Time

Session

Speakers

Overview

9:00 AM

Doors Open & Registration Begins

Networking Breakfast

10:00 AM

Welcome and Scene Setting

Daniel Galle, Director of Infrastructure Policy Advancement, Canada, Bentley Systems

Opening Remarks and Land Acknowledgement

Pippa Higgins, Vice President, Principal Project Manager, Mott MacDonald

10:10 AM

Welcome Address

Omar Rashid, Director, Global Public Sector Advisory, Microsoft Frontier Company

10:20 AM

Chairperson’s Address: The State of Infrastructure Performance in 2026

Mark Coates, VP, Infrastructure Policy Advancement, Bentley Systems

10:35 AM

Twin Talks #1: The New Energy Equation: How AI and Small Modular Reactors (SMR) are Shaping tomorrow’s infrastructure.

Moderator: Dr. Demilade Fayemiwo, Director of Policy, Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA)

Panellists:

Anca Drexler, Chief Investment Officer, Building Ontario Fund

Kerry McKenna, Senior Director, Power Practice, Hatch

Matthew Hannaway, Head of Energy and Natural Resources, North America, Turner and Townsend

Omar Rashid, Director, Global Public Sector Advisory, Microsoft Frontier Company

Canada is leading global SMR deployment at a time when AI, industrial growth, and electrification are driving unprecedented energy demand.

This session explores the strategies, partnerships, and delivery models needed to scale SMRs, strengthen domestic capability, and provide the clean, reliable power required for Canada’s next generation of infrastructure.

11:15 AM

Capitalizing on Momentum: Translating Global Investor Confidence into Canadian Delivery

Geoff Hayes, Managing Director, Transaction Advisory Group and Canada Practice Leader, Energy & Infrastructure, Alvarez & Marsal

In this keynote briefing, Geoff Hayes will present exclusive findings from GIIA’s latest Global Investor Pulse survey, unpacking what the data reveals about Canada’s position in the global infrastructure market.

The session will explore what international capital is looking for, why Canada is currently outperforming other markets, and how this momentum can be translated into a stronger pipeline of investable, deliverable projects.

11:25 AM

Twin Talk #2: Canada Is Winning the Investment Race, but Can We Actually Deliver the Projects?

Moderator:  Lisa Mitchell, President & CEO, Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships

Panellists:

Geoff Hayes, Managing Director, Global Transaction Advisory Group, Alvarez & Marsal

Amber Sandhu, Head of National Accounts Surety, Liberty Mutual

Stephanie Aldersley, Director, Investments, Indigenous Team, Canada Infrastructure Bank

Canada is attracting global infrastructure investment but turning that confidence into delivered projects requires greater certainty, stronger delivery models, and innovative financing approaches.

This discussion explores how industry, governments, investors, insurers, and Indigenous partners can work together to accelerate project delivery and unlock Canada’s next generation of infrastructure.

12.05 PM

Lunchtime Break & Networking

Microsoft HQ 43rd Floor Dining Area

1:05 PM

Building the Projects That Will Define Canada’s Next Decade
Fireside Chat

Moderator: Antony Oliver, Host of the Infrastructure Podcast

Guest:

Clementine Sallee, Senior Director, Major Projects, CDPQ Infra

From major transit expansions to airport development, Québec is delivering some of Canada’s most transformative infrastructure projects.

 This conversation explores the leadership, partnerships, and delivery strategies driving success, and the lessons they offer for improving project outcomes across Canada.

1:40 PM

Masterclass: Digital Acceleration in Housing Delivery (DASH)

Lisa Helps, Executive Lead, Project Acceleration, BC Housing

Discover how BC Housing is using DASH (Digitally Accelerated Standardized Housing) to transition residential construction from slow, bespoke on-site builds to fast, industrialized manufacturing.

This masterclass demonstrates how open-source software, digitized zoning, and prefabricated components can compress multi-family project timelines from three years to one year.

1:55 PM

Twin Talk #2: From Policy to Progress: Accelerating Public-Sector Innovation in Canadian Infrastructure

Moderator: John Allen, Infrastructure President, Global Public Affairs

Panellists:

Lisa Helps, Executive Lead, Process Innovation, BC Housing

Lucy Casacia, Director, Business Advisory & Shared Services, Arcadis

Miguel De Urquía Palacios, Global AI Program Lead & North America Innovation Manager, Ferrovial

Arthur Winslow, National IPA Director, Collier Project Leaders

As infrastructure owners face growing pressure to deliver more with less, innovation is emerging as a key driver of productivity and performance.

This discussion examines the barriers to adoption and the leadership, culture, and capabilities needed to scale new technologies, modern construction methods, and digital delivery practices across the sector.

2:40 PM

Coffee and Networking Break

3:00 PM

Fireside Chat: Delivering the Next Generation of Transit Systems

Moderator: The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Vice President, Public Infrastructure Canada, Bechtel (Former Minister of Transport, Canada)

Panellists:

Michael Lindsay, President & CEO, Metrolinx

Stephanie Davies, Chief Capital Officer, TTC

Ontario is making historic investments in transit infrastructure. This fireside chat explores how transit agencies can maximize the long-term benefits of these investments through operational excellence, innovation, customer focus, and resilient service delivery.

Leaders from Metrolinx and the TTC will share insights on building transit systems that meet growing demand while creating lasting value for communities across the region.

3:40 PM

Building Canada’s Major Projects Leadership Academy: Preparing Leaders for a New Era of Infrastructure Delivery

Moderator:  Kirsten Watson, Vice President, Growth Lead, Transportation, AECOM

Panellists:

Angela Clayton, President & CEO, Infrastructure Ontario (IO)

Karla Avis Birch, Principal and Major Rail Project Leader, ARUP

Dr. Matti Siemiatycki, Director, Infrastructure Institute, University of Toronto

As Canada embarks on an unprecedented period of infrastructure investment, developing the next generation of leaders has never been more important.

This closing session explores the vision behind the Canadian Infrastructure Leadership Academy (CILA) and the leadership capabilities needed to deliver complex projects, align stakeholders, manage risk, and create lasting public value.

Panellists will discuss how industry, government, and academia can work together to strengthen Canada’s infrastructure leadership pipeline for the decade ahead.

4:25 PM

Chairperson’s Closing Remarks

Mark Coates, VP of Infrastructure Policy Advancement, Bentley Systems

4:30 PM

Event Concludes

Networking reception in common area