NOV 14
3:00 PM - 7:00 PM : Registration Opens
Wayne Gretzky Foyer
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM : EMC Board Meeting (Invitation Only)
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM : Welcome Reception
JW Marriott Foyer
Pick up your badges and join us in the foyer of the JW Marriott for a welcome reception brought to you by SWTCH Energy!
Meet you fellow EVVE 2023 attendees and catch up with friends and colleagues as we get ready for three days of innovations, knowledge sharing, networking, and professional development. See you there!
7:30 PM - 9:30 PM : EMC Board Dinner (Invitation Only)
NOV 15
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM: Registration
JW Mariott Foyer
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM : Breakfast
JW Marriott
Wayne Gretzky Ballroom
EMC welcomes Women of EVs, both those currently involved in a chapter or those interested in learning more. Look for the tables with “Women of EVs” signs at the breakfast https://www.womenofevs.com/
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM : Opening Plenary
JW Marriott – Wayne Gretzky Ballroom
Join us in kicking off EVVE 2023, with a plenary session packed with exciting content!
Neetika Sathe, Chair of EMC’s Board of Directors, will open up the conference for us, followed by an introduction from Francis Bradley, President & CEO of Electricity Canada and a traditional hoop dance performed by Dallas Arcand.
You won’t want to miss the opening address from City of Edmonton Councillor Tim Cartmell.
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry will be joining us for a fireside chat with EMC’s President & CEO, Daniel Breton.
10:00 AM - 10:15 AM : Break
Foyer
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM : Session 1 : Optimizing EV Charging Experiences in Canada
Moderator : Josh Cohen, Director of Policy, SWTCH
Charging Infrastructure Benchmarks and Charging Reliability : Louise Lévesque, Director of Policy, Electric Mobility Canada and Jason E. Clifton, Consulting Partner, Canada eMobility Leader, EY
Customer Focus Must Be a Key Attribute to 2030 EV Strategy and Regulation : Mike Wenzlaff, Senior Program Manager, EV Services, BC Hydro
Equitable and Accessible EV Charging From the Ground Up : Yvette Jones, Project Leader, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Assessing the Consumer EV Charging Experience in Canada: Cedric Smith, Director, Transportation, Pollution Probe
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM : Session 2 : Looking Forward: Electrifying Commercial Truck Fleets
Moderator: Ted Dowling, Managing Director, North America, Ebsuco
The Roadmap to Zero Emission MHDVs in Canada : Adam Thorn, Director, Pembina Institute
The Road to Net Zero : Meena Bibra, Senior Policy Advisor, Clean Energy Canada
Patrick Gervais, Vice-President, Truck & Public Affairs, Lion Electric
Cracking the Code of Getting MHD EVs on the Road :
- Theresa Cooke, Head of Global Customer Success, Managed Charging, Siemens Canada Limited
- Shayna Rector Bleeker, Cofounder & VP Strategic Partnerships, 7 Generation Capital
- Arjan Sharma, Acting Branch Manager for Fleet and Facility Services, City of Edmonton
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM : Session 3 : Reaching Canada's School Bus Electrification Targets
Marie-Eve Labranche, Manager, Public & Government Relations, Lion Electric
Canadian Electric School Bus Association Initative : Valérie Tremblay, Project Manager, Sustainable Mobility, Équiterre
Prince Edward Island – Leading the EV School Bus Transformation From Fossil Fuels: Matt Collins, Manager of Engineering Services, PEI Department of Transportation & Infrastructure
11:45 AM - 1:00 PM : Lunch and Presentation of Al Cormier Award
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM : Session 4 : Running on Less in Canada: Scaling Up Electric Trucking
Moderator: David Schaller, Industry Engagement Director, North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE)
Early Lessons Learned from Run on Less Electric Depot: David Schaller, Industry Engagement Director, North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE)
Panellists:
Charlotte Argue, Senior Manager, Sustainable Mobility, Geotab
Adam Thorn, Program Director, Transportation, Pembina Institute
Brent Wilson, Program Manager, BGIS
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM : Session 5 : A National Look at Energy and Charging
Moderator: Sanjeev Pushkarna, Director, Business Development, Nova Scotia Power
Utility EV Integration – Insights from EMC’s Utility Committee : Daniel Carr, Head, Smart Cities, Alectra Utilities
(on behalf of EMC’s Utility Committee)
How EVs Will Impact the Grid – Lessons Across Canada : Emma Hill, Principal Analyst, Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors
GIS Driven Charging Infrastructure Planning : Arif Rafiq, Transportation Industry Manager, Esri Canada
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM : Session 6 : Making the Case for Rural and Remote Charging
Moderator: Scott Sharabura, Vice-President, Electric Vehicle Charging, Parkland Corporation
EV Charging for Grid-Challenged Locations : Frederick Prigge, President, YULtek Inc.
ATCO: An Update from Alberta’s Largest EV Infrastructure Provider: William York, Senior Engineer, ATCO
Danielle Weiss, Director of Transportation Initiatives, Community Energy Association
Charge Up : Supporting Indigenous Communities and Businesses : Jessica Tait, Sustainable Transportation Lead, Indigenous Clean Energy
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM : Coffee Break and Networking
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM : Session 7 : Peak Power Management
Moderator: Tomasz Suszycki, Principal Delegate, Hydro-Québec
Energy Storage Solution (BESS) Supporting EV Fast Charging Infrastructure : Brian Walters, Chief Executive Officer, Vortex Technology Group & Curt de Gourville, Chief Technology Officer, Vortex Technology Group
Light EVs and the New Paradign in Residential Energy Management : Mark Mandzik, Head, Customer Fulfillment Partnerships, dcbel Inc.
Michael Simone, Manager, Operations Engineering, Fortis Alberta
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM : Session 8 : Battery Life Cycle & Industry Input on Government Regulations
Moderator : Matthew Fortier, President & CEO, Accelerate-Accélérer
Hugo Normand, R&D Director, Ingenext
Frederick Desbiens, Public Affairs Advisor, Lithion Technologies
Thierry St-Cyr, President & CEO, InnoVÉÉ
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM : Session 9 : Leveraging Clean Fuels and Carbon Credits
Moderator: Bora Plumptre, Director of Research, Electric Mobility Canada
Driving EVs Home with Carbon Credits : John Stonier, President, Electric Advantage Systems
Using Carbon Credits to Expand Electrification : Trevor Egan, Load Consultant, LeadingAhead Energy and Maxime Charron, President, LeadingAhead Energy
Supporting Fleet Electrification Through Clean Fuel Programs : Matthew Riyanto, Operations Manager, e-Mission Control
3:45 PM - 5:00 PM : Session 10 : Provincial Policy and Programs
Moderator: Alec Tsang, Manager, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Planning, BC Hydro
Revision of Quebec’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Standard : On the Road to an Electric 2035 : Marilou Gosselin, Coordinator, Quebec Ministry of Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change (MELCC)
Insights from Ontario’s New Public EV Infrastructure Funding Program : Victoria Prouse, Senior Policy Advisor, Emerging Technologies Office, Ontario Ministry of Transportation
3:45 PM - 5:00 PM : Session 11 : Charging Innovations (Research & Development)
Moderator: Matthew Bartolone, Director of Sales, Public Charging, ABB e-Mobility
Exploring the ISO 15118-20 Protocol and Load Management in Electric Vehicles : Luis Leal, Business Development Manager, E-Mobility, Phoenix Contact
Employing End-of-Route Charging to Enable Full Electrification of Transit Bus Fleets : Hajo Ribberink, Senior Research Engineer, Natural Resources Canada
Accelerating the Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) Through Research, Development and Demonstrations : Charles Crispim, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Energy Research, Natural Resources Canada
Alexandre Lalonde, Head of eMobility – North America, Hitachi Energy
3:45 PM - 5:00 PM : Session 12 : Electric Micromobility
Moderator: Erin Burbidge, Vice President, Policy and Innovation, Clean Foundation
Advancing Clean Transportation in Nova Scotia with Micro-mobility, Transit, and Used EV Incentives : Krista Phillips, Head of Strategic Electrification, Nova Scotia Natural Resources and Renewables
Bridging the Last Mile : SFU’s Innovative Leap in Sustainable Transportation and Electric Mobility : Sid Mehta, Senior Director Ancillary Services, Simon Fraser University
City of Edmonton’s Micro-Mobility Program and e-Bike Education: Jenny Albers, General Supervisor Planning and Permitting, City of Edmonton
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM : Networking Reception
Join us on November 15 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Banquet Bar, a luxury bar located in Edmonton’s ICE district, opposite the JW Marriott Hotel, for a reception brought to you by EVVE sponsor FLO.
With a 10-pin bowling alley, arcade games, ping-pong tables and more, our Banquet Bar reception is the perfect way to wrap up our first full day of conference programming!
NOV 16
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM : Registration
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM : Breakfast
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM : Plenary Session
Join us for an overview of EMC’s projects and plans for the year ahead, in a forward-looking presentation focusing on future outlooks in the Canadian EV landscape.
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM : Break and Networking
10:00 AM - 11:15 AM : Session 13 : Overcoming Barriers to EV Adoption
Moderator : Laura Miller, Director, Public Policy & Communications, Uber
Women and EVs – Mind the Gap! : Cara Clairman, President & CEO, Plug’n Drive & Joanna Osawe, CEO, Women in Renewable Energy
Promise and Potential for EVs in Atlantic Canada : Alyse Wilton, Manager of Environmental Health Program, NB Lung
EVerything EVs : Research Driven Marketing Solutions to Overcoming Barriers to EV Adoption : Jennie Wadden, Supervisor, Marketing, takeCHARGE, Newfoundland Power
10:00 AM - 11:15 AM : Session 14 : Trends in North American Charging Policies and Standards
Moderator : Sunny Attarde, Electric Vehicle Expert, CSA Group
NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Insfrastructure Program), CFI (Charging and Fueling Infrastructure), and You : Lessons Learned for Canada : Suzanne Goldberg, Senior Director Public Policy, North America, ChargePoint
Emerging Trends in North American Light Duty EV Charging Regulation : Elizabeth France, Director, FLO
Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure Initiative: Melissa Chow, Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank
State of Public EV Charging Experiences in North America and Impacts on Policy Decisions: Simon Ouellette, CEO, ChargeHub
10:00 AM - 11:15 AM : Session 15 : Canadian Hydrogen Ecosystem (Research & Development)
Moderator: François Girard, Research Council Office, Programs Advisor, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies, National Research Council
Canada’s Hydrogen Ecosystem: 8000 MHDVs and 60,000 Forklifts Strong: Matthew Klippenstein, Executive Director, Hydrogen BC; Regional Director, Western Canada, Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (CHFCA)
Jessica Lof, Business Development Manager – Hydrogen for Mobility, Air Products
Electrification of Transportation Through Hydrogen in the Edmonton Region: Derek Hanson, Director of Transit Fleet Maintenance, City of Edmonton
5000 Hydrogen Vehicle Challenge: Brent Lakeman, Director, Hydrogen Inititaitve, Edmonton Global
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM : Shuttles to Edmonton Expo Centre
Shuttles to trade show at Edmonton Expo, running all day until end of trade show.
11:00 AM - 7:00 PM : Trade Show at Edmonton EXPO Centre
| Trade Show Details
With over 30 000 square feet of exhibit booths hosted by leading businesses and associations in the industry, and vehicle displays ranging from off-road and micro-mobility vehicles to larger buses and trucks at the EXPO Centre, our full-scale trade show will be a highlight of the conference and create opportunities for new business connections and to catch up on latest developments from across the Canadian EV industry. Note: no programming is taking place at JW Marriott during the afternoon. All activities are at Edmonton Expo.
What’s Included? Our trade show space is designed to keep the varied interests of our EMC members and supporters in mind – in addition to exhibit booths and vehicle displays, we will be providing multiple other programming options to keep you busy all day:
Lunch will be provided on the grounds of the trade show, with a seating area available for networking, catching up with colleagues and friends, and holding short meetings booked through our event app (coming soon!). |
| All attendees are invited to attend a networking reception being held on the trade show floor, from 5 PM to 7 PM.
|
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM : Lunch
A buffet-style lunch will be served on the trade show floow.
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM : Workshop : Future Skilling Dialogue with Colleges, Post-Secondary Institutions and Partners
Facilitated by Kelly Jackson, Vice-President of External Affairs & Professional Learning, Humber College, with participation from representatives from Canadian post-secondary institutions.
This discussion is open to all registered conference delegates interested in sharing challenges and opportunities for talent recruitment and retention and discovering how polytechnics and colleges are working with industry to upskill workers to meet the needs of the electric mobility sector.
*Offered in English only
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM : Speed Mentoring
An equity-focused speed mentoring session organized in partnership with Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) President & CEO Joanna Osawe and Plug’n Drive President & CEO Cara Clairman, giving students and other young people either entering or curious about opportunities in the EV industry a chance to meet with established leaders and innovators from various sectors in transportation electrification
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM : Committee Meetings
Onsite at the Edmonton EXPO Centre during the trade show hours.
EMC Medium & Heavy Duty Working Group Meeting : Room 107 A, 1 PM – 3 PM
EMC Charging Infrastructure Working Group Meeting: Room 107 A, 3 PM – 4 PM
EMC Government Relations Committee Meeting: Room 107 A, 4 PM – 5 PM
EMC Utilities Working Group Meeting (by invitation only) : Trade Show Office, 2 PM – 4 PM
EMC Membership Stewardship Committee Meeting (by invitation only): F2 Gallery, 4 PM – 5 PM
Federal Government Meeting: ZEV Council Charging and Refueling Working Group (by invitation only): Room 108, 3 PM – 5 PM
Federal Government Meeting – Listening Session (by invitation of Transport Canada only): Trade Show Office, 4 PM – 5 PM
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM : Networking Reception
Join us for a networking reception on the trade show floor! Exhibits and vehicle displays will remain open.
Stop by the EMC booth between 11 AM and 7 PM to pick up your drink tickets!
NOV 17
7:00 AM - 10:00 AM : Registration
JW Marriott Foyer
7:30 AM - 8:45 AM : Plenary Breakfast
JW Mariott – Wayne Gretzky Ballroom
Alberta Mobility Leaders Discussion, moderated by Megan Lohmann, Acting CEO, Community Energy Association
Panelists:
Jane Flower, Vice President, Corporate Purpose, Alberta Motor Association
Melanie Bayley, President, ATCO Electric
Janine Sullivan, President & CEO, Fortis Alberta
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM : Session 16 : MURB Charging Infrastructure and Load Management
Moderator: Joanna Kyriazis, Director of Public Affairs, Clean Energy Canada
Managed Charging the AlectraDrive Way : Averyl D’Souza, Project Lead, Smart Cities, Alectra Utilities
EVEMS : Is it the Key to Making Condos and Apartments EV Ready? : Leo Viger-Bernard, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Recharge Véhicule Électrique
Are You Ready for This?!? : Affordable Solutions to Scale ‘EV Ready’ Buildings : Brendan McEwen, Managing Consultant, Dunsky Energy + Climate & Jason Wang, Senior Analyst, Pembina Institute
Charging Ahead : increasing EV Equity Through Charging & Energy Management Systems : Cedric Tai, Director, Strategic Initatives, SWTCH
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM : Session 17 : Policy Leadership in Canada
Policy Leadership in Canada : Suzanne Goldberg, Sr. Director Public Policy, North America, ChargePoint & Travis Allan, Chief Legal & Public Affairs Officer, FLO (on behalf of EMC’s National Government Relations Committee)
Federal ZEV Outlook : Zoiey Cobb, Director, On-Road Decarbonization and Electrification, Environmental Policy, Transport Canada
Federal ZEV Infrastructure Programs : Anna Vanderkamp, Director, Innovation Policy, Natural Resources Canada
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM : Session 18 : Batteries (Research & Development)
Moderator: Anaïssia Franca, Director, Transportation Electrification, CIMA+
Electrolytes for All-Solid-State Lithium and Sodium Batteries – Opportunities and Challenges toward Safer Energy Storage : Lingzi Sang, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Science – Chemistry, University of Alberta
Seeing Inside Lithium-Ion Batteries Using In-Situ and Operando Techniques : Mike Fleischauer, Senior Research Officer, National Research Council of Canada
Advanced Electrolytes for Safe, High Energy and Extremely Low Temperature Capable Next Generation Batteries: Muhammad Shoaib, CEO, Superionics Inc & Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Calgary
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM : Coffee Break and Networking
JW Marriott Foyer
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM : Session 19 : Municipal Leadership in Transportation Electrification
Moderator: Maureen Shuell, Electric Mobility Canada
Municipalities in the Electric Transition : Calvin Lechelt, Program Manager, Sustainability Services, Alberta Municipalities
Key Components of an Equitable Regional EV Charging Strategy : The Case of Metro Vancouver : Brendan McEwen, Managing Consultant, Dunsky Energy + Climate & Eve Hou, Senior Manager, Policy Development and Decision Analysis, TransLink
Langley’s Municipal Fleet Electrification Journey : Greg Dennis, Project Engineer, Township of Langley (BC)
Change Mobility for Climate: Edmonton’s Approach to Low Carbon Transportation : Kent Snyder, Branch Manager of Planning and Environmental Services, City of Edmonton
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM : Session 20 : Assessing Charging Needs
Moderator: George Thompson, Fortis Inc.
Assessing the Needs for Charging Infrastructure Across Canada : Jeff Turner, Director, Clean Mobility, Dunsky Energy + Climate
Auditor General’s Report and Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program Updates from Charging Infrastructure Working Group, Daniel Breton, Electric Mobility Canada
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM : Session 21 : Zero Emission Public Transit
Moderator: Chris McLeod, Vice President, Global Marketing & Communications, Edmonton Global
Electric Buses in Canada: Past, Present and Future : Klaus Peter Canavan, President & CEO, Kiepe Electric Canada & Director, Canadian Transit Heritage Foundation
Acceleration of the Transition to Zero-Emission Fleets in Public Transit : Alexandrine Gauvin, Public Affairs and External Communications, Nova Bus & Chris Hill, Supervisor, Fleet Planning, Operations Department, City of Guelph
Repowering from Diesel to Battery Electric/Hydrogen : A Great Way to Help Fleet Operators Achieve GHG Reduction Goals Sooner : Gara Hay, President, MTB Transit Solutions
Edmonton’s Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy: Arjan Sharma, Acting Branch Manager for Fleet and Facility Services, City of Edmonton
11:45 AM - 12:30 PM : Closing Plenary Session
JW Marriott
Wayne Gretzky Ballroom
We’ll be closing out the conference with a final plenary session with lots of great content!
Hear from Neetika Sathe, Chair of EMC’s Board of Directors, and EMC Board Member Travis Allan, with closing words from EMC’s President & CEO Daniel Breton.
Most importantly, we’ll be announcing EMC’s next conference, EVVE 2024!
Speakers
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne was first elected in 2015 as the Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice—Champlain. He has previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Minister of International Trade.
Minister Champagne is a businessman, lawyer, and international trade specialist with over 20 years’ experience at large international companies in Europe, particularly in the fields of energy, engineering, and innovation.
Before entering politics, Minister Champagne was Vice-President and Senior Counsel of ABB Group, a leader in cutting-edge technology that operates in more than 100 countries. He also served as Strategic Development Director, acting General Counsel, and Chief Ethics Officer and Member of the Group Management Committee of Amec Foster Wheeler, a world leader in the energy sector.
In 2009, Minister Champagne was named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He has served on several boards over the years, and was notably President of the Canadian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and the Banff Forum.
After his election in 2015, Minister Champagne served as a parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Finance until 2017, when he was appointed Minister of International Trade. During his time as Minister of International Trade, the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement entered into force, and Canada signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. In 2018, he was named Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and oversaw the federal government’s ambitious $187 billion infrastructure investment plan. He was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2019, and oversaw the creation of Canada’s Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, which more than 60 countries have endorsed.
Minister Champagne holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Montréal and a Master of Laws in American law from Case Western Reserve University. Minister Champagne also studied public and private international law at The Hague Academy of International Law, in the Netherlands.
Tim Cartmell
Ward pihêsiwin Councillor, City of Edmonton
Ward pihêsiwin Councillor Tim Cartmell was first elected to Edmonton City Council in 2017. In 2021 he was elected for his second term on City Council.
Tim is a Professional Engineer and small business owner. He specializes in the structural design and management of building projects, including past projects like the Expo Centre for Northlands and three seniors lodges for the Greater Edmonton Foundation. Prior to serving in public office, Tim also worked for the Government of Alberta's Ministry of Treasury Board and Finance.
Tim currently serves on a variety of initiatives, including and not limited to: A variety of positions in relation to the Edmonton Metropolitan Region Board; Member of the Alberta Municipalities Infrastructure Committee; Advisor to the Edmonton Sport Council Board of Directors ; and Member of the Board of Directors for the Fort Edmonton Park Management Company.
Melanie Bayley
President, ATCO Electric - ATCO
Melanie Bayley leads ATCO’s Electricity division, bringing extensive experience in the natural gas and
electricity utility industries in Alberta and Canada’s north. She is accountable for the strategic and
operational direction of the electricity transmission and distribution business in Alberta, the Yukon and
Northwest Territories.
Ms. Bayley joined ATCO in 2000 as a natural gas System Planning Engineer, advancing to increasingly
complex management and executive positions. In 2010, she was made the division’s Director, Regulatory
& Pricing, followed by her 2014 appointment to Vice President, Regulatory. In 2015, she became Vice
President, Innovation & Engineering, overseeing natural gas engineering and capital programs while
fostering strategic decarbonization and energy transitioning plans. She was appointed as the global Chief
Regulatory Officer for natural gas and electricity utilities in 2016, became the Senior Vice President &
General Manager, Electricity, in 2019, then promoted to her current role in 2020.
Ms. Bayley also brings emergency and crisis management
expertise, having successfully led ATCO’s response to Canada’s
worst natural disaster, the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires.
Additionally, she maintained essential electricity service to
customers while ensuring public and employee health and
safety through her pandemic-response leadership. Ms.
Bayley serves on various boards and industry committees
(Western Energy Institute, Electricity Canada, Drake
Landing Solar Community) and was a keynote speaker
at Electricity Canada’s 2021 Regulatory Forum, and a
featured panelist at both the Edison Electric Institute’s
2021 Global Electrification Forum and the 2022 Global
Energy Show.
Ms. Bayley holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the
University of Alberta, is a member of APEGA and has
completed the Richard Ivey School of Business’
Executive program at Western University.
She lives in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with her
husband and two children.
Jane Flower
Vice-President, Corporate Purpose, Alberta Motor Association
Jane Flower has nearly three decades of experience in brand, marketing, and community engagement. As Vice-President, Corporate Purpose, she provides oversight for AMA’s work around Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Jane is a passionate advocate for the power of purpose and is committed to helping AMA pursue sustainable business practices and social and environmental performance. This includes helping the nearly century-old organization evolve with Alberta’s changing mobility landscape and keep pace with climate concerns, which are shared by a significant number of the club’s one-million members provincewide.
Janine Sullivan
President & CEO, Fortis Alberta
Ms. Sullivan brings more than 20 years of leadership and utility industry experience to her role as President and Chief Executive Officer and Corporate Director of FortisAlberta. Prior to this, she held multiple Executive and Director positions with both FortisAlberta and at a Fortis utility Newfoundland Power, guiding those organizations through complex developments in utility regulation and implementing effective financial and operational strategies. Ms. Sullivan serves on the Board of Directors of FortisBC, Electricity Canada and Western Energy Institute. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Memorial University and is a member of the Institutes of Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Josh Cohen
Head of Policy, SWTCH
Josh leads North American policy and regulatory strategy and engagement for SWTCH, a leader in
electric vehicle charging solutions for multi-tenant properties. In this role he works to inform and shape
the market and policy landscape for EV charging to improve the economics of EV ownership and
charging, expand equitable access, and deliver benefits to drivers, property owners, and the grid through
software-based managed charging, open protocols, and interoperability.
Prior to SWTCH, Josh served in policy roles at Shell Recharge Solutions (formerly Greenlots),
SemaConnect (now Blink), and the Business Network for Offshore Wind (now Oceantic). Josh’s prior
experience also includes serving in public sector leadership roles including as mayor of Annapolis,
Maryland and as deputy administrator of the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) during the Obama
Administration. Based in Annapolis, Josh holds an M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins
University and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Maryland.
Louise Lévesque
Director of Policy, Electric Mobility Canada
Louise Levesque is the Director of Policy at Electric Mobility Canada (EMC), with vast experience as a communications, marketing, and public relations consultant, specializing in the commercial, cooperative and environmental sectors. At EMC, she focuses on a number of electromobility issues by conducting research & analysis, and leading committees such as the organization’s Government Relations Committee, and the Battery Working Group.
No stranger to the Canadian electric vehicle (EV) space, Louise has been working exclusively on communications mandates for companies and organizations centred on EVs and charging since 2015. She has planned and executed electric vehicle test drive events, as well as educational and awareness campaigns, and has contributed to the development of communication plans, stakeholder relations, strategies and event logistics.
Jason E. Clifton
Consulting Partner, Canada eMobility Leader, EY
Mike Wenzlaff
Program Manager, EV Services, BC Hydro
Yvette Jones
Project Leader, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Yvette is a usability specialist with over 30 years of experience in healthcare-related technology and assistive devices. Holding a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Strathclyde and a Master's degree in Human Kinetics (Biomechanics) from the University of British Columbia, she specializes in human factors and device evaluation. Yvette's expertise includes innovative usability assessments, employing motion capture, sensor technology and eye tracking methods, and end-user feedback through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Yvette's current research extends to electric vehicle and infrastructure accessibility, ensuring seamless transitions to sustainable transportation. She is dedicated to enhancing usability and inclusivity in healthcare technology and sustainable mobility solutions. Yvette's work exemplifies her commitment to creating a more accessible future for all.
Cedric Smith
Director, Transportation, Pollution Probe
Cedric Smith is Director, Transportation with Pollution Probe, a Canadian charitable environmental organization. Pollution Probe's transportation program is developing transportation solutions that reduce air pollution and help achieve Canada's net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target. Prior to joining Probe, Cedric worked as a Program Manager with the Pembina Institute and held positions in the public sector and at various economic think tanks.
Ted Dowling
Managing Director, North America, Ebusco
Theresa Cooke
Head of Global Customer Success, Managed Charging, Siemens Canada Limited
Theresa leads Customer Success for Managed Charging globally at Siemens. Based in Canada, she is responsible for establishing and growing a profitable managed service offering for electrified commercial fleets across Europe and North America. Theresa holds a degree in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo in Canada and a doctorate in neuroscience from the Max Planck Institute in Germany. She sits on the board of Electric Mobility Canada and chairs the Medium & Heavy-Duty Working Group. She is also a certified professional coach, yoga teacher, and musician with 4 original tracks on Soundcloud.
Shayna Rector Bleeker
Cofounder & VP Strategic Partnerships, 7 Generation Capital
Shayna Rector Bleeker is a cofounder of 7 Gen - a Vancouver based start-up mobilizing the capital and know-how to support medium and heavy duty fleets deploy electric vehicles and chargers. She has a background in communications and partnership development and has spent many years in the climate and energy space. This includes working from global energy multinational Shell for a decade. She is committed to advancing solutions that address climate change, while at the same time promoting clean growth.
Arjan Sharma
Acting Branch Manager for Fleet and Facility Services, City of Edmonton
Arjan Sharma is the current Acting Branch Manager for Fleet and Facility Services. The section has over 1200 staff responsible for maintaining over 5000 pieces of fleet and equipment and over 700 facilities. The City of Edmonton has one of the biggest municipal fleets in the country and has committed to climate resilience through a number of initiatives including the implementation of battery electric, hybrid, and hydrogen vehicles.
Arjan obtained his Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Alberta focusing on Public Policy and Management, Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) at MacEwan University and holds a Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR) designation. Additionally, Arjan has completed business certificates through Harvard University in Stakeholder Relationship Management and Negotiation.
In addition to his role with the City of Edmonton, Arjan has also taught undergraduate classes in Negotiation, Managerial Skill Development, and Organizational Behaviour at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta
Adam Thorn
Director, Pembina Institute
Adam Thorn is the director of the Pembina Institute's transportation program and is based in Toronto. Adam holds a doctorate in Public Policy from Toronto Metropolitan University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Political Science from Western University.
Meena Bibra
Senior Policy Advisor, Clean Energy Canada
Meena is a clean transportation policy expert working on advancing solutions to decarbonize the transportation sector. Before joining Clean Energy Canada, she worked for the International Energy Agency as an energy, technology, and transport analyst, focusing on strategic policy analysis and international stakeholder engagement where she led the coordination of the Electric Vehicle Initiative’s Pilot City Programme and helped author the annual Global Electric Vehicle Outlook. Before this, Meena worked for the Government of Canada at the Department of Natural Resources as a policy analyst working on files including: the Clean Fuel Standard, low-carbon fuels development, and the critical minerals task force. She also worked at Suncor Energy in roles pertaining to logistics, distribution, and technical product marketing. She has a master’s of environmental technology (environmental economics and policy) from Imperial College London and a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology and economics from the University of Waterloo.
Patrick Gervais
Vice-President, Truck & Public Affairs, Lion Electric
Patrick Gervais joined Lion Electric after nearly 25 years in the agency world. He previously worked as Senior Vice-President, Growth for the Ogilvy group. He was also in turn, President of GPI Communication, President and Partner at Cap Communication, then Vice-President and Partner at Brad. Patrick has always been able to grow the companies for which he has worked.
At Lion Electric, Patrick is part of the management team and has the mandate to market the brand and its various products across North America. In addition, he also manages government relations, strategic partnership, and assists the sales and business development teams.
Entrepreneur at heart, Patrick is result-oriented and stands out with his ability to identify promising opportunities. Over the years, he has developed a strong knowledge in the effective operation of media, public relations and government relations.
He also had the opportunity to put his skills to good use with companies such as Peterbuilt, Isuzu, Volvo (Novabus, Prévost Car), General Motors (GM), Sweepsters, Workhorse Chassis, and Lego - which he accompanied in the achievement of their business objectives.
Matt Collins
Manager of Engineering Services, PEI Department of Transportation & Infrastructure
Matt Collins is the Manager of Engineering Services with the PEI Department of Transportation and Infrastructure. Matt has been instrumental in the implementation of the electrification of the Prince Edward Island school bus fleet. He has been an active contributing member of the Provincial Sustainable Transportation Action Plan, the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Zero Emission Vehicle Group, the Infrastructure Grid Readiness Working Group with NRCan, and the Transportation Association of Canada’s Technology Council. Matt was also a contributor to the NRCan Atlantic Climate Adaptation Solutions manuals. In 2019, Matt was bestowed with the fellowship honour of Fellow Engineers Canada (FEC) for his years of service to Engineers PEI. Prior to joining the civil service Matt held the position of Area Superintendent/Senior Engineer for the construction of the Confederation Bridge. Matt received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the Technical University of Nova Scotia; his undergraduate thesis was the design of a Suspended Monorail System. Matt received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Prince Edward Island.
Valérie Tremblay
Project Manager, Sustainable Mobility, Équiterre
Valérie is Project Manager in Sustainable Mobility at Équiterre. For the past two years, she has co-coordinated the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance, in addition to being involved in other transportation-related issues such as the rise of light-duty trucks and the regulation of automobile advertising. Valérie holds a master's degree in Environment and Sustainable Development, with a specialization in social issues and governance, from the Université de Montréal.
Marie-Ève Labranche
Manager, Public & Government Relations, Lion Electric
Dave Schaller
Industry Engagement Director, North American Council for Freight Efficiency
Dave Schaller is the Industry Engagement Director for the NACFE. His responsibilities include interfacing with fleets and suppliers, writing reports, conducting workshops, giving presentations and running social media groups. Dave works closely with the drivers, fleets and sponsors for the Run on Less demonstrations. He holds an Electrical Engineering degree from the Purdue University and an MBA from Ball State University.
As a Navistar employee for 27 years, he held positions in production design, research, program management, dealer sales training, marketing, product line management, and strategic product planning. A marketing role allowed Dave to spend many days in truck stops, fleet offices and dealerships in five countries learning about what the industry desired and why. Dave holds five US patents, has written several SAE papers and numerous NACFE publications.
Suzanne Goldberg
Sr. Director Public Policy, North America, ChargePoint
Suzanne Goldberg manages all aspects of North American policy for ChargePoint, ensuring that local and national policies support the electrification of mobility in ways that work for all. Before joining ChargePoint, Suzanne was Director of Research and Outreach for the Sustainable Transportation Action Research Team at Simon Fraser University and a Senior Partner at Navius Research, among other roles. She holds a Master of Resource Management in environmental economics and policy analysis from Simon Frasier University and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce in Business from McMaster University. She is also a Director on the board of Electric Mobility Canada.
Travis Allan
Chief Legal & Public Affairs Officer, FLO
Travis J. Allan is the Vice-President, Public Affairs and General Counsel at FLO, one of North America's leading electric vehicle charging networks and manufacturer of charging solutions. Travis works with and advises numerous governments across North America on electric vehicle (EV) and climate policy matters. He is the Chair of Electric Mobility Canada's National Government Relations Committee and a member of the executive committee, a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Electric Autonomy, Chair of the Board at Project Neutral and he has been selected as one of Canada's leading energy lawyers by Who's Who Legal. He serves as a contributing editor at the International Energy Law Review (published by Sweet & Maxwell) and has previously served as adjunct faculty at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.
Sanjeev Pushkarna
Director, Business Development, Nova Scotia Power
Sanjeev leads Nova Scotia Power’s efforts in supporting the development of the hydrogen and offshore wind sector in the province, responding to the needs of government, hydrogen developers and others that are impacted by this important new industry.
Before starting his new role in business development, Sanjeev led Smart Grid Nova Scotia, a program focused on demonstrating the value that Distributed Energy Resources can provide to customers and the electricity system in NS. Project components include residential and commercial battery systems, commercial rooftop solar PV, EV smart chargers, EV bidirectional chargers and the province’s first Community Solar Garden.
Sanjeev is also active in the community, serving as an Executive Board Member for the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, FIN Atlantic International Film Festival and Electric Mobility Canada. Sanjeev is originally from NS and completed a BSc from Acadia University and an MBA from Dalhousie University.
Daniel Carr
Head, Smart Cities, Alectra Utilities
Daniel Carr is an experienced developer and leader of new initiatives, with expertise in innovative, customer-facing energy program management, strategy development and policy advocacy. In his role of Head, Smart Cities at Alectra Utilities, he develops strategy and leads projects that bring new distributed energy technologies and concepts into practice, with a focus on electric mobility, sensor networks and electricity pricing. Daniel has a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Carleton University, with an undergraduate degree in Government from Cornell University. He chairs Electric Mobility Canada's Utilities Committee.
Emma Hill
Principal Analyst, Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors
Emma Hill has over 5 years of experience in the environmental and sustainable energy sector and applies her research, analytical and communication skills to support utilities and governments on various clean energy projects. Since joining Dunsky, Emma has worked on various clean mobility and energy efficiency projects including electric vehicle adoption modeling and mapping, electric vehicle load analysis forecasts, jurisdictional scans, and market assessments. Emma holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Queen’s University and a master’s degree in environmental science from the University of Toronto.
Arif Rafiq
Transportation Industry Manager, Esri Canada
Arif K. Rafiq advises on how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Linear Referencing Systems (LRS) are used to manage the roads, highways, and public transport infrastructure around the world. He contributes to the management of the highway interstate network in the United States, advocates for sustainable transport and road safety in southeast Asia, helps to improve multi-modal urban mobility in the Netherlands, and creates guidelines for connected & automated vehicles in Canada.
Scott Sharabura
Vice President, Electric Vehicle Charging, Parkland Corporation
Frederick Prigge
President, YULtek Inc.
Electrical engineering with a passion for low GHG transportation and renewable energy. Frederick has been the Director of Research, Development and Deployment (RD&D) at the Innovative Vehicle Institute since its foundation in 2015. He has also occupied the same position at the Centre National du Transport Avancé, as well as hardware engineer for a computer vision company for a decade. With more than 20 years of experience in the field, he has successfully led many ambitious electrification projects, including the first electric school bus prototypes for the Lion Company and 100% electric city buses for Nova Bus amongst other disruptive new vehicles.
William York
William York, Senior Engineer, ATCO
William York is a professional engineer with a decade of experience in the electric utility industry. He is currently a Senior Engineer with ATCO Infrastructure Services. William was instrumental in the execution of Peaks to Prairies, Alberta's largest universal fast charging network. He is also a qualified EV feasibility study consultant under the MCCAC EVM program. He also serves on the Board of the Electric Vehicle Association of Alberta. Finally, an electric vehicle owner since 2018, William has travelled approximately 100,000 pure electric kilometers.
Jessica Tait
Program Coordinator, Indigenous Clean Energy
Jessica leads the Zero Emission Vehicle work at Indigenous Clean Energy including ICE’s Charge Up program, which is delivering EV charging infrastructure incentives to Indigenous communities and businesses nationwide.
Danielle Wiess
Director of Transportation Initatives, Community Energy Association
Danielle is Director of Transportation Initiatives with the Community Energy Association (CEA). Danielle supports local, regional and Indigenous governments with envisioning and implementing low-carbon transportation solutions. Be it micro or electric mobility, encouraging active transportation, or electric vehicle charging infrastructure and networks. Danielle is currently leading implementation of two regional electric vehicle charging networks in British Columbia and is leading network design and funding applications for regions in Northern Alberta and Southern Ontario. She is co-chair of the BC Local Government Electric Vehicle Peer Network and is trained in IAP2 foundational practices for public engagement.
Prior to joining CEA, Danielle garnered a dozen years of experience working in energy and sustainability, including project management, disclosure and reporting, integration, strategy development, communications and stakeholder engagement.
Tomasz Suszycki
Principal Delegate, Transportation Electrification, Hydro-Québec
Tomasz is responsible for designing programs and service offerings for electric mobility and serves as a strategic advisor to project development teams across the enterprise, governments, and other public and private organizations in their efforts to accelerate transportation electrification.
He has an extensive strategic experience in the areas of Risk Management in Energy Markets, Power Generation Project Management, Electricity Supply and Distribution, Tariffs and Energy Conservation Programs. He is also a member of Electric Mobility Canada's Utilities Committee.
Tomasz holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Finance and Energy Sector Management from HEC Montréal.
Brian Walters
Chief Executive Officer, Vortex Technology Group
Brian Walters, CEO Vortex Technology Group, BASc. University of Waterloo, Systems Engineering, P.Eng. Ontario. Brian is a 30+ year Strategic Visionary and tech start-up executive with above average creativity and business acumen, communications skills and in-depth experience in business strategy, planning and operations. Prior to the launch of Vortex Telecom Group Inc., he was a founder and key member of the executive team of WireIE Holdings International, a non-dominant Canadian Carrier providing engineered carrier class microwave solutions to Tier 1 carriers. Brian provided professional consulting services to First Nations communities in Ontario and oversaw Solutions Engineering and Business Development. He made a significant contribution to the 30%+ year over year revenue growth prior to the company which was acquired in 2019. He founded Vortex Telecom Group in 2020 as an engineering consulting firm specializing in designing and building Carrier grade fibre networks in remote areas of Canada. He created the vision for Vortex’s entry into the Energy Storage market out of a need to replace legacy lead acid batteries in telecom networks with a safer, more reliable, longer life, lower cost solution and rebranded the company under the operating name Vortex Technology Group (VTG). VTG in concert with Conestoga College’s (Power Systems Engineering Dept.) SMART centre in Cambridge, Ontario and Flo Networks, Quebec (an industry leading Canadian EV charging station manufacturer) has been developing a disruptive new Battery Energy Storage Solution that utilizes Supercapacitors to support EV Fast Charge Stations during peak power periods and intermittent grid failures. VTG expects to launch this solution in the summer of 2023.
Curt de Gourville
Chief Technology Officer, Vortex Technology Group
BSc, PMP, 25yrs, seasoned executive with significant consulting
experience in C-Level Consulting, Strategic Management, M&A,
Radio Engineering, mobile network installation (RAN, Core, VAS),
Project Management, DC power (battery) systems E&O, Solar
system planning, DVBT (TV), IT/IP (Engineering, auditing & remote
operations support), Field Operations optimization, Software
Development, Fiber backhaul, FTTx design/deployment.
Mark Mandzik
Head, Customer Fulfillment Partnerships, dcbel Inc.
Mark has worked in renewable energy management, information technology, and financial roles for over 30 years. He has held various senior positions within the industry, managing several organizations, projects, and initiatives within North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Mark's experience encompasses corporate leadership, strategic planning, project management, performance monitoring, business case analysis, software development, technical assistance, and consulting. Mark is currently in charge of Home Energy System installations and associated partnerships at dcbel.
Hugo Normand
R&D Director, Ingenext
Driven by unconventional means to achieve out-of-reach and unattainable goals for most people. Straight shooter without fame, Hugo made a name for himself among the top tier of those who can deliver the infeasible.
He is a well known and respected authority in both cybersecurity and reverse-engineering communities. Consistently scoring in the top three in security competitions, as well as providing to major automotive manufacturers and suppliers invaluable benchmarking information.
Finally, he is the co-founder of Ingenext, a Quebec-based company with a global reach and a mission that is both innovative and disruptive : to give a second life to all electric vehicle components.
Frederick Desbiens
Public Affairs Advisor, Lithion Recycling
Frédérick Desbiens joined Lithion’s Government Relations and Public Affairs
team in October 2023. The department's goal is to support the financing, growth
and expansion of Lithion domestically and internationally.
Frédérick has extensive experience in government relations, municipal affairs
and environmental policy. Prior to joining Lithion, he was the Policy Specialist for
the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) where he represented the interests of municipalities
on environmental issues in both Canada and the United States. His analytical skills and deep understanding
of regulatory issues enable him to make a concrete contribution to the ecological transition.
Fredercik was also an Advisor at Ryan Public Affairs, a public policy consulting firm, where he supported
corporate clients with government relation strategies. He has worked on public policy consultations,
stakeholder communication plans, and regulatory analyses.
Frédérick holds a master's degree in public affairs and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the
Université de Montréal. With his free time, Mr. Desbiens volunteers at Force Jeunesse and has been a judge
on the Political Science Games (Jeux de la science politique (JDSP)), reuniting Québec, Ontario and New
Brunswick students, since 2018. He was also the Prime Minister of the Youth Parliament of Québec from 2019
to 2021.
Thierry St-Cyr
CEO, InnoVÉÉ
A graduate in engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke, Thierry St-Cyr is President and CEO of InnovÉÉ, a Quebec organization that stimulates, supports and finances collaborative research projects in electrical energy.
Previously, Thierry St-Cyr was an engineer at Motorola, a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons, Chief of Staff to the Quebec Minister of Transport and Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy, and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Natural Resources. Minister of Natural Resources.
He helped set up Téo Taxi (Taxelco), a Montreal-based company offering a 100% electric cab service. Thierry planned and coordinated the deployment of a fleet of 130 electric cars as well as a 2MW recharging infrastructure.
charging infrastructure.
He acted as Director of Strategic Development at RER Hydro, as Electric Fleet Expert at the Institut du Véhicule then became head of Laval's Centre d'Innovation et d'Accélération en Mobilité Intelligente de Laval (CIAMIL).
An electromobilist since 2012, Thierry is passionate about renewable energies electric mobility and the French TV series Kaamelott
John Stonier
President, Electric Advantage Systems
Professionally, John was a career CFO in technology and renewable energy companies. He is a long time EV enthusiast, advocate, builder and policy maker and was instrumental within the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association developing and promoting EV policy to local governments since 2006. In 2020 through 2022 he was the President of VEVA. In 2022 he founded Electric Advantage to provide EV infrastructure project consulting and carbon credit services to further accelerate electric vehicle adoption in Canada.
Trevor Egan
Lead Consultant, LeadingAhead Energy
Trevor has spent his career working at the intersection of public policy and engineering related to electric mobility and the energy transition. He has consulted several municipalities across Canada on EV Ready building bylaws and renewal energy requirements, conducted feasibility studies for fleet electrification in both the private and public sectors, and has crafted draft standards and roadmap documents for key industry organizations.
Trevor's hands-on experience extends to designing and overseeing the installation of EV Ready residential projects, commercial Level 2 and DC fast charging infrastructure, and public charging solutions for those without home access. His expertise spans both technical and policy aspects, making him a pivotal contributor to the electric mobility and sustainable energy transition.
Trevor spearheads LeadingAhead Energy's consultancy and carbon compliance credit aggregation services, overseeing operations within the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program in British Columbia, the nationwide Clean Fuel Regulation in Canada, and multiple programs throughout the United States.
Maxime Charron
President, LeadingAhead Energy
Maxime is a pioneer and the leading expert in the electric vehicle sector. In 2017, he founded LeadingAhead Energy, a vendor-agnostic EV charging consulting company. In a constantly changing and vastly unregulated industry, Max sought to help Canadian businesses and property owners install EV infrastructure that is future-proof and sustainable. He is also a recipient of the 2022 Business In Vancouver Forty under 40 award.
Matthew Riyanto
Operations Manager, e-Mission Control
Matthew Riyanto is an accomplished clean transportation professional with a passion for sustainability and clean energy. With a demonstrated history of working within the EV charging network operator (ChargePoint), utility (BC Hydro), automotive, and community non-profit organizations, Matthew brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the zero-emission vehicle and equipment deployment industry. Matthew leads all Canadian clean fuel program operations for e-Mission Control, including the BC Low Carbon Fuel Standard and Canadian Clean Fuel Regulations for zero-emission fleets. Matthew holds a Bachelor's degree in Economic and Business Administration from Simon Fraser University.
Marilou Gosselin
Coordinator, Quebec Ministry of Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change (MELCC)
Marilou Gosselin has been working in the transportation field at the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs for 20 years. She coordinates a team dedicated to transportation in the Direction des Programmes et de la Mobilisation, which is responsible, among other programs and regulations, for Quebec's zero-emission vehicle standard. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, a Master's degree in Civil Engineering and a Certificate in Education from Université Laval in Quebec City.
Victoria Prouse
Senior Policy Advisor, Emerging Technologies Office, Ontario Ministry of Transportation
Tori is a Senior Policy Advisor in MTO's Emerging Technologies Office. She leads low-carbon mobility initiatives to support the transition to a sustainable and resilient transportation system. Previously, Tori was Transportation Planning Lead for the development of Detroit's Michigan Central Mobility Innovation District for Ford Motor Company. Additionally, she worked at the City of Toronto in the Transportation Services and City Planning Divisions, notably as Project Lead for the King Street Transit Priority Corridor and strategic support for the Quayside/Sidewalk Toronto project. Tori started her career in Sault Ste. Marie, where she led downtown revitalization and active transportation initiatives.
Luis Leal
Business Development Manager, E-Mobility, Phoenix Contact
Luis Leal is the business development manager for the E-Mobility department at Phoenix Contact LTD in Canada. Phoenix Contact is a global market leader based in Germany focusing on the fields of energy, infrastructure, process, and factory automation, as well as solutions for charging electric vehicles. Since joining Phoenix Contact in 2018, Luis has been involved in multiple projects across Canada addressing challenges in the infrastructure and the electric vehicle industry. Prior to joining Phoenix Contact, Luis worked as the railway specialist and field sales engineer at Stäubli Electrical Connectors, where he worked with rolling stock OEMs in North America and was addressing challenges in the electrification of heavy vehicles in mining and agricultural applications. Luis holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Public Relations from McGill University.
Hajo Ribberink
Senior Research Engineer, Natural Resources Canada
Hajo Ribberink has a M.Sc. degree in Applied Physics from Delft University in the Netherlands. He has over 30 years of experience in using modelling and simulation to assess new and innovative technologies in the energy field. At Natural Resources Canada, he leads CanmetENERGY’s research on transportation electrification.
Charles Crispim
Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Energy Research, Natural Resources Canada
Charles Crispim is a Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Energy Research and Development at Natural Resources Canada. He has worked for over thirty years in the transportation sector. For the last twenty years, he has worked in government supporting the development and implementation of numerous transportation programs and policies. Prior to that, Charles worked for numerous organizations serving the transportation sector including Fed Ex, Penske Truck Leasing, and the Seaway International Bridge. In his spare time, Charles can be seen at the track where he serves as a Safety Marshal at Calabogie Motorsport Park.
Krista Phillips
Head of Strategic Electrification, Nova Scotia Natural Resources and Renewables
Krista is leading Nova Scotia’s transition to electric transportation, where she develops policy and programs to reduce GHG emissions and promotes equitable and sustainable transportation systems. This includes personal, fleet, and public transit vehicle electrification. Krista is also exploring the environmental and economic opportunities for electric and hydrogen-powered marine fleets, including fishing, tourism, and research vessels. Krista holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from the University of New Brunswick and MBA-Leadership from Dalhousie University. She worked in the environmental engineering consulting field for over 14 years before joining the Government of Nova Scotia.
Sid Mehta
Senior Director Ancillary Services, Simon Fraser University
As the Senior Director of Ancillary Services at Simon Fraser University, Sid is currently responsible for enriching the SFU community of 43,000 by overseeing business and support services like Food, Retail, Bookstore, Printing, Mobility, & Events, with over $75 million in annual managed services. Renowned for his expertise in sustainable food systems, Sid has actively engaged in food and retail-related discussions at multiple United Nations organizations, aiding clients in delivering effective strategies and tactical solutions for transitioning to sustainable food systems. Sid's expertise in sustainable food systems and his experience in developing and executing complex business strategies have also given him unique insight into the policy framework, infrastructure, and operational processes required to enable the transition to electric mobility. He understands that the success of this transition depends on a range of factors, including access to charging infrastructure, government policies that support the adoption of electric vehicles, operational strategies and effective public engagement. With an ambitious goal to meet SFU's scope three transportation emission targets by 2025, Sid has been instrumental in driving the institution's transition to electric mobility Beyond his work at SFU, Sid has managed multi-million-dollar business and support services operations in diverse sectors, such as energy resources, hospitals, schools, higher education, airports, and retail. His extensive experience has positioned him as a sought-after conference speaker and curator, with a strong focus on digital transformation, stakeholder engagement, and strategic relationship-building. Sid's educational background in electronics and telecommunications, combined with his Six Sigma Green Belt, Financial Planning & Analysis, and EDI Influencer certifications, make him a versatile executive and communicator, skilled in identifying and implementing successful strategies. In addition to his professional achievements, Sid is an enthusiastic tennis player, a passionate foodie who enjoys cooking, and a globetrotter who has visited 194 cities worldwide. As a dedicated communicator and curator, Sid is committed to using his expertise to advocate for sustainable living and to support communities in transitioning to electric transportation.
Jenny Albers
General Supervisor, Planning and Permitting, City of Edmonton
Laura Miller
Director, Public Policy & Communications, Uber
Laura Miller leads public policy and communications for Uber in Canada. Alongside her team, Laura’s work focuses on Sustainability and the Road to Zero-Emissions, Labour and the Future of Work, and Social Impact partnerships.
Prior to joining Uber, Laura directed marketing and communications at Elevate, an organization focussed on uniting Canada's innovators to solve society’s greatest challenges, and at a property technology firm based in British Columbia. She started her career in politics and government where she had the honour of supporting two Premiers and a Prime Minister.
Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts from Western University.
Cara Clairman
President & CEO, Plug’n Drive
Cara Clairman is President and CEO of Plug’n Drive, a non-profit that is accelerating the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) to maximize their environmental and economic benefits. Cara has taken Plug’n Drive from an idea to a thriving non-profit, recognized as a leader in the EV space. Focused on accelerating EV adoption through outreach and education for over 12 years, Plug'n Drive has developed a number of award- winning programs to encourage consumers and fleets to make the switch from gas to electric, including the EV Discovery Centre and the Mobile EV Education Trailer (MEET). Cara has more than 25 years of experience working in the environmental and sustainability fields, including 12 years working at Ontario Power Generation, initially as OPG’s environmental lawyer and later in the role Vice President of Sustainable Development. Prior to joining OPG, Cara spent five years practicing environmental law with the Torys law firm. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall and a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University, as well as an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from Queen’s University. Cara is the 2017 recipient of the Women in Renewable Energy’s ‘Woman of the Year’ award and the 2021 winner of the Al Cormier EV leadership award from Electric Mobility Canada. She lives in a two EV household, including a Chevy Bolt and a Tesla Model 3.
Joanna Osawe
CEO, Women in Renewable Energy
Joanna Osawe is the President & CEO of WiRE - Women in Renewable Energy. Joanna attended Western University studying Languages, graduating with an Honours BA. Joanna works at Burns & McDonnell in the position of Senior Business Development. Joanna has used her language skills in a focused, 15+ year management career at leading renewable and energy sector companies in Canada and the United States. By carrying complex projects through many stages she has seen firsthand the vital role renewable energy and emerging technologies serve in moving the Canadian, American and global energy mix forward.
Joanna has been appointed to the Federal Sustainable Development Advisory Council, led by Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault. She looks forward to continuing to engage and contribute to the Council's success. The Council is made up of the Canadian public that represent the views of different provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, as well as environmental non-governmental organizations and business and labour organizations.
Alyse Wilton
Manager of Environmental Health Program, NB Lung
Alyse Wilton is the Manager of Environmental Health Programs at NB Lung. She has a Master's degree in Environmental Management and is responsible for the Drive Electric Atlantic project that focuses on public education on healthy transportation through social media and public events. She is passionate about environmental education and has seen more than 1,000 Atlantic Canadians behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.
Jennie Wadden
Supervisor, Marketing, Newfoundland Power
Jennie Wadden is Supervisor of Marketing with Newfoundland Power. Jennie is responsible for developing and leading the marketing components of energy conservation and electrification programs for residential and business customers. Through programs and education, she helps customers manage their electricity use. Jennie holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Mount Allison University, a Graduate Certificate in Sport and Event Marketing and a Masters Certificate in Project Management. She has almost 11 years of experience in project and program management, marketing, communications, and event planning in the utility industry. Jennie is also a member of the Canadian Home Builders Association NL Board of Directors.
Sunny Attarde
Electric Vehicle Expert, CSA Group
Elizabeth France
Director, FLO
Elizabeth France is the Legal and Public Affairs Senior Director at FLO (EV Charging) and has a particular focus on regulatory compliance. Prior to joining FLO, Elizabeth worked as a lawyer in private practice and clerked at the Supreme Court of Canada. She is a graduate of the University of British Columbia (B.A.) and McGill University (B.C.L./LL.B.).
Melissa Chow
Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank
Melissa Chow joined the CIB in 2022 and is a Director on the Investments team. Melissa supports the CIB’s investments in Transit and currently leads the CIB’s Charging and Hydrogen Refuelling Infrastructure initiative.
Melissa has 12 years of banking experience in the infrastructure and real estate sectors. Prior to joining the CIB, she was a Director, Corporate Banking at Scotiabank where she was involved in structuring and arranging several landmark project finance and leveraged acquisition finance transactions in Canada, the United States and Europe. Melissa started her career practicing law at a Canadian law firm with a focus on infrastructure project finance.
Melissa holds a JD from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University and a BCom from Queen’s University.
Simon Ouellette
Founder & CEO, ChargeHub
Simon Ouellette is a co-founder of ChargeHub by Mogile Technologies and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In this role, he leads the firm’s efforts to secure partnerships with stakeholders within the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem to improve the public charging experience across North America.
Simon oversees a multidisciplinary team of data scientists, software engineers, product managers and designers building technical tools and software that sector partners can use to develop the best possible user experience for EV drivers.
He brings a wealth of experience in building and managing engineering teams that support the electrification of transportation. Prior to focusing on EV charging at ChargeHub, Simon has led the successful design, build and delivery of unique off-road electric vehicles including the world’s most northerly electric vehicle (U.S. NSF, Summit Station, Greenland), the world's first stealth hybrid snowmobile (Defence R&D Canada), and the electric vehicle that unveiled the Olympic torch at the 2010 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Whistler B.C.
François Girard
Program Advisors, Hydrogen Technologies, National Research Council of Canada
François Girard is Program Advisor, Hydrogen Technologies at the National Research Council Canada (NRC). His scientific expertise in electrochemistry and his 25+ years of experience in fuel cell technologies gave him the expertise to work on developing sustainable energy solutions. In addition to supporting a multitude of research programs at NRC that include hydrogen technologies component, Dr. Girard represents Canada at the International Energy Agency’s Technology Cooperation Program on Advanced Fuel Cells. From 2019 to 2021 he served as the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Association (CHFCA) Vice-Chair and then Chair of the Board.
Brent Lakeman
Director, Hydrogen Initiative, Edmonton Global
Brent Lakeman is Director for Edmonton Global’s Hydrogen Initiative, where he is leading the Metropolitan Edmonton Region’s activities to position the region as Canada’s preeminent hydrogen hub. Brent collaborates with other regional partners in the transition to this low carbon fuel. Activities include working closely with other partners, including the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub, to attract industries to the region, grow the region’s hydrogen value chain and support economic development within the region. Prior to joining Edmonton Global, Brent served as the Executive Director for teams within the Alberta government focused on the growth and diversification of the province’s economy, with a strong focus on the clean technology, life sciences and digital technology sectors.
Matthew Klippenstein
Executive Director, Hydrogen BC; Regional Director, Western Canada, Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association
Matthew Klippenstein is a fluently-bilingual chemical engineer who has worked in British Columbia’s clean energy economy for the past 20 years. In addition to his extensive hydrogen and fuel cell sector experience, he worked as a consultant in Wood’s renewable energy group performing energy yield assessments for wind and solar projects. A plug-in electric vehicle early adopter, he led outreach and co-administered the Government of British Columbia’s pioneering EV infrastructure rebates for multi-unit buildings through the Plug In BC initiative of the non-profit Fraser Basin Council.
A co-author of the British Columbia Hydrogen Study, Mr. Klippenstein co-authored the industry reference Fuel Cell Industry Review in 2017 and 2018. He chronicled the early years of the Canadian plug-in electric vehicle market at GreenCarReports.com, and his writing has appeared in Wood MacKenzie’s GreenTechMedia.com and Canada’s National Observer.
As Executive Director of Hydrogen BC and regional director for western Canada, Mr. Klippenstein oversees advocacy, marketing, communications, and government relations for the sector in British Columbia and western Canada.
Derek Hanson
Director of Transit Fleet Maintenance, City of Edmonton
Derek Hanson is the Director of Transit Fleet Maintenance at the City of Edmonton, with vast experience in both the public and the energy sectors. He leads the Alberta Zero Emission Hydrogen Transit Committee, a collaborative project that aims to deploy hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure throughout the Edmonton region. He also serves as a board member of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, and as vice chair of several committees that advocate for and support the adoption of hydrogen and zero emission vehicles in Canada. As a leader in his field, Derek is passionate about developing competent leaders and inspiring creative and engaged workforces. He has extensive strategic experience in the areas of energy, lifecycle planning, emission reduction, and fleet conversion. He is committed to advancing the environmental, social, and economic benefits of zero emission transportation.
Jessica Lof
Business Development Manager - Hydrogen for Mobility, Air Products
Jessica Lof is a Business Development Manager with Air Products Canada specializing in Hydrogen-for Mobility (H2fM). Jessica has a strong belief that Canada’s transportation systems play a crucial role in the shift to our sustainable future. She actively engages with stakeholders, raises awareness of hydrogen as a zero emission alternative, addresses barriers, and plans for the deployment of hydrogen fueling station infrastructure across the country.
Jessica holds leadership experience in both transportation and hydrogen. Prior to her current role starting in 2021, her unique background includes years as a Hydrogen Economy Research Lead with the University of Calgary. This is complemented with over 10 years of business experience in Canada’s railway and trucking sectors. She has a Bachelor of Commerce Finance degree, and a MSc in Sustainable Development. Jessica is also on the board of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.
Averyl D'Souza
Project Lead, Smart Cities, Alectra Utilities
Averyl is a Project Lead at Alectra’s Green Energy & Technology Centre and has a Master’s in sustainability management from University of Toronto. Since joining Alectra, she has worked with both the commercial and regulated side of the business working on e-mobility projects. Averyl has played an integral role in developing its commercial e-mobility strategy while managing the deployment and operation of EV charging infrastructure in the communities Alectra serves. Prior to joining Alectra, Averyl worked in various environment and climate change-focused roles in the public sector. She aspires to enable communities to make sustainable choices and find ways to use energy to unlock innovation across many sectors to drive the growth of smart cities and accelerate the transition of cities towards a low-carbon economy.
Léo Viger-Bernard
Senior Advisor, Specification and Strategy, Recharge Véhicule Électrique
Léo Viger-Bernard, Vice-President of Corporate Affairs, has met (and shared his humor with) EV owners, building managers, government and utilities since starting with RVE in 2017. He has travelled Canada and the US seeking to discuss the many ways to change and improve the charging experience for those that are invested in the evolution of transportation and those working to democratize charging in multi-unit buildings. With RVE and Murbly, he developed a unique approach in North America that allows EV chargers to be connected directly to the electrical infrastructure of MURBs using cost-effective, simple, and long-lasting technology.
Brendan McEwen
Managing Consultant, Dunsky Energy + Climate
Brendan McEwen has worked in climate policy for over 17 years, supporting different levels of government, utilities and the private sector develop and implement practical solutions to achieve zero carbon transportation and buildings at scale. He developed the world's first 100% EV Ready residential parking requirement for the City of Richmond, and has since consulted to multiple jurisdictions on leading residential and commercial EV Ready requirements, including the Cities of Vancouver and Toronto and Natural Resources Canada. He also designed the first of its kind BC Hydro EV Ready Rebate Program, which supports multifamily buildings to make EV Ready retrofits at scale. He has a Masters in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Jason Wang
Senior Analyst, Pembina Institute
Jason Wang is a senior analyst working on the Pembina Institute's electricity program, focusing on Canada’s net-zero electricity grid goal, electric vehicle infrastructure, and regulatory reform for utilities.
Cedric Tai
Director, Strategic Initiatives, SWTCH
Cedric Tai is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at SWTCH Energy. In this role, he brings together over 10 years of experience in electric utility sector, software development and R&D innovation to lead SWTCH in growing the integration between the grid and electric vehicles and the R&D development efforts to build the next generation of EV Management platform. Prior to joining SWTCH, Cedric was the Staff Solutions Architect for DERMS at GE Digital and the VP of Professional Services at Opus One Solutions. He is also a professional engineer, an alumni of University of Toronto’s Engineering Science program, majoring in Energy Systems, a co-author of multiple IEEE publications and a patent owner for microgrid technology architecture.
Zoiey Cobb
Director, On-Road Decarbonization and Electrification, Environmental Policy, Transport Canada
Lingzi Sang
Assistant Professor, Chemistry, University of Alberta
Lingzi obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Arizona, and did a postdoc research at UIUC prior to joining Chemistry at the University of Alberta. The Sang group is broadly interested in fundamental chemical processes at the interface of next-generation energy devices. Perturbations such as temperature and electrical potential during characterization allow the team to correlate materials structure with device functionality. Standing at the interception of analytical, materials, and interfacial chemistry, Sang recently established the Laboratory for Advanced Characterization of Interfaces in Energy Devices, a facility that brings together research tools to comprehensively characterize the fundamental physicochemical nature of interfaces in electrochemical devices.
Mike Fleischauer
Senior Research Officer, National Research Council of Canada
Mike Fleischauer is a Senior Research Officer with the National Research Council (NRC) and an Adjunct Professor of Physics at the University of Alberta. He completed his Ph.D. at Dalhousie University in 2005 and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta. Mike joined the NRC in 2007. He became a Professional Engineer in 2015. Mike’s research and development contributions are focused on robust measurements of energy materials and devices, with an emphasis on operando techniques for lithium-based batteries. His current research and development is based on harnessing challenging environmental conditions (e.g. high temperature, variable pressure) to improve the field’s understanding of energy storage materials and device performance in real-world conditions.
Muhammad Shoaib
CEO, Superionics Inc & Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Calgary
Muhammad Shoaib completed his PhD in Energy Science and Engineering from SKKU, South Korea in 2018. He has more than 10 years of research and development experience in electrode materials for Li-ion batteries. He has published 25 research articles while working in collaboration with organizations like SAMSUNG SDI and Argonne National Laboratory.
Anaïssia Franca
CIMA+
As the Director of Transportation Electrification at CIMA+. With her team, Anaïssia spearheads strategic and technical initiatives that facilitate the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles from coast to coast. With a keen focus on technology selection and infrastructure deployment roadmaps, she ensures the zero-emission transition minimizes operations disruptions and paves the way for a greener future while supporting her client through change management. She also serves as the Chair of the Board of InnovÉE since 2021. Anaïssia is a professional engineer and holds a Master's degree in Applied Science.
Calvin Lechelt
Program Manager, Sustainability Services, Alberta Municipalities
Calvin joined Alberta Municipalities and the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre in 2017 and has led a variety of multi-million dollar renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electric vehicle rebate programs to help municipalities reduce energy use and emissions. Calvin is passionate about sustainable technology and strives to make a positive difference in the transition to net zero.
Eve Hou
Senior Manager, Policy Development and Decision Analysis, TransLink
Eve Hou is senior manager of Policy Development and Decision Analysis at TransLink. Eve and her team are responsible for developing both internal policy for the Enterprise (e.g., transit fare policy) and external transportation policy (e.g., ride-hailing licensing, regional electric vehicle charging, regional parking). Immediately prior to joining TransLink, Eve worked for over a decade as a climate change planner at Metro Vancouver, and was heavily involved with initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
Eve is a registered professional planner and has a Master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, both from UBC.
Greg Dennis
Project Engineer, Township of Langley (BC)
Greg Dennis is an Energy Manager with the Township of Langley Sustainability Team, where he manages projects related to electric mobility and facility energy and GHG reduction. Prior to local government, Greg worked as a Project Engineer for Powertech Labs, where he supported the Province-wide roll out of BC Hydro's DC fast charger network. Greg holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Clean Energy, both from the University of British Columbia and he is a Professional Engineer registered with EGBC. In his spare time, Greg enjoys skiing, mountain biking and trail running in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest.
Kent Snyder
Branch Manager of Planning and Environmental Services, City of Edmonton
Matthew Bartolone
Director of Sales, Public Charging, ABB E-Mobility
Jeff Turner
Director, Clean Mobility, Dunsky Energy + Climate
Jeff Turner is the Director of Clean Mobility at Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, where he supports governments, utilities and other organizations in their efforts to accelerate the transition to electric mobility. He helps his clients to tackle the complexities of transportation electrification, including forecasting EV adoption, understanding charging infrastructure needs, and assessing grid impacts and mitigation strategies. Jeff also sits on the board of directors of Electric Mobility Canada.
Chris McLeod
Vice President, Global Marketing and Communications, Edmonton Global
Chris McLeod is Edmonton Global’s Vice President of global marketing and communications and has a lead role in building an international brand for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region in markets around the world. Chris currently sits on Invest in Canada’s Pan Canadian marketing committee, Consider Canada Cities Alliance communications committee.
Edmonton Global is a lead partner in the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub and co-host of both Canadian Hydrogen Convention and Carbon Capture Canada. Edmonton Global is also the driving force behind the 5,000 Hydrogen Vehicle Challenge, a region-wide challenge to have 5,000 hydrogen fuelled vehicles on the road in the Edmonton region within 5 years.
Alexandrine Gauvin
Public Affairs and External Communications, Nova Bus
Alexandrine Gauvin joined Nova Bus in 2021. She has more than 15 years of experience in communications in various industries, member-based organizations, public trading companies and the private sector, including eight years in Brussels. In her current role, she supports the communication efforts of Nova Bus and advocates for the transition to electromobility in the public transit sector.
Gara Hay
President, MTB Transit Solutions
Gara is President of MTB Transit Solutions Inc. With a 110,000+ sq, ft. office and shop in Milton, Ontario, MTB is Canada’s largest bus repair, refurbishment, and repower company serving transit customers for over 45 years. Gara joined MTB in 2018 after spending the previous 3 years as General Manager of 13 Peterbilt heavy truck dealership locations in Ontario. Gara brings over 25 years of senior management experience primarily in the transportation business. Gara has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (BBA) from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
