Powering Partnerships 2024 - What happens when...

Opening remarks

Introduction by Donna Jablonksy, Director, Transmission Asset Management and Steven Mantifel, Director in the Office of President and CEO- Hydro One

What happens when… there's no one to work in the electricity sector?

By 2030, Canada’s electricity grid will have undergone a major expansion. But by 2030, one in six people in the world will be retirement age. That’s why Electricity Canada, Hydro One and EHRC have created Electricity Now!, a brand-new curriculum for grade 9 students in Canada about the fundamentals of electricity. Join us for the launch of Electricity Now!... as we spark the next generation of electricity workers.

Presented by

Francis Bradley, President and CEO – Electricity Canada

Michelle Branigan, CEO – EHRC

Deborah Antenore, Vice President, People Strategies & HR Initiatives – Hydro One

What happens when… you engage Indigenous communities on major projects?

Canada is on a path to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Within the electricity sector, companies are working toward reconciliation in building for the energy transition. In 2022, Hydro One introduced a new 50 / 50 equity partnership model with Indigenous communities in Ontario for all their major transmission projects. Find out more about how this partnership model came about with Hydro One, and what further steps electricity providers can make to continue the process of reconciliation.

Presented by

Sean Tutak, Senior Manager, Indigenous Relations, Partnerships and Business Development – Hydro One

Sponsored by

What happens when… there's a change in government?

With an election looming large in the next 12 months, the question everyone is thinking about is what might happen if the balance of power in the Federal government changes. Join us as we run through various scenarios facing the electricity sector, should the government change, and how does the sector pivot to continue the work it is doing.

Followed by an armchair conversation with Michael Powell, Vice President of Government Relations - Electricity Canada

Presented by

Jennifer Stewart, CEO – Syntax Strategic

What happens when... we continue to face nature's most powerful storms?

The dilemma facing electricity companies is the more people rely on electricity, the more reliable we will need electricity to be. At the time, storms are getting ever bigger, and there are more and more obstacles to getting the power back on quickly. These are the stories of restoration efforts that have taken place across Canada and the Caribbean-- and the lessons Canadians can learn about keeping their own grid resilient.

Presented by

Gary Smith, Executive Vice President, Operations and Innovation – Fortis Inc.

What happens when… customers can't afford the energy transition?

41 per cent of Canadians responding to an Electricity Canada survey said their electricity bill has a major impact on their finances. With the energy transition seeing the electricity grid’s output double or triple with increased demand, how do we keep electricity affordable? And what investments need to be made to keep costs from being passed down to customers?

Moderated by Matthew DeCourcey, Vice President, Energy – Charles River Associates

Presented by

Matt Vines, Managing Director, Power, Utilities & Infrastructure Investment Banking – BMO

Michelle Carman, Vice President, Customer Service and External Communications – FortisBC

Mark Rubenstein, Shepherd Rubenstein

Sponsored by

BREAK

What happens when… you have to predict the unpredictable?

From polar vortexes to derechos to bombogenesis, we are inundated with new terms for extreme weather. Every six months, the North American Reliability Corporation provides a reliability forecast that identifies the greatest risks to North America’s electricity system. But how can we create predictive models with severe weather on the rise? And what’s in store for electricity providers in winter 2025?

Presented by

Jim Robb, President and CEO – North American Reliability Corporation (NERC)

Monica Gattinger, Founding Chair- Positive Energy – University of Ottawa

What happens when… power lines are threatened by birds?

There are three things that no one would think of putting together: wildlife, technology and electricity. But that’s what ATCO has done. Bird strikes can create hazards for humans and wildlife and understanding how powerlines interact with the environment is essential. ATCO is working to prevent wildlife from being electrocuted using innovative technology to model power structures and their surroundings – and are ensuring that people and wildlife stay safe.

Presented by

Keyra Hawley Yurchi, Wildlife Specialist – ATCO

Lance Benoit, Supervisor- HSSE Innovation and Engagement - ATCO

Sponsored by

What happens when… your company is infiltrated by foreign actors?

Resiliency doesn’t just mean hardening the grid against the weather. It means protecting the grid against security challenges ranging from physical attacks on equipment to cyber attacks. As we face continued threats from foreign actors, how do we prepare for such threats? And what do we do when the unthinkable happens?

Moderated by Eoin Cooke – PwC

Presented by

Manny Cancel, CEO – Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) and Senior Vice President – North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC)

Francis Bradley, President and CEO – Electricity Canada

Sponsored by

What happens when… your company needs to change its culture?

No matter the size, or the location of a company, the culture of work has radically changed in the past five years. Working from home, equity, diversity and inclusion, technological advancements and the need for greater transparency and collaboration have all emerged as major trends. How do companies adapt to these changes—and the changes still to come?

Moderated by Graeme Burk, Director of Communications – Electricity Canada

Presented by

Brandie Yarish, CHRO and EVP Safety & IT – ENMAX

David Thompson, Vice President Strategy – BEworks

Peter Joynt, Lead of Storytelling and Production – Shopify

Reception and awards presentation

Featuring music by the Ali Wicklum band

Presented by

Ali Wicklum, Musician

Sponsored by

Dinner

Featuring a performance by comedian Seán Cullen

Presented by

Seán Cullen, Comedian