Ottawa Conference and Event Centre

What Ottawa Conference and Event Centre does

The Ottawa Conference and Event Centre (OCEC) operates a privately held convention and event facility at 200 Coventry Road, Ottawa, Ontario, delivering a 43,000 sq ft function space comprising 37 meeting rooms, two divisible ballrooms with 26-ft ceilings, and two amphitheatres capable of hosting events for 10 to 1,200 guests. The facility is differentiated by 574 connected guest rooms across two attached hotels (Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa East and Hampton by Hilton Ottawa), the largest such connected hotel footprint of any Ottawa convention venue, plus 815 parking spaces, a 450,000-gallon grey water recycling system, and a distinctive windowed atrium backdrop. On-site capabilities include full-service catering with three named Executive Chefs (Derek Ragnitz, Summer Fogal, Rob Schatz) producing menus priced from $13 to $110 per person, preferred on-site audio visual services via Advantage AV, and complimentary WiFi through Windswept.

OCEC generates revenue across four primary streams: venue and function space rental, food and beverage catering, banquet bar services, and parking, all billed on a Pay-as-you-go basis with HST 13% applied and no gratuity charges. Catering revenue dominates the mix, with tiered pricing across breakfast ($18-$40), lunch ($42-$65), dinner ($75-$110), coffee breaks ($13-$25), and receptions ($47-$60 per dozen), plus bar pricing per unit. Wedding packages offer complimentary hall rental for qualified 100+ guest bookings, and tradeshow configurations support up to 65 10x10 booths per ballroom. The go-to-market is sales-driven through a team of at least eight named sales managers plus Convention and Catering Directors, processing inbound via an online RFP form and outbound via direct phone and email engagement.

The company serves five primary customer segments: corporate events, tradeshows and exhibitions, weddings, government and associations, and education. Government and association clients are concentrated in Ottawa's role as the national capital, with named Crown Corporation and federal department references. Education clients include schools, universities, and educational organizations. Wedding clients span 50-750 guest celebrations. OCEC holds a Green Key Eco-Rating and pursues multiple community partnerships (Ottawa Food Bank, United Way, Salvation Army, Breast Cancer Action, Snowsuit Fund, The Ottawa Mission, St. Mary's Home, Youth Services Bureau, McHugh Technical High School, and Vanier Community Service Centre). The operating geography is Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, Canada.

Name

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre

Legal name

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre

Website

https://ottawaconferenceandeventcentre.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre operates a 43,000 sq ft Ottawa convention facility with 37 meeting spaces, 2 ballrooms, and 574 connected hotel rooms, offering venue, catering, and event planning to corporate, government, association, education, and wedding clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convention and Event Venue Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Convention centre services
• Event venue rental
• Banquet catering services
• Wedding event hosting
• Corporate conference hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Venue and Function Space Rental: Rental of meeting rooms, ballrooms, and function spaces for events. Room rental fees based on space selected and event requirements. Includes complimentary items like tables, chairs, linens, and setup.
2. Food and Beverage Catering: Full-service catering including breakfast, lunch, dinner, receptions, coffee breaks, and banquets. Menu options range from $18-$110 per person. Professional culinary team using fresh local products.
3. Banquet Bar Services: Alcoholic beverage service including liquor, wine, beer, liqueurs, and non-alcoholic options. Pricing per glass, bottle, or pitcher.
4. Parking Services: 515 underground heated parking spaces and 300 overflow outdoor spaces. Complimentary parking included with events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre (OCEC) operates a 43,000 sq ft convention facility with 37 meeting rooms, 2 divisible ballrooms, and 2 amphitheatres, accommodating events from 10 to 1,200 guests. The venue rents function space and provides full-service food and beverage catering, banquet bar services, on-site audio visual support through preferred supplier Advantage AV, and integrated 574-room hotel accommodations via connected Courtyard by Marriott and Hampton by Hilton properties. Distinct service lines include corporate meetings, tradeshows, weddings, and social events with complimentary parking, WiFi, and a no-gratuity pricing policy.

Product overview

Ottawa Conference and Event Centre operates as an integrated convention and event venue offering a unified portfolio of services centered on its 43,000 sq ft facility with 37 meeting spaces, 2 ballrooms, and 2 amphitheatres. The core offering combines the physical event space with full-service Food and Beverage Catering (breakfast, lunch, dinner, reception, and holiday menus) prepared by executive chefs using locally sourced ingredients. Supporting services include Wedding Services (customized packages for 50-750 guests), Tradeshow Services (with large freight access and attached hotels), and Event Planning coordination. The venue also provides integrated Guest Room Accommodations through two connected hotels offering 574 rooms with complimentary WiFi and parking, creating a one-stop destination for event hosting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Convention and Event Centre Facility Rental A state-of-the-art conference facility offering 43,000 sq ft of function space across 37 meeting rooms, 2 divisible ballrooms with 26ft high ceilings, and 2 amphitheatres, accommodating events from 10 to 1,200 people. Complimentary items include tables, chairs, white linens, setup, WiFi, and parking for corporate, association, government, education, and social events.
• Food and Beverage Catering Services Full-service catering including breakfast, lunch, dinner, receptions, coffee breaks, and banquets for events ranging from intimate gatherings of 10 to events hosting up to 1,000 guests. Menus range from $18-$110 per person and are prepared by a professional culinary team using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
• Banquet Bar Services Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage service including liquor, wine, beer, liqueurs, soft drinks, juices, and energy drinks priced per glass, bottle, pitcher, or ounce (e.g., Liquor $10/oz, Domestic Beer $9, House Wine $10/glass, $50/1L).
• Wedding Services Customized wedding reception packages for 50-750 guests including complimentary hall rental for qualified 100+ guest bookings, 500+ complimentary parking spaces, complimentary dance floor, white tablecloths, non-alcoholic punch fountain, and a complimentary guest room for the wedding couple (100+ guests).
• Tradeshow Services Tradeshow hosting across 2 large ballrooms with 26ft high ceilings, attached hotels with 574 guestrooms, large freight doors, loading dock, and booth configurations supporting up to 65 10x10 booths per ballroom.
• Guest Room Accommodations 574 guest rooms in one connected location with complimentary WiFi and parking, accessible directly from the convention floor via two attached brand-name hotels (Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa East and Hampton by Hilton Ottawa).

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Marriott International (Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa East)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConnected hotel property providing 100-seat licensed restaurant (The Bistro) offering breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus guest room block availability for conference attendees. Sales managers coordinate reservations with hotel.
• Hilton (Hampton by Hilton Ottawa)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConnected hotel partner providing additional guest room inventory (574 total between both properties). Coordinated booking through sales managers for conference attendees.
• EcolabstrategicTechnology or IntegrationSustainability partner providing confidence that all aspects of operations are protected with clean and safe practices, satisfied guests, and better business results in the most sustainable way.
• Advantage AVcoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred on-site audio visual supplier providing technical expertise to customize and manage all technical requirements for events. Contact: 613-737-9200.
• WindsweptstrategicTechnology or IntegrationInternet service provider supplying complimentary Guest Access Network WiFi for all venue guests.
• Vanier Community Service CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership assisting newer immigrant families with employment opportunities.
• McHugh Technical High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment opportunities providing students exposure to professional work ethics, social bonds, and communication skills.
• Youth Services BureauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment opportunities for youth building professional skills and interpersonal communication in a hospitality environment.
• The Ottawa MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood donation partnership receiving all prepared and unserved food from events to support community feeding programs.
• St. Mary's HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood donation partnership receiving unserved food from events to support vulnerable populations.
• Breast Cancer ActionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable sponsorship and support through event donations.
• Ottawa Food BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnership supporting food security initiatives in Ottawa.
• United Way OttawaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable sponsorship supporting community impact initiatives.
• Salvation Army OttawaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable donations and sponsorship supporting social services.
• Snowsuit FundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable sponsorship supporting children's winter clothing programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Courtyard by Marriott Ottawa East: One of the two hotel partners physically connected to OCEC providing guest rooms and The Bistro restaurant. Strategic channel/reseller partner rather than direct competitor, but its operations materially shape OCEC's competitive offering.

Direct peers

• Vancouver Convention Centre: West coast convention venue with full event services, catering, and sustainability credentials (LEED certified). Comparable business model and customer base to OCEC for corporate, association, and tradeshow events.
• Centre des congrès de Québec: Quebec City's convention centre offering event space and catering for corporate, association, and government clients. Comparable in operating model and bilingual Canadian convention market positioning.
• Edmonton Convention Centre (Edmonton EXPO Centre): Edmonton's primary convention facility operating trade and consumer shows, corporate events, and banquets. Comparable business model to OCEC in regional Canadian convention market.
• Palais des congrès de Montréal: Major Canadian convention venue hosting large-scale conferences, tradeshows, and corporate events with in-house catering and AV. Comparable operating model to OCEC, though at significantly larger scale and serving the Montreal market.
• Halifax Convention Centre: Atlantic Canada's purpose-built convention venue providing meeting space, catering, and event services. Closely comparable facility and operating model to OCEC, though serving the Halifax market.
• Metro Toronto Convention Centre: Canada's largest convention centre, operating comparable function space, in-house catering, and tradeshow/event services for corporate and association clients. Represents the next-tier Canadian convention centre benchmark for scale and capability.
• Shaw Centre: Ottawa's other major convention centre, located in downtown Ottawa near Parliament. Directly competes for the same corporate, government, and association event customers in the Ottawa market, though it lacks OCEC's integrated hotel-rooms advantage.
• Calgary TELUS Convention Centre: Alberta's flagship convention centre providing meeting space, catering, and event services for corporate and association clients. Closely comparable in service mix and target customer segments to OCEC, though serving a different regional market.
• Enercare Centre (Exhibition Place): Toronto-based convention and exhibition complex hosting large tradeshows, consumer shows, and corporate events with in-house catering. Direct comparable for tradeshow booth configuration and large ballroom operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocec

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ottawa Conference and Event Centre