Toronto Talks

As Ontario embarks on some of the largest infrastructure and mining investments in its history, one truth stands out: success depends on Indigenous partnership.

In this episode, we mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by focusing on the critical role Indigenous communities play in shaping Ontario’s economic future.

Michael Fox, President of Indigenous Community Engagement, moderates a powerful discussion with Chief Cornelius Wabasse of the Webequie First Nation and The Honourable Greg Rickford, Ontario’s Minister of Indigenous Affairs. 

Then, Minister Rickford joins the Board's President and CEO, Giles Gherson for a sit-down conversation.

The conversations speak about:

• The road to developing the Ring of Fire responsibly
• Embedding Indigenous leadership from the start
• Training the next generation of Indigenous workers
• Access to capital and building sovereign wealth
• Turning policy into practice with real infrastructure investments

Ontario and Alberta, two of Canada’s largest economies, are moving past old rivalries to forge a stronger economic partnership.

With new agreements in place, the provinces are working to break down trade barriers, recognize credentials across borders, and collaborate on energy, infrastructure, and investment.

In this episode, Alberta’s senior representative in Ottawa, James Carpenter, joins us to discuss what this new chapter means for businesses, workers, and Canada’s competitiveness on the global stage.

In this episode, we explore how Toronto’s 10-kilometre waterfront can transform the city from being a city on a lake to a true Waterfront City. Achieving this vision means striking the right balance between housing, employment lands, culture, and industry.

The conversation, hosted by our President & CEO Giles Gherson, touches on:

• How flood protection is unlocking new neighbourhoods
• Why transit investments like East Harbour and marine mobility are game changers
• How mixed-use planning, cultural destinations and film studios can create year-round activity and well-paid jobs.

We also examine how city-owned lands and port operations can coexist with public spaces, and why connecting destinations from west to east is essential for long-term success.

This episode features Vic Gupta, CEO of CreateTO, and Chris Glaisek, Chief Planning & Design Officer at Waterfront Toronto.

In this episode of Toronto Talks, Deb Pimentel, President of IBM Canada joins us to share how IBM is helping Canadian companies unlock real productivity gains through AI. From a storied past in hardware to becoming a global leader in hybrid cloud and AI, IBM’s transformation is a case study in strategic reinvention.

She outlines how IBM is applying AI internally to improve its own productivity and how it’s helping clients do the same. If you want to understand what it actually takes to adopt AI in your business, this is not an episode to miss.

Entrepreneurship takes resilience. For Theresa Bailey, it also took Play-Doh.

In this episode we sit down with Theresa, founder of Starfish Synergies Inc. and winner of this year’s Export Plan of the Year Award from the World Trade Centre Toronto. She shares how a cancelled contract during the pandemic sparked an unexpected pivot, from team-building workshops to a North American licensing deal with Hasbro.

Theresa talks with World Trade Centre Toronto’s VP Jon Worren about starting a business in a crisis, building emotional intelligence into corporate strategy, and scaling internationally with the help of our Trade Accelerator Program.

Canada sits on 150 years of natural gas reserves, yet we watched helplessly as Europe begged for energy we couldn't deliver. 

In this episode, Michele Harradence, Executive Vice President and President at Enbridge Gas, reveals how Canada's energy infrastructure challenges are costing us billions and why the time to act is now.

Michele and the Board's President and CEO, Giles Gherson explore:

• How Enbridge's $350 million PREP project unlocked $4.5 billion in potential investment opportunities in southwestern Ontario
• Why Ontario's 300 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage helped stabilize prices during Winter Storm Elliott while other regions faced crisis
• The productivity gains from utility integration, including how Enbridge returned $100 million in savings to Ontario customers
• How renewable natural gas and hydrogen can work within existing infrastructure as part of Canada's net-zero transition
• Why declaring energy as a national interest and streamlining regulations could position Canada as a global energy leader

Michele also shares how generative AI is transforming customer service, why natural gas provides the flexibility needed for a 24/7 economy, and what it will take for Canada to capitalize on growing global demand before other nations capture these markets.

At the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s 2025 Annual Lunch, the message was clear: it’s time to create the conditions for growth.

This episode brings you into the room as we launched our bold new campaign, Stronger Starts Here, and heard directly from Mayor Olivia Chow about how Toronto is tackling congestion, accelerating housing, and preparing for the future.

In conversation with our president and CEO, Giles Gherson, Mayor Chow lays out her vision for a more affordable, connected, and prosperous city—including a new “traffic czar,” a second New Deal with the province, and coordinated efforts across all levels of government and business.

Join the movement at StrongerStartsHere.ca

Canada’s clean energy future depends on more than just minerals, it needs meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities.

In this episode, Tabatha Bull, President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business, explains why Indigenous-led innovation is essential to the success of Canada’s energy transition and what needs to change for that potential to be fully realized.

The Board's SVP of Marketing and Communications, Jennifer van der Valk,  and Tabatha touch on:

• Why Indigenous equity in energy projects reduces risk and accelerates progress
• The persistent barriers to capital, procurement, and opportunity
• How social capital—and a single connection—can change everything
• What every business leader can do right now to support a more inclusive economy

Tabatha also shares how CCIB’s new Connects Program is working to close the gap between Indigenous entrepreneurs and Canada’s business networks, one conversation at a time. Learn more about the program at https://www.ccab.com/connects/.

This episode is supported by Imperial. Learn more at imperialoil.ca.