True North Rising: TOCW’s Official Kick-off (Opening Ceremony)
Co-hosted by TOCW, the University of Toronto, and MaRS, this event is more than a launch—it’s the dawn of Canada’s global climate leadership.
This flagship gathering will officially kick off Toronto Climate Week, setting the tone for 50+ events during this fall’s soft launch and building momentum toward hundreds more during our first full programming week in June 2026.
Expect a full day of bold voices, big ideas, and cross-sector collaboration. This is a rapid-fire style event—with fast-changing formats, speakers, and themes designed to keep you on your toes.
Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for speaker announcements, sponsor highlights, and updates as we move toward this landmark moment.
At the heart of the event is a powerful theme: Toronto and Canada as a global climate hub—showcasing us as a hidden gem hub for climate innovation, exploring what it will take to elevate us onto the world stage, and sparking the collaboration and investment needed to power our green transition.
Toronto Climate Week Agenda
Our incredible MCs are:
Sarah Clayton & Darren Clifford
9:30 – 10:00
Registration & Breakfast
10:00 – 10:05
Welcome Remarks: Becky Park-Romanovsky (Founder & Executive Director, Toronto Climate Week)
10:10 – 10:15
Traditional Indigenous Opening: Waabshkigan Shane Monague, Sacred Earth Solar
10:15 – 10:25
Federal Opening Remarks - Announcement Coming Soon
10:30 – 10:40
Municipal Opening Remarks - Announcement Coming Soon
10:40 – 10:50
University of Toronto Opening Remarks
Professor Timothy Chan, Associate VP & Vice-Provost, Strategic Initiatives, University of Toronto
Joannah and Brian Lawson, Lawson Climate Institute
10:55 – 11:15
Fireside Chat – What it Takes: The Current State of Canadian Climate Solutions
Peter McArthur, Chair, Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association & Senior Advisor, Fort Capital
Rick Smith, President, Canadian Climate Institute
Moderator: Nelson Switzer, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Climate Innovation Capital
11:15 – 11:40
Panel – Collaboration Across Stakeholders: A Success Story
Bruce Johnson, EVP, Martinrea International
Abi Thomas, Director of Environment & Energy, City of Toronto
Tyler Hamilton, Director of Cleantech, MaRS Discovery District (or Sue Talusan, MaRS)
Moderator: Manjula Selvarajah, Journalist, CBC
11:45 – 11:55
Lightning Talk
Michelle Li, Founder, Clever Carbon & Women and Climate
12:00 – 12:15
Fireside Chat – Indigenous Leadership in Climate & Canada’s Green Economy
Phil Ducharme, VP, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCIB)
Sam Whiteye, Indigenous Leadership Director, Carolinian Canada
Moderator: Laura Tozer, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
12:20 – 12:40
Performance – A sneak peek of CSI's Solar Punk Celebration: We Create Our Futures
12:45 – 12:47
Case competition at Toronto Climate Week - sneak peek
12:50 – 1:30
Lunch Break
1:40 – 1:55
Panel – Clean Tech & Innovation
Sanders Lazier, Co-Founder & CEO, Carbon Hound
Elliott Cappell, National Climate Change Leader, PwC
Tom Rand, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, ArcTern Ventures
Shirley Speakman, Managing Partner, Climate Tech Fund and Sustainability Venture Fund, BDC
Moderator: Lindsay Hampson, President, ThisRock
2:00 – 2:15
Fireside Chat – Policy & Environment
Toby Heaps, Co-Founder & CEO, Corporate Knights
Keith Brooks, Programs Director, Environmental Defence
2:15 – 2:25
Lightning Talk – Investment & Finance
Nelson Switzer, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Climate Innovation Capital
2:30 – 2:45
Fireside Chat – Arts & Culture
Jana Macalik, Director, Global Centre for Climate Action, OCAD
Alyssa Kornet, VP of Operations & Production, TIFF
Moderator: Francisca Quinn, Founder & President, Quinn+Partners
2:45 – 3:00
Break
3:00 – 3:25
Panel – Energy & Transportation
Carson Gemmill, VP, EnWave Energy
Ali Hooshyar, University of Toronto
Adam Thorn, Director, Transportation Program, Pembina Institute
Paul Frith, President, Ontario Geothermal Association
Moderator: Randy Tyrrell, TOCW Advisor
3:30 – 3:40
Fireside Chat – Built Environment
Marieke Cloutier, Senior Director, Green Municipal Fund, FCM
Rasoul Yousefpour, Assistant Professor, UofT, Mass Timber Institute
Moderator: Alicia (Storey) Aleksandrowicz, Vice President - Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy, Weber Shandwick
3:50 – 4:15
Panel – Natural World
James Nowlan, Executive Director, Environment, Climate & Forestry, City of Toronto
Monika Patel, President & CEO, FSC Canada
Akash Rastogi, COO, Ocean Supercluster
Aki Temisevä, CEO & President, United Nations Association in Canada
Moderator: Sarah Winterton, Big Picture Facilitator, Carolinian Canada
4:20 – 4:30
Lightning Talk – Agriculture & Food
Lindsay Bryson, COO Haven Greens
4:30 – 4:40
Closing Remarks: David Miller, Former Mayor and Managing Director, C40
4:40 – 5:30
Happy Hour: TBC
We’re launching a week that reflects the best of Canada: creative, diverse, and ready to lead. From policy to poetry, from technology to community, this is the beginning of something impossible to ignore—and irresistible to join.
Will you be able to say you were there when Toronto took the lead?
Note: Space is limited. Participants may request access to attend; approved attendees will be confirmed by September 17.