Government of Canada Housing and Infrastructure Data and Research Conference
About
Join us for two days, from 8:50AM EST to 4PM EST on Wednesday, November 12 and Thursday, November 13 for this free, bilingual event.
This two-day event on data and analysis brings together policymakers, data experts, and practitioners from governments, private sector and academia to discuss the evolving role of data and research in informing housing and infrastructure policy. Through keynote speeches and panel discussions, the conference aims to foster collaboration, highlight innovative data practices, and identify future data needs to support evidence-based policy and decision-making.
The conference addresses the need for better data to guide housing and infrastructure decisions. It supports efforts to close data gaps, modernize practices, and foster collaboration across sectors to build affordable, resilient, inclusive communities.
Should you wish to attend, kindly complete this form.
If you have any additional questions, or for more information, please contact
Agenda
Facilitators and Panelists
| Session: | 9:30AM - 10:30 AM: Realizing the vision: Supporting decision making through data sharing and modernization |
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| Facilitator: | Joelle Mader (Assistant Director, Statistics Canada) |
| Panelists: | Brigitte St-Pierre (Director, Transportation Systems Modeling, Québec Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility) |
| Trevor Hanson (Professor of Civil Engineering, University of New Brunswick) | |
| Ilan Elgar (Director of Research and Analytics, TransLink) |
| Session: | 11:00AM - 12:00 PM: Meeting the moment: Housing system data to meet housing needs |
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| Session: | 12:45PM - 1:45 PM: Measuring the production of Housing |
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| Session: | 2:35PM - 3:45PM: Innovation and Housing Data: Promises, Practices, and Possibilites |
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| Session: | 9:30AM - 10:30AM: Infrastructure for Economically Resilient Communities |
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| Facilitator: | Eiad El-Fateh (Director, Economic Analysis and Results, HICC) |
| Panelists: | Lee-Anne Jennings (Section Chief, Centre for Production, Distribution and Investment Statistics, Statistics Canada) |
| Boafoa Kwamena (Municipal Lead, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ontario Public Service) | |
| Mike Benson (Director of Innovation, Civil Engineering Research Center, University of New Brunswick) | |
| Arnold Yuan (Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University) |
| Session: | 11:00AM - 12:00PM: Infrastructure for Environmentally Resilient Communities |
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| Session: | 1:00PM - 2:00PM: Presentation on Housing, Infrastructure and Community Modernization |
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| Session: | 2:30PM - 3:30PM: Municipalities, Provinces and Territories: Forward-Looking Infrastructure Data |
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FAQ
Is there a cost to attend the event?
There is no cost to attend the event. Our goal is to spark discussion and raise awareness of data products through the sharing of ideas, limitations, and charting a path forward to maximize the use of infrastructure and community data.
Is the event bilingual (English and French)?
Simultaneous interpretation between English and French will be available for all sessions, this includes all opening and closing remarks, presentations, keynotes, and panels. Participants are encouraged to speak in the official language of their choice.
How do I access simultaneous interpretation?
Virtual participants may access it by selecting the language channel for their preferred language before they join or at any time during the conference.
| 1 | Before you join (or during the conference), click Interpretation. 
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| 2 | Select your preferred interpretation language or Original audio (floor), if you want to hear the audio without interpretation. |
| 3 | Use the sensitivity slider to balance the audio between the interpreter and the original audio. |
| 4 | Click Join meeting.
If the original audio is in the same language as your preferred interpretation language and the interpreter stops speaking, after a few seconds, you hear the original audio. |
How do I access Real-time translation?
Each participant can select their own preferred caption language for translations. The preferred caption language can be chosen by selecting the “show closed captions” button 
at the bottom left of the screen once in the meeting. Then, simply select Caption language and choose the desired language.
Presentations
| Session: | State of Infrastructure |
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| Panelists: | Boafoa Kwamena (Municipal Lead, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ontario Public Service) |
Post-Conference Summary Report
A post-conference summary report will be circulated in the weeks following the conference, highlighting key findings, major talking points, and next steps.