December 10, 2025—The Transition Accelerator is pleased to announce the successful launch of a new External Advisory Council, consisting of distinguished individuals from industry, government, academia and Indigenous leadership across Canada.
“The External Advisory Council will play a critical role in the continued success of the Transition Accelerator. Their strategic input will broaden our perspective and contribute to the development of impactful work, helping to ensure Canada wins economically in a quickly changing world,” said Dan Wicklum, the Transition Accelerator’s CEO.
This Council, which is chaired by the Transition Accelerator Board Chair Bruce Lourie, intends to meet quarterly, with three virtual meetings and one physical meeting a year.
“The national leaders on the Council know that futures are created, they don’t simply unfold. With thoughtful strategy and deliberate execution, our goal is to help Canada emerge stronger and more prosperous from today’s global turbulence,” said External Advisory Council Chair Bruce Lourie (President, Ivey Foundation).
The first meeting of the Council, in November 2025, brought together 11 senior leaders, representing a wide range of perspectives across the political spectrum, diverse areas of expertise, and a shared commitment to addressing complex economic and societal challenges.
List of Council members
- Roger Beauchemin, President and CEO, Addenda Capital
- Rupert Duchesne, Corporate Director and Advisor, SciurusNovus
- Mihskakwan James Harper, Business Development Manager, NRStor Inc.
- Chris Henderson, Founding Executive Director, Indigenous Clean Energy
- Dr. Bruce Lourie, President, Ivey Foundation
- Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs
- Hon. Anne McLellan , Former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada
- Hon. Erin O’Toole, President and Managing Director, ADIT North America
- Sandra Odendahl, Transition Accelerator Board Member and Corporate Director
- Arlene Strom, Chancellor, Mount Royal University
- Daniel Tisch, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Read more about these Council members here.
The Council will offer strategic advice, expert insights and bring a “real-world” perspective to help refine the Transition Accelerator’s priorities and workplans. Council Members will also act as “Ambassadors” for the organization.
At a time when the global economic order is being redefined, the Transition Accelerator drives strategies, partnerships and projects to help ensure Canada is competitive, harnessing the global shift towards clean growth to secure permanent jobs, abundant energy, and strong regional economies across the country.
The Transition Accelerator works with 300+ partner organizations to build-out pathways to a prosperous low-carbon economy and avoid costly dead-ends along the way. By connecting systems-level thinking with real-world analysis, and using a unique theory of change, the Transition Accelerator enables a more affordable, competitive, and resilient future for all Canadians.
“Strategic input from these external senior leaders will be a valuable asset for our work going forward,” said Moe Kabbara, President of the Transition Accelerator.
For more information
Peter Hemminger
Communications Lead, the Transition Accelerator:
communications@transitionaccelerator.ca
About the Transition Accelerator
The Transition Accelerator is putting Canada on a path to a strong competitive economy in a world driving to reduce emissions to carbon neutrality. By driving projects, partnerships, and strategies to ensure Canada is competitive in a carbon-neutral world, they are harnessing the global shift towards clean growth to secure permanent jobs, abundant energy, and strong regional economies across the country. Working with 300+ partner organizations, the Transition Accelerator builds out pathways to a prosperous low-carbon economy and avoid costly dead-ends along the way. Connecting systems-level thinking with real-world analysis, they are enabling a more affordable, competitive, and resilient future for all Canadians. https://transitionaccelerator.ca
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The national leaders on the Council know that futures are created, they don’t simply unfold. With thoughtful strategy and deliberate execution, our goal is to help Canada emerge stronger and more prosperous from today’s global turbulence.
Bruce Lourie, President, Ivey Foundation
The External Advisory Council will play a critical role in the continued success of the Transition Accelerator. Their strategic input will broaden our perspective and contribute to the development of impactful work, helping to ensure Canada wins economically in a quickly changing world.
Dan Wicklum, CEO, The Transition Accelerator
Strategic input from these external senior leaders will be a valuable asset for our work going forward.
Moe Kabbara, President, The Transition Accelerator