The 2019 University of Toronto Sustainability Conference aims to explore the theme of "Pathways to Sustainability". As the world's population continues to expand, sustainability is an ever growing topic of discussion in many industries. Through keynote speakers, panel discussions and hands-on workshops, the conference aims to gather minds from various sectors; government, industry, and academia alike, to discuss and showcase the connections between past, present, and future sustainability ventures. We hope to redefine sustainability by highlighting the similarities and overlaps between economic, social and environmental sustainability initiatives in corporations and organizations of every size. Our goal is to provide a collaborative think tank to University of Toronto students, professionals and the general public to discuss what sustainability is and learn how it affects our lives and livelihoods, no matter how large or small the impact. We want to encourage everyone to learn from stories of successes and hardships, and continue to expand the conversation to make a brighter, and greener future.

A list of some of the incredible topics and speakers can be found below:

• The Future of Transportation - Joni Paiva (President of Nissan Canada), Sanathan Kassiedass (Sr. Advisor at Metrolinx), Keenan Burnett (Team Lead of aUToronto)
• Energy Storage - Mark Tinkler (Sr. Energy Consultant at Customized Energy Solutions) and Jon Norman (President and COO of Hydrostor)
• Energy Distribution - Reagan Bond (VP at Alectra) and Katherine Sparks (Director at IESO)
• Sustainable Buildings - Mark Bessoudo (Manager at WSP)
• Corporate Sustainability - Panos Panagiotakopoulos (Professor at the University of Toronto)
• Careers in Sustainability - Anureet Kaur (Consultant at Purolator)
• Environmental Policy - Yannick Beaudoin (Director at the David Suzuki Foundation)
• Overcoming Poverty using AI - Kyle Ertl (Director at Dimensional Strategies)
• Data in Mineral Exploration - Sarah Sun (Goldspot Discoveries)
• Food Security - Growing North

Networking: The 2019 U of T Sustainability Conference has set aside three separate time slots throughout the conference dedicated to networking. We encourage everyone to reach out of their comfort zones and start a conversation with other guests.

Seminar Style: A 40-minute seminar-style talk on the sustainability leader’s topic of choice (related to the general topics above). The floor is opened up for a 10-minute question and answer period at the end. The style of the session will be largely controlled by the speaker.

Panels: Two sustainability leaders will give a short introduction of themselves. Then the floor is opened up for a question and answer period. The key is audience participation. A discussion will happen between the panelists and the audience members. We want to encourage an environment for an open network of communication and thought-provoking conversation.

Workshop: An industry professional will be conducting a workshop for attendees to work through a problem. This will not only encourage teamwork and networking but will also give a real-world look into how we can apply our sustainability principles in order to solve a problem.

Tradeshow: During the lunch and networking time, there will also be a tradeshow. This will include a mix of some of U of T’s most prominent sustainability-focused clubs as well as industry leaders focused on sustainable design.

Registration is required for this event. Group discounts are available for purchases of 3 or more tickets. The detailed schedule of the day and speakers list will be released closer to the date.

Registration is now open!