EV Innovation & Technology Conference 2023
The 2023 conference was sold out. Click here to watch video records of the 2023 panel discussions. Join us in 2025.
This one-day event will bring together the brightest minds working to accelerate and transform electric vehicle manufacturing in Canada.
2023 Speakers
Marissa West
President and Managing Director
GM Canada
Jean Marc Leclerc
President and Chief Executive Officer
Honda Canada
Linda Hasenfratz
Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Linamar Corporation
The Honourable Victor Fedeli
Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
Government of Ontario
Lana Payne
National President
Unifor
Jayson Myers
Chief Executive Officer
Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen)
Rob Wildeboer
Executive Chairman and Co-Founder
Martinrea International
Eva Carissimi
Vice President and General Manager
Lithion Recycling Inc.
Ali Emadi
Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate, McMaster Automotive Resource Centre
McMaster University
Lauren Tedesco
Senior Vice President
Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA)
Rafal Janik
Chief Operating Officer
Xanadu
Wally Hunter
Managing Director
EnerTech Capital
Kunal Phalpher
President
Li-Metal Corp.
Guido Benvenuto
Vice President Engineering
Flex-N-Gate
Asmae Mokrini
Team Lead Materials for Energy Technologies
National Research Council of Canada
Ahmed Elganzouri
Sustainability Director
Magna International Inc.
Simon Thibeault
Senior Director – Battery Value Chain
Investissement Québec
Birgit Matthiesen
Director for North America Manufacturing
ArentFox Schiff LLP
Matthew Fortier
President and Chief Executive Officer
Accelerate
Rachel Doran
Director of Policy & Strategy
Clean Energy Canada
Daniel Breton
President and Chief Executive Officer
Electric Mobility Canada
Simon Pillarella
Director, Skilled Labor & Funding
Propulsion Québec
Shelley Hirstwood
Director of Business Development
Kingston Economic Development Corporation
Adrian Tylim
Head Business Development Americas
Blue Solutions
Soroush Nazarpour
President & CEO
VoltaXplore
John Laughlin
Chief Technology Officer
Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen)
Mark McArthur
Director, Internal R&D
Novonix
Emma Jarratt
Executive Editor
Electric Autonomy
Dan Blondal
Chief Executive Officer, Director & Founder
Nano One Materials Corp.
John Matovich
Executive Vice President, Energy Solutions and Growth
Alectra Inc.
John Stackhouse
Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO
RBC
Nino Di Cara
Founder & President
Electric Autonomy
Jennifer Rogers
National Automotive and Transportation Leader
EY Canada
Todd Janke
Vice President, Innovation, Cost Management and Modeling
Adient plc
The global market for electric vehicles is expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030.
Canada has the potential to be a world leader in the shift, thanks to its advanced manufacturing capabilities, stable geopolitics, progressive policies, high environmental standards, proven operational excellence, abundant raw materials and renowned centres of research.
Many leading automakers and battery supply chain producers are committed here, yet the transition still presents strategic challenges.
This first-of-its kind conference will chart a path forward through which Canadian companies, solutions and expertise can compete, lead and succeed in this new industry.
2023 Agenda
Electric vehicle test drives will be available throughout the day from 8:30am to 5pm
Sponsored by Foss National Leasing
| 7:45am | Registration and breakfast |
| 8:45am | Conference commences • Welcome by Nino Di Cara, Founder & President, Electric Autonomy • Introduction by Jayson Myers, Chief Executive Officer, NGen Next Generation Manufacturing Canada |
| 9:00am | Panel: Retooling the Manufacturing Landscape WATCH THE VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SESSION HERE As the backbone of Canada’s auto industry, component manufacturing and vehicle assembly are also front and centre in the EV transition. New players are emerging and established producers are confronting a world in which everything they work with — materials, processes, suppliers, products, buyers — is in flux. In this session, leaders from manufacturing, labour and policy will frame the main themes and high-level challenges facing the sector and showcase examples of the strategies, partnerships and investments needed to survive and thrive. • Marissa West, President and Managing Director, GM Canada • Linda Hasenfratz, Executive Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Linamar Corporation • Lana Payne, National President, Unifor • Rachel Doran, Director of Policy & Strategy, Clean Energy Canada • John Stackhouse, Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, RBC (Moderator) |
| 10:05 am | Keynote: EV Future Market Readiness Building on our opening panel, this short keynote examines what EV future market readiness looks like along the entire value chain. Who/what in Canada today has shown they can solve these challenges or has the potential to play a role in doing so? What strategies are needed/in place to ensure our entire industrial ecosystem is EV-ready? • John Laughlin, Chief Technology Officer, NGen Next Generation Manufacturing Canada • Matthew Fortier, President and Chief Executive Officer, Accelerate |
| 10:30am | Coffee break |
| 11:00am | Panel: Building a Sustainable Supply Chain: Canada’s ESG Edge WATCH THE VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SESSION HERE Zero tailpipe emissions are just a small part of the EV ecosystem’s ESG story. Increasingly, industry economics, future investment, government support, and social license all hinge on responsible practices, community engagement and eliminating embedded emissions along the entire EV value chain. This session will focus on the key areas to tackle, showcase Canadian leadership in all these areas, and make a case that the automotive industry can be a catalyst and leader in clean and socially responsible industry globally. • Rob Wildeboer, Executive Chairman & Co-Founder, Martinrea International • Eva Carissimi, Vice President and General Manager, Lithion Recycling Inc. • Simon Thibeault, Senior Director – Battery Value Chain, Investissement Québec • Ahmed Elganzouri, Sustainability Director, Magna International Inc. • Kunal Phalpher, President, Li-Metal Corp. • Jennifer Rogers, National Automotive and Transportation Leader, EY Canada (Moderator) |
| 12:05pm | Fireside: Investment Landscape for EV-Sector Businesses Investments are critical to ensure a pipeline of innovations to support the development of tomorrow’s automotive technology. This discussion brings together the venture capital perspective on investments in the mobility ecosystem alongside two key corporate strategic players in the sector. • Wally Hunter, Managing Director, EnerTech Capital • Todd Janke, Vice President, Innovation, Cost Management and Modeling, Adient plc • John Matovich, Executive Vice President, Energy Solutions and Growth, Alectra Inc. |
| 12:30pm | Lunch Sponsored by Export Development Canada (EDC) |
| 1:30pm | Panel: A Leap Forward: Next-Generation Batteries WATCH THE VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SESSION HERE The work to develop tomorrow’s batteries is happening today — a high stakes, global race that will revolutionize propulsion systems and energy storage, create new market opportunities and address societal challenges. What separates the competing technologies? What are customers asking for? This session will provide an insider’s view on some of the ground-breaking work led by Canadian expertise. • Soroush Nazarpour, President & Chief Executive Officer, VoltaXplore • Dan Blondal, Chief Executive Officer, Director & Founder, Nano One Materials Corp. • Asmae Mokrini, Team Lead Materials for Energy Technologies, National Research Council of Canada • Rafal Janik, Chief Operating Officer, Xanadu • Adrian Tylim, Head Business Development Americas, Blue Solutions • Mark McArthur, Director, Internal R&D, Novonix • Emma Jarratt, Executive Editor, Electric Autonomy (Moderator) |
| 2:40pm | Fireside: What does the IRA mean for Canada? The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act has significant implications for Canadian EV manufacturing. This discussion will focus on the current status of the IRA, Canada’s reaction to it and what it means for Canada’s ability to capture international business investment and for Canadian manufacturers looking for a pathway into the U.S. • Birgit Matthiesen, Director for North America Manufacturing, ArentFox Schiff LLP • Daniel Breton, President and Chief Executive Officer, Electric Mobility Canada |
| 3:00pm | Coffee break |
| 3:30pm | Panel: Bridging the Talent Gap WATCH THE VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SESSION HERE Leadership in the future EV economy can only be won with talent. Skilled workers and good schools are Canadian strong suits, but is that enough when there’s already a gap between the current demand for new talent and the existing labour pool? This session will focus on solutions, including industrial, academic and governmental partnerships that are integral to make our automotive ecosystem a global magnet for talent and investment. • Guido Benvenuto, Vice President Engineering, Flex-N-Gate • Lauren Tedesco, Senior Vice President, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) • Simon Pillarella, Director, Skilled Labor & Funding, Propulsion Québec • Ali Emadi, Professor and Canada Excellence Research Chair Laureate, McMaster Automotive Resource Centre, McMaster University • Shelley Hirstwood, Director of Business Development, Kingston Economic Development Corporation (Moderator) |
| 4:30pm | Closing keynote • Jean Marc Leclerc, President and Chief Executive Officer, Honda Canada Inc. WATCH THE VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SESSION HERE |
| 5:00pm-7:00pm | Cocktail reception and networking, including a fireside chat with: • The Honourable Victor Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Government of Ontario • Jayson Myers, Chief Executive Officer, NGen Next Generation Manufacturing Canada Sponsored by EnerSavings |
Who should attend?
- Automotive industry professionals
- Researchers and innovators in the electric vehicle sector
- Strategic investors
- Government and policymakers
Media who would like to attend in order to report on the event may apply by sending a request to [email protected]
• Understand the fundamental linchpins of the North American EV supply chain
• Meet Canadian companies working on cutting-edge technology
• Discover opportunities to collaborate as we develop national capabilities for advanced manufacturing
Attendance is limited for unparalleled networking and access to expertise at this groundbreaking event.
Venue: Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation, Toronto
Date: February 8, 2023
The Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (CTI) is a powerhouse of technological innovation. The conference campus is located on the treaty lands and traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and homeland of Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Wendat peoples. EV charging is available on-site.
Tickets
This event is now sold out.
The EV Innovation & Technology Conference is brought to you in partnership with NGen
NGen is the industry-led, non-profit organization leading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. It is founded on the principle that digital transformation in advanced manufacturing will enrich the lives of Canadians, delivering better products and good jobs while generating the economic growth essential to a better future.
The EV Innovation & Technology Conference is powered by Electric Autonomy
Electric Autonomy is Canada’s independent media company reporting on the transition to zero emission vehicles and autonomous mobility. Its mission is to accelerate change by bringing together thought leaders across industry, government and research through editorial, events, education and other innovative programming.
