Guide to Planning a Standard or Research Event
You represent an administrative unit at HEC Montréal that wants to plan an event. This guide is an overview of essential information for the event to go off without a hitch.
Summary
- Is it a standard event or a research event?
- A website and resources
- Standard event: an overview of the procedure
- Research event: an overview of the procedure
- Learn about the offered services and pricing
- Need to request approval?
- Learn about the rooms and room layouts, then reserve
- Request event services
- Alcohol and safety rules
- What to do if the event is cancelled
- Other important information
Is it a standard event or a research event?
Most events planned at HEC Montréal are standard, research, or student events. The campus also regularly hosts activities put on by external organizations.
A standard event is an event planned by one of the school’s administrative units (an office, department, service, hub, etc.).
A research event is an event that:
- is planned by one of the school’s administrative units
- has a research component
- has over 80 attendees or generates revenue.
Research events require approval from the Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer.
A website and resources
The website Plan an event at HEC Montréal gives you access to documents such as:
- Standard event planning procedure
- Research event planning procedure
- Guide to Using Event Resources and Requesting Services
- 10 tips for successful event planning
Standard event: an overview of the procedure
The standard event planning procedure lays out 5 main steps for a planning successful event:
- Designate a person as the event planner
- Reserve the rooms and spaces you will need
- Request approval from Security Service for an event where alcohol will be served
- Use Eventbrite ticketing for paid events
- Request services for the event: food and alcohol, layout, audiovisual support, communications, etc.
The Guide to Using Event Resources and Requesting Services will be quite helpful when completing the 5th step!
Research event: an overview of the procedure
The research event planning procedure lays out 6 main steps for planning a successful event:
- Designate a person as the event planner
- Reserve the rooms and spaces you will need
- Request approval from the Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer
- Request approval from Security Service for an event where alcohol will be served
- Use Eventbrite ticketing for paid events
- Request services for the event: food and alcohol, layout, audiovisual support, communications, etc.
The Guide to Using Event Resources and Requesting Services will be quite helpful when completing the 6th step!
Learn about the offered services and pricing
The person or unit planning the event must make sure their project has the potential for a balanced budget. They are responsible for any budget shortfalls.
Several HEC Montréal services can help make your event a success. Sometimes they charge fees. Learn what to expect in terms of pricing so you can set a reliable budget before diving into event planning.
Food
Coop HEC Montréal offers customized catering services for quick, practical meals. It offers lunch boxes as well as more elaborate meals requiring service: breakfast buffets, coffee breaks, banquets, and cocktail events.
Pricing:
- Paid services.
- To view the menu and pricing, see the catering section (in French) on the Coop HEC Montréal website.
Room layout
The Space Planning Service can draw up plans to meet the event needs and organize room layouts based on these plans.
Pricing:
- Free services.
Audiovisual
The Audiovisual Department offers event planning support:
- Technical assistance and sound at the National Bank amphitheatre and the Lévis amphitheatre.
- Audiovisual and computer equipment rentals or loans (for events)
- Event technical support (e.g., advice, video captioning, sound, hybrid meetings)
- Videoconference and communication (Zoom, Teams, webinars)
- Event webcasting
Pricing:
- Fees may apply, depending on the event needs and your structured field combination (called CCS, for combinaison de champs de structure).
To learn more, email evenements-sau-ti@hec.ca. - Don’t have a CCS? See how you can get one..
Communication
Graphic design studio
This service provides solutions for visual, print, or digital communications:
- Posters, banners, and signs
- Paper and digital brochures
- Newsletter templates
- Website images and layouts
- Photography
- Social media visuals
Pricing:
- Fees are charged for several services.
- To receive a quote, email design.graphique@hec.ca
Digital Communications Service
This service offers the following, subject to approval:
- Website creation
- Newsletters
- Social media publications
Pricing:
- Free services
Digital signage network (réseau ADN)
Subject to approval, the digital signage network (réseau ADN) can inform the HEC Montréal community of upcoming events by showing short videos on digital screens around campus.
Pricing:
- Free services
Fees may be charged for other services as well!
Your event may require additional security officers (e.g., events where alcohol is served, or events held outside regular work hours). In this case, fees will apply. For pricing information, email securite.reservations@hec.ca.
Research events: budgetary information
Organizing a research event? Please inquire about sponsorship opportunities, event fees, and sharing budget surpluses.
Obtaining sponsorships
The HEC Montréal Foundation and Alumni Relations Office does not take on the responsibility for seeking sponsorships; however, you must notify the Office of any foreseen actions before approaching an organization. Email the HEC Montréal Foundation and Alumni Relations Office, at fondation.hecmontreal@hec.ca
Event fees
Your event will incur charges from the Office of Finance. These fees must be paid even if the event does not generate entrance fee revenue. This covers services provided by the Facilities Management Service (cleaning, technical services, auxiliary services), Security Service, and Space Planning Service.
| Number of attendees | Regular hourly rate | Hourly rate - weekends |
| Fewer than 80 | No fees | No fees |
| 80 to 125 | $125 | $188 |
| 126 to 250 | $200 | $300 |
| 251 or more | $250 | $375 |
- Daily rates are charged for up to 8 hours, even if the event is longer than 8 hours.
- A 25% discount is applied for events longer than 4 hours.
Budget surplus
If the surplus is under $10,000, the unit planning the event will keep the surplus.
If the surplus exceeds $10,000, the school and the unit planning the event will share the amount exceeding $10,000 equally.
Need to request approval?
You must obtain approval in several cases:
- If alcohol will be served: you must obtain approval from Security Service.
- For research events with more than 80 attendees: you must obtain approval from the Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer.
- For a research event that generates revenue: you must obtain approval from the Office of Research and Knowledge Transfer.
Wondering how to request approval?
Refer to the procedure for the type of event you are planning.
Learn about the rooms and possible layouts, then reserve
Before reserving a room, you can see the proposed layouts and select the one that best suits your event needs. You can modify or cancel your reservations as needed.
Request event services
You can request services for your particular event needs once you have reserved rooms and received the required approvals.
Read the Guide to Using Event Resources and Requesting Services to learn more.
In the Events portal – Demandes de services — Jira
You can access several services through this request centralization tool.
Access the Events portal – Demandes de services — Jira (French only)
Request other services
- Ticketing (Eventbrite)
- Order and hang flags
- Hang posters and signs
- Cleaning
- Reprography
- Parking
- Coat check
- Videos on the digital signage network (réseau ADN)
Alcohol and safety rules
Alcohol permit
Coop HEC Montréal is the only entity on campus with an alcohol permit. The Coop will manage your alcohol orders once the event has been approved by Student Services and Security Service.
Conditions
You must first receive approval from HEC Montréal’s Security Service for an event during which alcohol will be served. Obtain approval by emailing securite.reservations@hec.ca to inform them about the event (date and time, room(s), number of attendees).
The rules and conditions set out by Security Service must be followed in full. This includes:
- how long alcohol can be served
- the number of security officers required for the activity.
Those planning the event are responsible for making sure that no person under age 18 has access to alcohol.
- This can be done in cooperation with Security Service, in accordance with a prior agreement.
- Minors can have a bracelet attached to their wrist at the entrance of the room where the event is held.
- The persons planning the event cannot under any circumstances allow minors to be served alcohol.
Cancellation: notify the school’s services right away
Have to cancel the activity? You must notify the school’s services involved in the event planning, failing which, fees may apply.
Notify the Office of Communications and Government Relations if dignitaries or journalists were expected to attend the event.
Other important information
Hours during which events can be held
The event must take place during the school’s business hours. It must end at least 15 minutes before the building closes.
Events held outside regular work hours
If you are planning an evening or weekend event, you must notify Security Service (securite.reservations@hec.ca), who, if needed, will take special measures to ensure safety during the event.
If dignitaries or public figures will attend
If you are planning an event involving one or more dignitaries or well-known public figures, you must notify Security Service (securite.reservations@hec.ca) and the Office of Communications and Government Relations (communications@hec.ca).
Dignitaries are representatives of a municipal, provincial, federal, or foreign government. This may include ministers, members of Parliament or Assembly, or mayors.
Well-known public figures are, for example, senior executives of large businesses, or people who have held major political roles.
Authorization to film or hold a photo session
Want to film or hold a photo session on HEC Montréal campus? You must first request authorization from the Office of Communications and Government Relations.
- The request must be made by email at least 2 business days before the event by emailing communications@hec.ca.
- Filming or taking photographs in a room at the school: before requesting authorization, you must have reserved the room(s) and obtained any necessary approvals.
- Filming or taking photographs in spaces that cannot be reserved: specify this in your email to the Office of Communications and Government Relations, who will decide whether to authorize filming or a photo session.
- See the procedure for obtaining authorization (in French only).
Provide WiFi network access
It is possible to provide event attendees with WiFi network access.
- Network name: Evenements-HEC
- To obtain the security key, email soutien.ti@hec.ca
Flame retardant decorations and banners
All decorations and banners hung on site at the event must be flame retardant.
You must have any external decorations approved by Security Service. Email them, at securite.reservations@hec.ca.
If you have safety concerns
If you are concerned about the safety of the people attending your event, do not hesitate to ask Security Service for advice. Email them, at securite.reservations@hec.ca.
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