October 8–9, 2026
Concordia University, Montréal, Québec | Hybrid Event | In-Person & Online
Registration & Pricing
Registration is now open for both in-person and virtual participation.
| Registration Type | Price |
|---|---|
| In-Person | $150 |
| CECC Member (In-Person) | $100 ** |
| Virtual | Free |
** CECC Members receive a $50 discount on in-person registration. The member discount may be applied automatically during registration. If it is not, please contact connect@cecooperative.ca to obtain the member discount code before completing your registration.
Not yet a CECC Member? Membership is free and connects you with Canada’s growing community energy network. Become a CECC Member to take advantage of member pricing and year-round networking and learning opportunities.
Register today to reserve your place at Canada’s national community energy gathering.
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. This bilingual forum showcases innovative projects, emerging policy, financing solutions, governance models, and practical tools that help communities build and own renewable energy projects. Over two days, participants will exchange ideas, develop partnerships, and explore how community energy can become a cornerstone of Canada’s energy transition.
You’ll connect with:
- Renewable energy co-operatives
- Indigenous community leaders
- Municipal governments
- Researchers and academic institutions
- Policymakers
- Utilities and industry partners
- Financial institutions
- Social economy organizations
- Community energy practitioners
What To Expect
Participants will explore:
- Innovative financing and investment models
- Renewable energy co-operative governance
- 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 Speaker
Dr. Jordi Pascual
Senior Consultant, Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya
Energy Communities and Cooperatives in Catalonia and Europe
Dr. Jordi Pascual will share international lessons from the rapid growth of energy communities across Catalonia and Europe, highlighting successful ownership models, enabling policy frameworks, and practical approaches that can help accelerate community energy development in Canada.
Dr. Jordi Pascual 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.
Prominent Keynote Speaker
Guy Lonechild
Presentation overview: Coming soon!
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.
Workshop Program
Additional speakers and session details will be announced throughout the summer and early fall.
A Roadmap to Resilience for Community Energy in Canada
In this interactive session, the Roadmap to Resilience project team will share 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 have identified key opportunities and challenges shaping the future of community energy in Canada.
This session will highlight lessons learned and explore priority areas for building a more resilient renewable energy co-operative sector. Participants will also have the opportunity to provide input into the development of provincial roadmaps, helping ensure they reflect the unique needs, opportunities, and priorities of communities across Canada.
Featured speakers
Dr. Martin Boucher – Research Chair in Sustainability, NorQuest College
Josie Ward – Project Coordinator – Centre for the Study of Canadian Co-operatives
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?
As Québec prepares for a major transformation of its energy system, local communities, citizens, co-operatives, and civil society organizations remain only marginally involved in defining needs, setting priorities, selecting projects, and governing infrastructure. Yet experiences in Québec and abroad demonstrate that energy production, distribution, and consumption can be planned and organized differently. Deliberative processes, territorial planning initiatives, co-operatives, microgrids, and collectively owned projects offer different pathways for strengthening community participation and decision-making power.
This panel will examine the practical possibilities for advancing these approaches within Québec’s current institutional and political context. How can communities and citizens become more directly involved in energy planning? What could an energy community mean in Québec in 2026? What roles could be played by co-operatives, municipalities, Hydro-Québec, the Régie de l’énergie, and citizen movements? Which regulatory, institutional, financial, and organizational barriers currently limit such initiatives?
Featured speakers: Coming soon
Financing and Owning the Energy Transition
This panel brings together experienced project developers who have successfully delivered community-led energy projects across Canada and Europe’s diverse regulatory and electricity market environments. Panellists will discuss how differing policies, market structures, utility relationships, and permitting processes have shaped project development, financing, and community ownership models. Through real-world case studies, the discussion will highlight practical strategies for overcoming regulatory barriers, building effective partnerships, and creating lasting local economic and social benefits. Attendees will gain actionable insights into the project financing considerations needed in different policy and regulatory conditions to accelerate community-led energy projects and support a more inclusive and resilient clean energy transition.
Featured speakers
Jordi Pascual – Senior Consultant, Institut de Recerca en Energia de Catalunya
Oriol Gavaldà – Team Lead for Decarbonization Initiatives, Next-Generation Cities Institute
John Kirkwood – President, Ottawa Renewable Energy Cooperative
~ Reconciliation in Action Through Community Energy ~ TBD
Learn from Indigenous leaders and practitioners about community-led renewable energy initiatives, equitable partnerships, and approaches that advance reconciliation through energy development.
Featured speakers: Coming soon
Scaling Community Energy Co-operatives as a Major Energy Transition Partner
What will it take for community-owned renewable energy to become a significant contributor to Canada’s energy transition? This collaborative session explores opportunities, barriers, and next steps for sector growth.
Featured speakers: Coming soon
More session updates: Coming soon!
Thank You To Our Sponsors
The CECC Annual Community Energy Forum is 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.
Forum Supporters:
~ Additional sponsorship opportunities remain available ~
Become A Forum Sponsor
Support Canada’s growing community energy movement and demonstrate your commitment to locally owned, community-led energy solutions.
The CECC Annual Community Energy Forum offers organizations an opportunity to align with a national platform advancing renewable energy co-operatives, community resilience, and a more inclusive energy transition.
We invite interested organizations to review our 2026 Community Energy Forum Sponsorship Package to explore available partnership opportunities.
Sponsorship opportunities include:
- Recognition across Forum communications and promotional materials
- Visibility during plenary sessions, workshops, and networking activities
- Opportunities to connect with Forum participants, speakers, and sector leaders
- Inclusion in post-event communications and reporting
- Recognition as a supporter of community-owned energy solutions
For sponsorship inquiries, please contact: info@cecooperative.ca
CECC Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The Community Energy Cooperative Canada (CECC) 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will also be hosted as part of this year’s Forum.
The AGM is an opportunity for members to come together to review the past year, provide input, and help shape the organization’s future direction. Members will receive updates on CECC’s activities and impact, review financial statements, and participate in key governance decisions, including board elections and strategic priorities.
If you are interested in supporting and shaping this work, we invite you to become a CECC member and take part in both the Forum and AGM.
AGM Details
October 9, 2026 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Concordia University, Montréal, QC (Hybrid: In-person & Online)
CECC Members attending the Forum in person are warmly invited to participate in the AGM on-site.
Register Today
Community-owned renewable energy is growing across Canada, and this Forum is where the people driving that movement come together.
Whether you’re launching a new project, seeking partners, exploring innovative financing, or helping shape policy, you’ll leave with new ideas, practical tools, and valuable connections.
We look forward to welcoming you to Montréal this October.
Accommodation
Special discounted room rates have been secured for Forum participants at two hotels conveniently located near Concordia University.
Registered attendees are encouraged to book early, as the preferred rates are available until September 7, 2026, subject to availability.
To book your room:
Please contact the reservations team directly:
- Phone: 1-888-933-8111
- Email: reservations@sensmtlversailles.com
When booking, please mention the appropriate group code or the group name to receive the discounted rate.
| Hotel | Group Code |
|---|---|
| SENS Hotel Montréal | EFJ06S |
| Château Versailles | EFJ06B |
Group Name: CECC Annual Community Energy Forum (Open Block)
Booking deadline: Monday, September 7, 2026
Reservations may be cancelled without penalty until September 7, 2026. Cancellations made after this date will incur a 100% cancellation fee in accordance with the hotel’s booking policy.
