Series 20

The pandemic forced Canadians to live a greater proportion of their lives online than ever before. It also accelerated the prevalence and popularity of e-commerce, and many are predicting that online delivery will remain a key feature of the restaurant industry. During this disruption, the federal government proposed a number of regulatory interventions designed to moderate and even improve our everyday lives; like updated privacy and consumer protection legislation (Bill C-11) and Bill-C-10. In this lecture, Bednar will point to future policy opportunities that Canadian policymakers must address and point to harms on the horizon. Audience members will leave with a

The COVID pandemic exposed numerous pre-existing cracks in our public education systems. And it showed us a system that needs more resilience to deal with change. From crises such as a pandemic to rapid changes in the economy and strains caused by things like climate change and the growing gap between rich and poor – education has a key role to play. But to play that role effectively, it needs to evolve. In this session, Annie Kidder, Executive Director of People for Education, will provide a provocative look at the urgent need for change in education – what changes are

Consider life before the start of the industrial revolution and compare it to now. How many hours per week would you need to work, considering all our advances in manufacturing, to achieve that same standard of living as back then? My guess is only a few.  Yet interestingly people are as busy today as they were back then.  When you consider all the advanced manufacturing and automation that has developed, it is odd that we are still so busy.

Now let’s think about the future.  The thinking is that even higher levels of automation are coming.  The current trend in

Climate change represents a serious and immediate threat to us all. To address it, we need to achieve net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. And to get there, we urgently need to transition our energy system. In Canada, wind energy, solar energy and energy storage are the foundation for decarbonizing our electricity grid today, and then expanding it to supply transportation, buildings and industry. In this way, Canada can be a global leader in the transition to net-zero.

This talk explores the global challenge of producing enough of the right kinds of food to ensure adequate diets for all.  First, we will explore issues of population growth, climate change, food waste and the environment.  In part 2 of this talk, we shall take a more optimistic note and examine the way in which novel technologies, including AI, big data and robotics, may play a role.  Finally, we will explore a number of key policy suggestions designed to help ensure that the benefits of new technologies are deployed in such a way as to create better environmental and social

The secret is out – the Greater Golden Horseshoe is one of the best places to live in the world.  As a result, the region is experiencing unprecedented population growth and an associated demand for housing and jobs.  Toronto has more cranes in the sky than any city in North America; and with that boom, communities around the GGH are feeling their neighbourhoods pressured to change in ways that seem detrimental to their quality of life.  What is the right balance?  And who decides?  This session will explore an integrated approach to community planning through collaboration – if there is to

COVID-19 has had a sudden and massive impact on health care in Ontario over the past 18 months. On one hand, it has slowed the delivery of care to thousands of people on waiting lists across the Province.  Less understood though, the pandemic has also accelerated transformative changes that will benefit people and change the provision of healthcare forever.  In his presentation, Rob will share insights into our health system’s response to the pandemic and our recovery from it.

Smart mobility refers to the movement of goods and people and includes autonomous and electric vehicles of all types including those for personal use as well as those used for commercial and cargo delivery. Smart mobility is undergoing a massive transformation and encompasses the systems, technologies, data, and infrastructure required that allows vehicles of all types to sense, process, and communicate with their environment. Learn about the developments disrupting the transportation industry because ready or not, they will impact all aspects of our lives.