Events
Dec 11-12, 2025

EMH Annual Forum 2025

The EMH Annual Forum 2025 will bring together Canada’s leading energy modellers, policymakers, and system experts for two days of strategic dialogue, collaborative learning, and actionable insights. Held in Ottawa on December 11–12, this flagship event explores the role of modelling in navigating Canada’s complex energy and economic transitions—linking electricity planning, climate policy, industrial strategy, and macroeconomic impacts. With high-level panels, model showcases, and hands-on sessions, the Forum equips decision-makers with the tools and evidence to shape a net-zero future.

Visit this page again soon for this year’s program.

Last year’s report is available here.

 

Quotes from Past Participants

“One of the best conferences I have attended—an excellent mix of academics, policymakers, and industry professionals!”

“The forum successfully brought together the modelling community, offering strong buy-in from the Canadian government and generalizable lessons for broader applications.”

“The poster lightning presentations were a great addition this year, providing a dynamic platform for sharing new ideas.”

“A fantastic balance between technical discussions, modelling advancements, and policymaking insights—well-structured and engaging.”

“Great networking opportunities, excellent speakers, and well-moderated discussions—this event keeps getting better each year!”

“The venue, the people, the presentations—everything was well organized and created an engaging environment for collaboration.”

“A valuable opportunity to connect with federal policymakers, gain insights into their challenges, and showcase new modelling approaches.”

 

 

 

 

EMH Annual Forum 2025
Dec 11-12, 2025|Carleton University|Ottawa
Navigating Uncertainties, Powering a Stronger Canada

The Energy Modelling Hub (EMH), in partnership with IRENA, will host the 2025 Annual Forum, Canada’s flagship event for energy system modelling and policy analysis. This year’s theme, Navigating Uncertainties, Powering a Stronger Canada, reflects the central challenge of making sound energy and economic decisions amid geopolitical tensions, supply chain fragility, and technological disruption.

The program will feature Canadian and international perspectives on how modelling can strengthen resilience, guide Projects of National Interest, and align short-term actions with long-term goals. Sessions will highlight advances in macroeconomic, electricity system, and distribution-level modelling, explore approaches to stress-testing transition pathways, and showcase how independent, transparent analysis can support both provincial relevance and national planning. The Forum will close with a high-level international panel on the evolving role of modelling communities worldwide.



Agenda
Day
1
Dec 11, 2025
7:30-8:30
Registration

Richcraft Hall

8:30-9:00
Welcome remarks and Introduction
9:00-10:30
Session 1: Net Zero Meets Trade Disruption: Canada’s Economic and Energy Futures

Explores how trade realignment, supply chain fragility, and competitiveness pressures shape Canada’s net-zero trajectory—and how modelling can respond to these disruptive dynamics.

Topics: trade and friendshoring scenarios, demand shocks, supply chain frictions, cascading risks, behavioural responses, competitiveness under electrification, and translating insights into action.

10:30-11:00
Networking Break
11:00-12:15
Session 2: Macroeconomic Modelling for Canada’s Transition

Focuses on macro and hybrid models that capture labour markets, GDP, regional outcomes, and equity under multiple transition futures.

Topics: probabilistic vs. gradual scenarios, modular frameworks linking energy and economy, labour impacts, equity, IAMs, and hybrid models.

12:15-13:15
Lunch
13:15-15:15
Session 3 – Modelling Canada’s Transformational Projects: Electricity and Industry

This session explores how integrated electricity and energy-economy modelling can support planning and implementation of Canada’s key infrastructure and industrial decarbonization projects, including PNIs. It will feature comparative results from the MMCF on transmission, electrification, and industrial decarbonization, alongside perspectives on implementation challenges, economic impacts, and institutional constraints.

15:15-15:45
Networking Break
15:45-17:15
Session 4: Why Canada Needs National Energy System Planning

Makes the case for a coordinated national planning framework using scenario-based approaches and shared assumptions.

Topics: cross-provincial coordination, scenario-based planning, cross-border transmission, CBCA, stakeholder co-design, and lessons from Australia and Europe.

17:15-20:00
Networking Reception
Day
2
Dec 12, 2025
8:00-8:45
Registration

Richcraft Hall

8:45-10:15
Session 5: Enhancing Provincial Resilience: Reliability and Regional Planning in Focus

Showcases how provinces and utilities can use independent modelling to address regional asymmetries, strengthen system reliability, and ensure planning accountability.

Topics: provincial case studies, resilience metrics, CBCA frameworks, and regulatory barriers.

10:15-10:45
Networking Break
10:45-12:15
Distribution System Modelling & Local Energy Futures

Highlights advances in modelling at the distribution and municipal level to support DER integration, local energy planning, and alignment with broader frameworks.

Topics: DERs (solar, EVs, storage), local resilience under shocks, municipal tools, community participation, and planning interoperability.

12:15-13:15
Lunch
13:15-14:00
Poster Pitch Competition
14:00-15:30
Planning in an Uncertain World: The Evolving Role of Energy Modelling

As global tensions, uneven climate ambition, and short-term pressures grow, modellers face the challenge of staying relevant while guiding long-term decisions. This closing session brings international voices to explore how modelling can build trust, align short- and long-term goals, and engage policymakers and the public. It will spotlight global responses, highlight equity and transparency, and open the door to future discussions on governance and collaboration.

15:30-15:35
Final Remarks