REDEFINING THE RULES OF FINANCE IN A WORLD OF LIMITS

9 : 30 a.m. - 10 : 00 a.m.

As climate, nature, and social constraints increasingly shape economic outcomes, the financial system is being challenged to operate within limits it was not designed to recognize or price. This keynote explores how financial rules, mandates, and incentives must evolve to better align capital allocation with real-world constraints, and what it will take to move from incremental adjustment to systemic transformation. Why has the financial system struggled to integrate planetary and social limits into core decision-making? What changes to mandates, incentives, and governance are needed to better align finance with real-economy constraints? What would a financial system look like if it were designed to operate within, rather than beyond, ecological and social boundaries?

MODERATOR :

Jean-Francois Prince, Senior Vice President Regional Banking – Commercial Distribution, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)

KEYNOTE SPEAKER :

John E. Morton, Executive Managing Director of Nature Finance and Investment, World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WHO OWNS CAPITAL? RECONNECTING FINANCIAL DECISIONS WITH COLLECTIVE INTENT AND GIVING POWER BACK TO SAVERS

10 : 00 a.m. - 10 : 45 a.m.

Financial institutions do not allocate capital on their own behalf, but on behalf of millions of savers whose needs, preferences, and long-term aspirations are still imperfectly understood and too rarely reflected in investment decisions. In a context shaped by intensifying climate risks, social tensions, and growing questions around institutional legitimacy, this plenary examines how collective intent can be translated into concrete capital allocation decisions, raising fundamental questions of representation, alignment, and accountability. How can financial institutions better integrate the preferences and long-term interests of the people whose capital they steward? What governance, consultation, or engagement mechanisms can help reconnect allocation decisions with collective priorities? In practice, how should citizen mobilization, social pressure, and fiduciary duty interact?

PANEL : 

Stéphan Morency, Chief Executive Officer, Fondaction

10 : 45 a.m. - 11 : 15 a.m.

ENERGY, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES : FINANCING ECONOMIC RESILIENCE

11 : 15 a.m. - 12 : 00 p.m.

In a context where energy, water, and natural resources are emerging as essential strategic pillars of economic resilience, this panel explores the financial mechanisms capable of supporting the development and transformation of these vital infrastructures. Through insights from pioneering companies and the perspective of a scientific expert, the discussion will examine how the interplay between resources, nature, and the economy shapes our collective ability to build a sustainable and resilient future. Which financing models are currently best suited to essential infrastructure in the face of climate and economic constraints? How can financial performance, risk management, and the sustainability of natural resources be reconciled? What role should businesses, communities, financial institutions, and science play in building long-term resilient infrastructure?

MODERATOR : 

Olivier Lacaille, General Manage and chief, Infrastructure and Energy Transition, Desjardins

PANEL : 

Mélanie Duquette, Vice President, Internal Control, Risk Management and ESG, Boralex

Jérôme Dupras, Professor in the Department of Natural Sciences, Université du Québec en Outaouais

Jean-François Thériault, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance de l'énergie de l'Est

ADAPTATION AND INSURABILITY : PREVENTING LOSSES RATHER THAN REPAIRING DAMAGE

1 : 00 p.m. - 1 : 45 p.m.

As climate-related losses accelerate, adaptation and resilience are becoming central to investment risk management and capital preservation strategies. This session examines how prevention and adaptation can be structured as investable assets, and how insurability is increasingly used by investors as a forward-looking indicator of asset quality, financial viability, and long-term value. How are investors integrating adaptation, resilience, and insurability into portfolio construction and risk assessment? How can insurers, investors, and public actors better align capital to reduce losses, protect asset value, and enhance long-term resilience? What investment structures, data, and policy signals are needed to make prevention and adaptation bankable at scale?

MODERATOR :

Hervé Duteil, Chief Sustainability Officer, Americas, BNP Paribas

PANEL :

Layalee Ramahi, North America Regional Lead, UNEP FI

Jennifer Coulson, Senior Managing Director and Global Head, ESG, BCI

Brigitte Roy, General Counsel, Insurance and Dispute Resolution, WSP AXA

Kevin Quinlan, Senior Director, Sustainable Investing, Sun Life Corporation Management

MAKING THE TRANSITION SUSTAINABLE : ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL LEVERS FOR SYSTEMIC CHANG

2 : 00 p.m. - 2 : 45 p.m.

The transition is not just a decarbonization challenge – it's a capital reallocation event with real distributional impacts; its long-term success will depend not only on technological feasibility and capital flows, but on economic durability and social acceptance. This session explores how financial tools, risk-sharing mechanisms, and policy design can reduce risks, strengthen economic resilience, and mobilize capital toward pathways that are both viable and broadly supported. What financial mechanisms can mitigate social disruption and prevent backlash against the transition? How can capital allocation better account for employment impacts, regional disparities, and distributional effects? What role should investors, financial institutions, and public authorities play in ensuring the transition remains economically credible and socially durable?

MODERATOR :

Mitchell McEwen, Director of Sustainability, Climate Resilience & Community Impact, Wawanesa

PANEL :

Chris Boivin, Chief Development Officer, FCM

Rik Logtenberg, Director, CanAdapt, City Councillor, City of Nelson

Sarah Thompson, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Finance, RBC

Kathryn Wortsman, Managing Director, Amplify Capital

2 : 45 p.m. - 3 : 15 p.m.

DATA, AI AND GOVERNANCE : WHO IS REALLY STEERING CAPITAL?

3 : 15 p.m. - 4 : 00 p.m.

As data and artificial intelligence become increasingly embedded in financial decision-making, they are reshaping how risks are assessed, how capital is allocated, and how sustainability considerations are integrated into markets. This session explores how governance frameworks can evolve to ensure that data- and AI-driven tools support credible risk management, long-term value creation, and alignment with real-world sustainability outcomes. How are data and AI currently influencing capital allocation and risk assessment in sustainable finance? What governance challenges emerge as financial decisions rely more heavily on complex models and data infrastructures? How can institutions, regulators, and market participants ensure that these tools reinforce transparency, accountability, and long-term resilience?

MODERATOR :

Harlan Tufford, Vice President, MSCI Research & Development, MSCI

PANEL :

Rheia Khalaf, Director, Partnerships, Mila

Walter Viguiliouk, Chief of Staff and Managing Director, Sustainable Investing, Manulife Investment Management

Bruno Vilone, Director, Asset Management Policy and Technological Innovation, AMF

THE TIME FOR STRATEGIC TRADE-OFFS

4 : 00 p.m. - 4 : 45 p.m.

In a context marked by challenges related to the credibility of frameworks, structural dependencies, social tensions, and transition imperatives, a growing gap is emerging between well-identified risks and actual capital allocation decisions, raising concerns about the ability of markets to send clear and actionable signals. This conversation examines the factors that continue to blur risk signals and explores the conditions required to restore a more coherent, clear-eyed, and resilient economic system. Why do well-identified risks remain only partially reflected in market pricing and capital allocation decisions? What structural factors or incentives contribute to the distortion of risk signals across financial systems? What changes are needed to realign capital with real-world risks and strengthen economic resilience?

MODERATOR :

Karel Mayrand, CEO, Trottier Family Foundation

PANEL :

Mark Campanale, Founder and Acting CEO, Carbon Tracker Initiative

Barbara Zvan, President and CEO, University Pension Plan (UPP)

9 : 30 a.m. - 10 : 15 a.m.

10 : 30 a.m. - 12 : 00 p.m.

1 : 00 a.m. - 1 : 45 p.m.

14 : 00 p.m. - 14 : 45 p.m.

SUSTAINABLE INVESTING IN ACTION: OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS MARKETS

3 : 15 p.m. - 4 : 00 p.m.

Step into a fast‑paced, TED-talk style session where portfolio managers turn sustainable investing into clear, investable ideas through 7–10‑minute talks. From climate mitigation and the energy transition to Indigenous considerations and active stewardship, explore how sustainability is shaping markets and strengthening portfolio resilience. Designed to build conviction, this session positions sustainable investing as a driver of value and performance.

PANEL :

Solène Hanquier, Head of Responsible Investment, National Bank Investments

Anne Perreault, Senior Portfolio Manager, North American Equities, Desjardins

Simon Sénécal, Manager, Responsible Investing, AlphaFixe Capital

John A. Cook, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Team Co-Lead, Mackenzie

Steve Bélisle, Senior Portfolio Manager, Fundamental Equity, Manulife Investment Management

David Ung, Director, Sustainable Investment, Manulife Investment Management

THE ADVISOR PLAYBOOK: EFFECTIVE SUSTAINABLE INVESTING CONVERSATIONS AND REAL-WORLD PORTFOLIO CONSTRUCTION

4 : 15 p.m. - 5 : 00 p.m.

This interactive advisor‑led session shares practical best practices for engaging clients on sustainable investing, including myth‑busting.Through real‑world testimonials, advisors explain how they adopt new narratives, succeed in client conversations, and address concerns with confidence.The discussion also explores how sustainable funds work from inputs to outputs how results are measured.