Ian Hill
Award-Winning Fair & Ag Society Advocate
You Make The Difference Canada
OPENING KEYNOTE SPEAKER
You Make THE Difference: Will We Meet the Moment
Across British Columbia, the fair is far more than an event. It is a cornerstone of identity, a driver of economic vitality, a preserver of agricultural heritage, and a gathering place where every generation finds connection—from wide-eyed children experiencing wonder for the first time to elders reliving traditions rooted in the land. And yet, this is a moment unlike any other.
Volunteerism is waning. Leadership is weary. Communities are divided and distracted. But still the fair stands—ready to bring people together, ready to inspire belonging, ready to remind us of who we are and why we matter. This is the moment we must meet.
In this powerful opening keynote, award-winning fair and Ag Society advocate Ian Hill will introduce the You Make THE Difference National Initiative in British Columbia —a provincial movement created to honor, equip, and ignite the Difference Makers who make the fair possible. Board members, volunteers, youth leaders, staff, and supporters will be reminded not only of their value, but also of the opportunity before them to shape the future.
This is more than a celebration. It is a call to action.
Because the fair matters now more than ever— And so do you. You are THE Difference Maker!
About Ian Hill
Humanitarian. Business Leader. Award-Winning Social Innovator. World
Record Breaker. These are just a few of the words often used to describe
Ian Hill.
Most known across Canada as the founder and volunteer CEO of Let Them
Be Kids, Ian led an initiative that built 168 playgrounds, skate parks, and
fitness parks in communities from coast to coast. His work was recognized internationally as one of the most innovative social leisure programs in the world.
Ian’s dedication has reached over 700 Canadian communities, leading
initiatives across Alberta, Ontario, and nationwide in partnership with
governments, industry, and local leaders. From building capacity in small
towns to advancing Empowering Minds to reduce suicide and strengthen
rural mental health, Ian has spent decades strengthening the backbone of
Canada.
That commitment has earned recognition at the highest levels:
Humanitarian of the Year by the National Council for Community and
Justice and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, the Alder Business
Leaders Award presented by Canadian business legend Harry Rosen, and
a nomination for the Prime Minister’s Social Innovator of the Year Award.
Most recently, Ian was honored with the Alberta Association of Agricultural
Societies Lifetime Merit Award for his significant and lasting contributions to communities across the province of Alberta and across the country.
Now, Ian brings all that experience, passion, and unrelenting drive to You
Make THE Difference Canada — launched because he believes Canada’s
greatest asset is found in its people, especially in its smaller towns and
rural communities. They are the ones who make the difference, and this
national effort exists to rally them, strengthen agricultural societies and
fairs, and ensure these iconic institutions remain the fabric of our country
for generations to come.