connections at its centre.
RESPONSIBLE MARKETING
A place for important conversations.
Canadian regulations and responsible marketing practices have been part of the Summit’s programming from the beginning.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has participated in five of the first six events. During an election year, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) contributed instead.
These perspectives help connect everyday email practices with privacy, compliance, and the responsibilities of communicating with Canadians. Participation does not imply regulatory endorsement of the Summit.
OUR JOURNEY
Growing through change.
The Summit navigated COVID-19 lockdowns and virtual events, then gradually rebuilt its in-person community. Throughout those changes, speakers, sponsors, attendees, and industry partners continued to show up.
The programme and sponsor community have grown stronger over time. Just as importantly, familiar faces return, and new people join the conversation each year.
In 2026, the Summit began a formal three-year partnership with Cyberimpact, supporting its next chapter. Our ambition is to make the Canadian Email Summit Canada’s largest dedicated email marketing gathering while preserving the connections that make it valuable.
THE COMMUNITY
The conversations are what bring us back.
Email can be a lonely profession, especially when you are new to the field or the only email specialist on your team. The global #EmailGeeks community is large, but close-knit, and the Summit gives people a chance to connect face to face.
People come to learn about strategy, deliverability, creative, privacy, and technology. They also come to find colleagues, mentors, friends, and sometimes their next opportunity.
A NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDER
Matthew Vernhout
Founder, Canadian Email Summit
“One of the things I enjoy most about the Summit is seeing people connect. Someone might arrive knowing nobody and leave with a new friend, a mentor, a colleague, or even a lead on their next job. Bringing people together and seeing those relationships develop is what makes all the work worthwhile.”
STAY CONNECTED
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