Important Dates for Convention 2026
HSA’s 55th annual convention is fast approaching – April 15-17, 2026. We are excited to bring members together again for three days of debate, networking, and shaping the year ahead for our union.
There are many important deadlines attached to convention planning, and this bulletin outlines some key dates you need to be aware of. If you are interested in attending convention as a delegate, please read the following information to become familiar with key dates.
January 16, 2026 – Deadline to submit resolutions
Resolutions are at the core of our convention work. They help set the work of the union and prioritize campaigns and initiatives.
Resolutions are voted on by members at a local chapter meeting and are submitted via your local chapter. Individuals cannot submit resolutions directly to the union. Please look for information about your chapter’s resolution meeting which will happen before January 16.
January 19, 2026 – Delegate entitlements for chapters
Each HSA chapter will have a set number of delegates they can send to convention. This calculation is set based on the size of the chapter’s membership. The delegate entitlement will be posted to the Stewards Portal by Monday, January 19, 2026.
After this date, chapters may start holding meetings to elect their delegation to convention. Watch for more information about when your chapter will be holding its selection meeting to elect delegates. Reach out to your lead steward if you are interested in being a delegate.
January 26, 2026 – Convention delegate registration opens
If you have been elected at your chapter meeting to attend convention, and have secured the time off work, then you can register for convention online at here. If you are new delegate and have not attended convention before, please join us at the New Delegates breakfast on Wednesday, April 15. Please identify yourself as a new delegate on your convention registration and our convention registrar will reach out to you with further details on the breakfast.
When you are elected to attend convention at your chapter, please ask for Union Leave immediately. If you do not receive a response within 2 or 3 weeks, please notify your steward right away so that we can pursue approval of your leave. If you are denied Union Leave to attend convention, notify your steward as soon as possible to explore filing a grievance. The sooner we can respond, the better.
Remember, if you have been elected as an alternate delegate, you also need to register!
March 5, 2026 – Deadline to register for convention
Thursday, March 5 is the deadline for delegates and alternate delegates to register for convention. Alternate delegates will be advised as soon possible if a delegate spot becomes available for them to fill.
A few more things to be aware of:
Pre-convention education workshops: Every year ahead of convention we offer a day of educational workshops covering a variety of topic areas. This convention we will once again offer 5 full-day workshops on April 14, 2026. Only members who are approved delegates can apply for these sessions. Information about pre-convention education will be circulated in January.
Please note, we always get more applications to attend than there are spots available. Applicants will be notified by union staff the week of March 9, 2026, if a seat has been confirmed. If you have applied to attend a workshop, it is best to book your travel after you’ve received confirmation of a seat.
Equity-denied caucuses: Creating meeting opportunities for delegates and members who identify with an equity-denied caucus is an important part of every convention. However, we also know from past conventions that attending caucus meetings during convention can add significant commitment to an already long day. This convention we want to try something different.
Instead of holding these meetings over the three days of convention, we will host them virtually ahead of convention. This means that caucus members can meet ahead of convention to review the convention agenda, discuss important resolutions, and prepare for debate and discussion. This also means delegates will have more time to participate in other convention activities and events.
This will be the first time we will try this model. Following convention, please share your feedback and experience. We are always looking for ways to make delegates’ experience better and honour the time you give to building our union.
For more information about convention, please visit our convention webpage.