Vekta 2026

Register

9:15 AM ― Participants' reception

Welcoming Remarks

Alexis Laprés-Paradis

Président directeur-général, Propulsion Québec

Opening Remarks

Carlos Leitão

Member of Parliament for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, Quebec and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry, Government of Canada

Alexandre Teodoresco

Member of the Executive Committee, responsible for optimization, municipal performance, and innovation, and City Councilor for the Loyola district of the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, City of Montréal

These presentations offer a three-step approach to exploring the practical implementation of carbon-free corridors for intercity freight transport by heavy-duty electric trucks in Quebec and Canada.

1) 100% carbon-free Quebec City–Montreal corridor: initial assessment

Presentation of a project demonstrating how freight transport electrification can be achieved on a strategic route.

2) Quebec City–Toronto: Feasibility analysis

Unveiling of the results of the study conducted by WSP for Propulsion Québec on the decarbonization potential of one of the country’s main logistics corridors.

3) Quebec City–Toronto: Canada’s next major decarbonized corridor?

Presentation of the perspectives emerging from this study and the levers to be activated to move forward with implementation.

  • French

Speakers

Martin Archambault

Business Development Manager, Hydro-Québec

Romain Gayet

Director, Zero Emission Vehicle Sector

Stéphane Pascalon

Senior Project Manager

  • French
  • Strategic presentation

Presenter

Jocelyn Douhéret

Director General of Mining Policy and Development, Minister of Natural Resources and Forest, Government of Quebec

To ensure national and civilian security, as well as a successful energy transition, it is essential to guarantee access to critical minerals and secure the entire supply chain (extraction → processing → strategic materials → defence and civilian applications).

As critical and strategic minerals (CSMs) have become indispensable to defence technologies, energy infrastructure and the electrification of transportation, Canada must reduce its international dependence on these resources and develop reliable, sustainable access to CSMs in order to safeguard its economic and national security while supporting the energy transition.

With its abundant resources and strong expertise, Canada has a unique opportunity to secure its supply chain—from extraction to processing and manufacturing—by fostering the development of a domestic value chain. This approach would strengthen economic resilience and reduce geopolitical vulnerabilities.

This panel will bring together experts to examine current supply chain vulnerabilities and discuss the key levers required to build true strategic autonomy in this critical sector.

  • English
  • Battery

Panelists

Pascale Massot

Associate Professor, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa; John H. McArthur Fellow, Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada

Heather Exner-Pirot

Director of Energy Natural Resources and Environment, Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Claude Guay

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Government of Canada & Member of Parliament LaSalle-Émard-Verdun

Moderator

Élise Boutin-Michaud

Partner, Clients & Markets, KPMG in Canada

This panel will explore how Quebec can accelerate the development of critical and strategic mineral projects in order to build a mining and processing sector capable of supporting our ambitions. Discussions will focus on levers for attracting investment, reducing risks, advancing projects more quickly, and creating strong value chains, while integrating social acceptability issues that determine the success of projects in the field. The discussion will help position Quebec as a credible and competitive player in the new geopolitics of essential materials.

Speakers

Charles-Olivier Tarte

CFO, Nouveau Monde Graphite

Emmanuelle Toussaint

CEO, Association minière du Québec

Guy Bourassa

General Manager, Scandium Canada Ltd.

Moderator

Cindy Valence

President & Co-Founder, Growth and Development, Ethos Strategy

12:20 PM ― Networking lunch Networking

  • French
  • Presentation

Presenter

Martin Roy

Senior Vice President, Operations, Quebec & Atlantic

Presented by :

Strategic dialogue: This panel will bring together investors, a solutions provider, and an end user to demonstrate how Energy as a Service and pay-as-you-go models are transforming access to zero-emission technologies by reducing financial barriers and operational risk. Through concrete examples and investment perspectives, the panelists will highlight the levers that can accelerate electrification, secure returns, and build a more competitive and resilient value chain.

  • Bilingue

Panelists

Philippe Beauchamp

CEO and Co-Founder, UgoWork

Saad El Kassab

Electrification Project Manager, Nationex

John Stokes

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Real Ventures

Chanel Damphousse

Partner, MKB

Moderator

Dany Sarrazin-Sullivan

Manager, Investment, Fonds de Solidarité FTQ

This strategic dialogue is presented by:

2:45 PM ― Break

This panel will highlight complex and emerging use cases of electrification in various sectors that are currently not yet decarbonized. Tangible progress in pilot projects will be discussed, as well as the challenges that remain to be overcome, with a focus on projects carried out in Quebec.

  • French
  • ZEV

Panelists

Pier-Luc Laurin

General Manager, Institut du véhicule innovant (IVI)

Carl Verrier

Technical Services and Logistic Director, Coopérative de travailleurs d’Ambulance de l’Estrie

Maxime Ouellet

Maxime Ouellet, Project Manager, Electric Vehicles & Propulsion Development Team, BRP

Luis Leal

eMobility, Business Development Manager, Phoenix Contact

Moderator

Armelle Chenevez

Senior Project Manager, WSP

This panel will highlight complex and emerging use cases of electrification in various sectors that are currently not yet decarbonized. Tangible progress in pilot projects will be discussed, as well as the challenges that remain to be overcome, with a focus on projects carried out in Quebec.

  • French
  • ZEV

Panelists

Pier-Luc Laurin

General Manager, Institut du véhicule innovant (IVI)

Carl Verrier

Technical Services and Logistic Director, Coopérative de travailleurs d’Ambulance de l’Estrie

Maxime Ouellet

Maxime Ouellet, Project Manager, Electric Vehicles & Propulsion Development Team, BRP

Luis Leal

eMobility, Business Development Manager, Phoenix Contact

Moderator

Armelle Chenevez

Senior Project Manager, WSP

Animateurs

Armelle Chenevez

Chargée de projet senior, WSP

5 PM ― Networking cocktail Networking

Thanks to our partners