Three AV Leaders Merge to Form Avera, a New Canadian Powerhouse

VANCOUVER, TORONTO, & MONTRÉAL – April 16, 2026 – In a landmark move set to reshape Canada’s audiovisual landscape, three of the nation's most respected independent firms—Proshow Audiovisual, Bespoke Audio Visual, and XPAV—have announced their union to form Avera Audiovisual. The new entity emerges as a formidable, Canadian-owned national player in a market increasingly dominated by multinational corporations.

The merger brings together decades of experience from Vancouver, Toronto, and Montréal, creating a coast-to-coast operation with seven offices. Avera aims to deliver the scale and resources of a national company while preserving the localized expertise and client-centric culture that defined its founding members. The integration is expected to be finalized on or around June 1, 2026, with the legacy brands of Proshow, Bespoke, and XPAV gradually transitioning to the unified Avera name through 2026 and being fully sunset by mid-to-late 2027.

A National Contender in a Consolidating Market

The formation of Avera is a direct response to a significant trend in the professional AV industry: consolidation by large, global firms. As the global market, valued at over USD 90 billion, continues its rapid growth fueled by hybrid work and the return of large-scale events, smaller regional players often face pressure from international giants like Encore Global and Freeman. Avera positions itself as a strategic Canadian alternative, built by owner-operators who understand the nuances of the domestic market.

"Avera represents a belief that scale and culture don't have to be at odds," said Matt Hussack, the former CEO of Proshow and now the incoming CEO of Avera. "This isn't about becoming bigger for the sake of it. It's about creating a stronger platform for our people, offering greater consistency for our clients, and building something Canadian-owned that's designed to last."

This sentiment is echoed by the company's new leadership structure, which draws from the founders of the original companies. Martin Blanchard, founder of Québec-based XPAV, will serve as Chair of the Board, while Bespoke founder Kyle Brooks will take on the role of Chief Strategy Officer. This arrangement signals a commitment to integrating the vision and experience that made each company a regional leader.

"The combined capabilities of this company will be tremendous, and I believe it will become the leading AV company in Canada," stated Martin Blanchard, highlighting the ambition behind the merger.

Forging a Unified Identity from Regional Strengths

The true strength of Avera lies in the formidable reputations of its founding companies. Proshow Audiovisual, with over 30 years of experience and a significant presence in Western Canada, has been a dominant force, supporting over 1,500 events annually. As the official audio-visual supplier to the prestigious Vancouver Convention Centre, Proshow built a reputation for technical perfection on complex projects, from major industry conferences like AME Round Up to high-profile awards galas.

From its hubs in Toronto and Ottawa, Bespoke Audio Visual carved out a niche as a creative powerhouse, known for challenging expectations and delivering high-touch service to over 1,000 events per year. Its client roster includes prominent government agencies, financial institutions, and universities, who relied on Bespoke for its expertise in event staging and production management that enhanced brand optics.

While less public information is available on Montréal's XPAV, its founder's appointment as Chair of the Board underscores its critical role in providing deep expertise and a strong foothold in the vital Québec market. Together, these three entities create a network that covers Canada's major financial and political centres, offering a genuinely national service footprint.

The new company’s name, Avera, is derived from the Latin root vera, meaning truth. This choice reflects a core philosophy of integrity and authentic partnership that the leadership aims to embed in the company's DNA as it serves a diverse clientele across the country.

The Promise of Continuity and Enhanced Capability

For existing clients of Proshow, Bespoke, and XPAV, the message from Avera’s leadership is one of reassurance and enhancement. The company has stressed that clients will continue to work with the same local teams and points of contact they have come to trust. The merger is not about disruption but about augmentation.

By combining their resources, the new entity will offer clients access to a significantly larger and more diverse inventory of world-class equipment. This includes Proshow’s expertise in high-resolution LED and 4K projection and Bespoke’s deep knowledge of premier audio brands like d&b audiotechnik and Meyer Sound. This expanded toolkit, governed by shared technical standards, will allow Avera to tackle larger and more complex productions with greater efficiency and creativity.

The transition plan, which will see the founding companies operate under their existing banners throughout 2026, is designed to be seamless. This phased approach allows time for internal integration of systems and culture without impacting service delivery. Over time, Avera plans to roll out shared initiatives focused on talent development, sustainability, and technological innovation—areas that will benefit from the company's newfound scale.

"Our goal is not to erase what made each company successful," explained Kyle Brooks, Avera's incoming CSO. "It's to protect it—and give it room to grow." This philosophy appears central to Avera's strategy: leveraging the power of a unified national brand to amplify, rather than dilute, the very qualities that earned its constituent parts their success.