FutureWave 2026 – Conference

Building Canada’s Tech Advantage – Turning Ambition into Delivery

As Canada invests in innovation and productivity, what will it take to build the workforce that delivers on those ambitions?

FutureWave 2026 brings together Canada’s technology leaders, employers, educators, and policymakers for a full day focused on action, not just strategy. Explore how Work-Integrated Learning, employer partnerships, and talent development can strengthen Canada’s competitiveness in AI, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies, and help shape The Tech Advantage Playbook, a shared set of recommendations to take back to your organization.

• Date: November 30, 2026
• Location: Northeastern University, Toronto
• Time: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Featured Discussions

1. Building Canada’s Workforce Advantage: What talent will Canada’s fastest-growing technology sectors need over the next decade?
2. Hiring for Growth: How can employers, especially SMEs, build successful early-career hiring strategies?
3. From Campus to Competitive Advantage: How can colleges and universities accelerate innovation through stronger employer partnerships?
4. Growth That Reaches Every Community: What does a truly national technology workforce strategy look like?
5. Trust, Talent & Opportunity: Lessons in Building Community-Centred Workforce Development Programs

What You’ll Take Away

1. Employer action: Practical strategies for hiring, mentoring, and retaining emerging talent
2. Innovation partnerships: Stronger collaboration between industry, colleges, universities, and governments
3. Regional impact: New ideas for expanding technology opportunities beyond major urban centres, including Indigenous communities, rural regions, startups, and small businesses
4. The Tech Advantage Playbook: A shared set of recommendations to take back to your organization

Agenda

Morning

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. — Registration and continental breakfast
9:00 – 9:45 a.m. — Welcome and Keynote
9:45 – 10:45 a.m. — Building Canada’s Workforce Advantage
10:45 – 11:00 a.m. — Coffee break
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. — Growth That Reaches Every Community
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. — Networking and boxed lunch

Afternoon

1:00 – 1:45 p.m. — Trust, Talent & Opportunity: Lessons in Building Community-Centred Workforce Development Programs 
1:45 – 2:30 p.m. — From Campus to Competitive Advantage
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. — Coffee break
2:45 – 3:30 p.m. — Hiring for Growth
3:30 – 4:00 p.m. — Wrap-Up: The Tech Advantage Playbook

Join us on November 30 to turn ambition into delivery. REGISTER NOW!

Event Details