October 8–9, 2026
Concordia University, Montréal, Québec | Hybrid Event
The 2026 CECC Annual Community Energy Forum brought together people working to advance community-owned renewable energy in Canada and beyond. Through a bilingual program of keynote presentations, workshops, and discussions, participants explored practical approaches to financing, developing, and scaling renewable energy co-operatives.
The Forum brought together diverse perspectives on community energy, from international experience and Indigenous leadership to municipal partnerships, project financing, and policy. Conversations continued beyond the formal sessions, creating opportunities for participants to exchange ideas, identify common interests, and explore potential collaborations.
The Forum featured sessions in English and French, with live interpretation available to support bilingual participation.
Thank you to everyone who participated, presented, organized, sponsored, and supported the Forum.
Forum Program and Participant Schedule
The program documents the sessions, speakers, and topics explored over the two-day event.
Bringing Together Canada’s Community Energy Movement
Hosted by Community Energy Cooperative Canada (CECC), the Annual Community Energy Forum is Canada’s national gathering dedicated to advancing community-owned renewable energy. The 2026 Forum showcased innovative projects, emerging policy, financing solutions, governance models, and practical tools that support communities in developing and owning renewable energy projects. Over two days, participants exchanged ideas, developed connections, and explored how community energy can contribute to Canada’s energy transition.
Topics Explored
Topics Included:
- Innovative financing and investment models
- Municipal partnership opportunities
- National and provincial policy developments
- Indigenous-led community energy initiatives
- Community ownership models
- Practical pathways to developing new energy co-operatives
- Networking opportunities with leaders from across Canada and internationally
Opening Keynote Presentation
Dr. Jordi Pascual, PhD
Senior Consultant, Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya
Energy Communities and Cooperatives in Catalonia and Europe
Dr. Jordi Pascual shared international lessons from the rapid growth of energy communities across Catalonia and Europe, highlighting successful ownership models, enabling policy frameworks, and practical approaches that could help accelerate community energy development in Canada.
Dr. Jordi Pascual, PhD Biography
Jordi Pascual (Dr, m) obtained his degree in physics, with a specialty in astrophysics, at the Universitat de Barcelona in 1995. Thereafter, during 1995 – 1997, he was a professor at the faculties of engineering at Universidad San Carlos and Universidad Rafael Landívar in Guatemala. After that, during the period 1998 – 1999, he worked as an ERP consultant at Advanced Oriented Technologies. In 1999, he holds a Postgraduate in energy systems at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, and during 2000 – 2001, he studied a Master’s degree in Design and management of Renewable Energy systems at Institut Català de la Tecnologia. In 2000, he founded AIGUASOL, an energy consultancy and engineering firm, where he served as Technical and marketing team manager, General manager, and Senior consultant on EE and RES projects during different periods until 2019. In parallel, during 2008-2015, he holds a Doctorate in Sustainability, Technology and Humanism from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. In 2014 he founded the AIGUASOL spinoff Exsergy efficiency, dedicated to buildings EE ESCO operations, and served until 2019 as Technical main manager. In 2019, he joined the IREC staff as a senior researcher (R3) in the Thermal Energy and Building Performance (ECOS) Group. With 25 years of wide experience on consultancy projects, during the last years, he has been proposing and/or participating in several EU-funded research projects, as GiDomus, LOCALISED, EUCLID, SEACAP4SDG, Efficient Buildings, Syn.ikia, Plural, Mednice, Houseful, Plug&Harvest, 4RinEU, Integridy, GrowSmarter, and so on, and other national or regional R+D projects, mainly related to building physics, energy efficiency and renewable energy systems.
Featured Keynote
Guy Lonechild
Indigenous communities are playing an increasingly important role in shaping Canada’s energy future, from developing renewable energy projects and community energy plans to building new models for ownership, investment, and participation in the energy sector.
Drawing on his experience leading the First Nations Power Authority and working with First Nation communities, governments, utilities, and industry, Guy Lonechild explored what Indigenous leadership means in practice as communities navigate the changing energy landscape. He discussed the opportunities and challenges involved in moving from participation to meaningful economic ownership, building community capacity, and ensuring that energy development delivers lasting benefits for Indigenous communities.
The keynote examined the broader role of Indigenous communities in Canada’s energy transition and the potential for community-owned and Indigenous-led approaches to strengthen energy security, create economic opportunities, and support local decision-making. It also considered how renewable energy co-operatives and other community energy organizations could contribute to this work.
Guy Lonechild Biography
Guy Lonechild is a well-known advocate for enabling growth and leading energy transformation pathway opportunities for First Nation communities in Canada and serves as President and CEO of First Nations Power Authority.
Mr. Lonechild serves on Bruce Power’s New Nuclear Advisory Panel, as chair of the Indigenous Advisory Council on New Nuclear, served as co-chair of Natural Resource Canada’s SMR Leadership Table, and as Indigenous Relations advisor to OPG’s New Nuclear Review Board. His area of interest is Indigenous rightsholder, public and stakeholder engagement, innovations for development in new nuclear, renewables, project finance, and Indigenous-led power procurement initiatives in the Canadian electricity sector.
Recognized as a solution-oriented leader, Mr. Lonechild advocates for economic and environmental reconciliation as a path forward for stakeholders to harness the potential in
alternative energy and supply chain opportunities that generate lasting benefits for Indigenous communities. He currently serves as board member of the Energy Council of Canada (ECC), Clean Energy Association of British Columbia (CEBC), and holds a Master of Business Administration from Cape Breton University and is a former leader of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.
Sessions and Workshops
A Roadmap to Resilience for Community Energy in Canada
In this interactive session, the Roadmap to Resilience project team shared findings from their year-long exploration of resilience in Canada’s renewable energy co-operative sector. Through research into international best practices, a regulatory scan of all provinces, and workshops with stakeholders in six locations across the country, they identified key opportunities and challenges shaping the future of community energy in Canada.
The session highlighted lessons learned and explored priority areas for building a more resilient renewable energy co-operative sector. Participants then took part in facilitated small-group discussions to reflect on the findings, explore shared challenges and opportunities, and consider how the sector could work more closely together while maintaining local relevance. These discussions are intended to inform the development of provincial policy roadmaps for community energy.
Featured speakers
Dr. Martin Boucher, PhD – Dean of Research – NorQuest College
Daniel Curwin – Volt-Age Doctoral Fellow & Project Manager – Next-Generation Cities Institute, Concordia University
Josie Ward – Project Coordinator – Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (CCSC), University of Saskatchewan
Maya Willard-Stepan – Research Fellow, ACET Project – University of Victoria
How Can More Participatory Energy-Planning Processes and Energy Communities Be Developed in Québec in 2026?
Comment mettre sur pied des processus de planification énergétique plus participatifs et des communautés d’énergie au Québec en 2026?
Alors que le Québec se préparait à une transformation majeure de son système énergétique, les communautés locales, les citoyens, les coopératives et les organisations de la société civile demeuraient seulement marginalement impliqués dans la définition des besoins, l’établissement des priorités, la sélection des projets et la gouvernance des infrastructures. Pourtant, les expériences au Québec et à l’étranger démontraient que la production, la distribution et la consommation d’énergie pouvaient être planifiées et organisées différemment. Les processus délibératifs, les initiatives de planification territoriale, les coopératives, les microréseaux et les projets détenus collectivement offraient différentes voies pour renforcer la participation communautaire et le pouvoir décisionnel.
Ce panel a examiné les possibilités pratiques de faire progresser ces approches dans le contexte institutionnel et politique du Québec. Comment les communautés et les citoyens peuvent-ils devenir plus directement impliqués dans la planification énergétique ? Que pourrait signifier une communauté énergétique au Québec en 2026 ? Quels rôles pourraient jouer les coopératives, les municipalités, Hydro-Québec, la Régie de l’énergie et les mouvements citoyens ? Quels obstacles réglementaires, institutionnels, financiers et organisationnels limitaient alors de telles initiatives ?
Featured speakers
Karl Janelle – PhD Researcher & Lecturer in Sustainable Transition – HEC Montréal
Damien Tholomier – General Manager & CEO – Coopérative d’électricité de Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Alexandre Rechnitzer – Economic Regulation Specialist – Régie de l’énergie
Rachel Fahlman – President – Vent d’élus
Gaëlle Crête – Co-operative and Mutual Intelligence Advisor – Conseil québécois de la Coopération et de la Mutualité (CQCM)
Benoit Delage – Executive Director – Conseil régional de l’environnement et du développement durable de l’Outaouais (CREDDO)
Financing and Owning the Energy Transition
Community-owned energy projects can bring lasting local benefits, but securing the capital to build them is still one of the sector’s biggest challenges. This panel brought together three perspectives on that challenge: research, co-operative practice, and lending.
Dr. Basma Majerbi (University of Victoria) shared findings from a national survey on community energy finance, including results for co-operatives, and introduced the Community Energy Finance Navigator. Jodi Conuel (Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative) and John Kirkwood (Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-operative) described how their co-ops have raised member capital, built partnerships, and adapted their financing models to different provincial markets. This included Ontario’s shift away from feed-in tariffs and new partnership models with housing authorities. Joost Sluis (Desjardins) explained what lenders look for in a financeable project, which financing tools are available at different project scales, and how financial institutions can better support the renewable energy co-op sector.
Featured speakers
Prof. Dr. Ursula Eicker, PhD – Canada Excellence Research Chair – Next Generation Cities Institute, Concordia University
Jodi Conuel – Founder & Director – Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative
Joost Sluis, CFA – Director, Infrastructure and Energy Transition, Desjardins
John Kirkwood – President – Ottawa Renewable Energy Cooperative
Dr. Basma Majerbi, PhD – Founder & Director – UVic Impact Investing Hub
Indigenous Leadership, Community Energy and Renewable Energy Co-operatives
Indigenous-led and Indigenous-partnered community energy projects are creating new opportunities for local ownership, economic participation, community decision-making, and greater energy independence. Drawing on experience from Haida Gwaii and other communities across Canada, this session explored practical approaches to Indigenous community energy development, including how projects are initiated, structured, financed, and developed in ways that support Indigenous leadership and long-term community benefit.
Speakers shared perspectives on Indigenous leadership, economic development, youth engagement, and the opportunities and challenges involved in developing community-owned energy projects. Examples from Haida Gwaii highlighted the development of Indigenous-owned renewable energy projects, the role of local investment and participation, and the technical and regulatory challenges that can shape what is possible in smaller and remote communities. The session also considered the broader potential for community energy co-operatives to contribute to Indigenous-led energy development.
Featured speakers
Darcie Lanthier – Director & Co-Founder – Energy Democracy Now Co-operative
Kuan Jian Foo – Founder & Principal Energy Advisor – BIA Energy Consulting – representing Tll Yahda Energy
Tomika Pinay – Indigenous Economic Development Specialist – Government of Saskatchewan
Gavin Jackson – Engineering Department Lead – Green Cat Renewables Canada Corporation
Dr. Mariia Iakovleva, PhD – Post-Doctoral Fellow, ACET Project – University of Victoria
Dr. Reddi Sekhara Yalamala, PhD – Lead Researcher, Indigenous Renewable Energy Partnerships Project – Dalhousie University
The Role of the Municipal Ecosystem in Enabling Community Renewable Energy Co-operatives
Community renewable energy projects often depend on a broader municipal ecosystem of local governments, economic development organizations, researchers, community groups, and co-operatives. Each can play a different role in identifying opportunities, building local capacity, navigating processes, and connecting projects to community priorities.
Janice Ashworth of Dunsky, Dany Robidoux of Éco-Ouest Canada, Dr. Derya Tarhan of the University of Guelph, and Corey Pemberton of the Green Municipal Fund at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities brought perspectives from municipal climate and energy planning, economic development, community energy, energy equity, and municipal support for local climate action. Examples included municipal energy planning, community renewable energy development, and Guelph’s Energy Equity Action Plan.
The discussion explored practical ways co-operatives could engage municipalities and regional partners, the contributions different organizations could make, and how projects could move from early ideas and local priorities toward implementation and long-term community benefit.
Featured speakers
Prof. Julie MacArthur, PhD – Canada Research Chair in Reimagining Capitalism – Royal Roads University
Dany Robidoux – Executive Director, Éco-Ouest Canada / Eco-West Canada
Janice Ashworth – Senior Consultant – Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors
Dr. Derya Tarhan, PhD – Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development – University of Guelph
Corey Pembleton – Advisor, Learning and Partnerships, Green Municipal Fund – Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Thank You To Our Sponsors
The CECC Annual Community Energy Forum was made possible through the generous support of our sponsors.
Presenting Sponsor:
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund, with special thanks to Environment and Climate Change Canada for their support.
Gold Sponsors:
This research was undertaken thanks in part to funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, awarded through the Volt-Age initiative at Concordia University.
Silver Sponsors:
Community Partners:
Forum Supporters:
Sustainability Partners:
The 2026 Community Energy Forum was bullfrogpowered® with 100% green electricity.
This means that Bullfrog Power’s generators put 100% green electricity onto the grid to match the amount of conventional electricity the event uses, displacing energy from polluting sources. Across Canada, Bullfrog’s green electricity comes from a blend of wind, solar, and low-impact hydro power sourced from new Canadian renewable energy facilities. For more information on Bullfrog’s green energy, visit bullfrogpower.com.
CECC Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Community Energy Cooperative Canada held its 2026 Annual General Meeting on October 9, 2026, as part of the Annual Community Energy Forum.
The AGM brought members together to review CECC’s activities over the past year and its financial statements, and to participate in governance decisions, including board elections and strategic priorities.
AGM Details
October 9, 2026 | 4:00–5:00 PM
Concordia University, Montréal, Québec (Hybrid: In-person and online)
Stay Connected with CECC
The Community Energy Cooperative Canada works to strengthen the renewable energy co-operative sector and advance community ownership of Canada’s energy transition.
Explore CECC’s work, learn about community energy initiatives across the country, and connect with the growing community of people and organizations working toward a more community-owned energy system.
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