ABOUT
Connect with Canada’s top CHROs, develop new strategies for attracting top talent, catch up on the latest trends, and get inspired to bring your HR vision to life, all in one place.
The HR Leaders Summit Canada is your chance to conquer your workforce challenges and embrace the future of work.
We’re bringing together people leaders from across the country for a two-day program dedicated to connecting, inspiring, and invigorating HR teams so that they can create real change in their organizations.
From flexible work arrangements to utilizing AI in your HR strategy, we’re covering the most essential topics, with the help of some of the sector’s biggest names.
Don’t miss out – be part of the conversation this November 14-15 at The International Centre Mississauga.
Why attend?
Network with 200+ CHROs from across the country
Discover timely, practical insights on your HR strategy that you can put into action today
Exchange ideas face-to-face with your peers during interactive round table discussions
SPEAKERS

Julie Angus
Molecular Biologist, Adventurer, Writer, & Filmmaker

Guy Beaudin
Senior Partner & Region Lead, Canada
RHR International

Drew Calcagno
Principal, Product Operations, Research & AI, Google
Senior representative, ADP

Lorna Clamp
Senior Vice President of Strategy & Culture
Securiguard

Lauren Davey
Chief People & Culture Officer
Compass Group Canada

Julie Develin
Principal Human Insights Program Manager
UKG

Cheryl Fullerton
EVP People & Communications
Corus Entertainment

Jane Fedoretz
EVP People, Talent & Transformation
TransAlta

Rob Catalano
Chief Strategy Officer
WorkTango

Ann Clancy
Chief People Officer
Canadian Red Cross

Jamie Gowryluk
Head of Enterprise & Enablement
SkiptheDishes

Pina Guercio
Vice President, Global HR
Air Canada

Jesse Kemp
Learning & Development Specialist
Western Forest Products

Kara MacKillop
President
The Roxton Group

Carolyn Meacher
Chief People Officer, Canada & Employee Experience Lead
Americas, Dentsu

Frank Monteleone
SVP & Chief People Officer
Rexall Pharmacy Group

Carlee Sawyer
Managing Director and Thought Leader
O.C. Tanner

Permpreet Soomal
Chief People Officer
Capital One Canada

Amanda Swant
Director of Employee Experience
Labatt Breweries of Canada

Charlene Theodore
Chief Inclusion Officer
McCarthy Tétrault

Diana Valler
CHRO
Travel Brands

Ed Yuen
Vice President Strategy and HR Outsourcing
ADP
AGENDA
All times in ET
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Opening remarks by chairperson
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Welcome address from event partner, UKG
Julie Develin
Principal Human Insights Program Manager
UKG -
Keynote introduction
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Opening Keynote: Rowboat in a hurricane – Dealing with change and unexpected setbacks
Imagine surviving a hurricane with nothing more than a rowboat to shelter you. When Julie Angus set off on a quest to become the first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland this was not what she anticipated. But Julie soon realized that to be successful she’d not only need to deal with adversity and uncertainty but embrace it and use it as an opportunity to grow and prosper. Not only did she succeed but she was awarded National Geographic’s “Adventurer of the Year” for her incredible achievements. Julie shares techniques to deal with changing environments including altering our perception, preparing for the unexpected, assessing risks, and improving communication, and shows how they can be applied to HR strategy.
Julie Angus
Molecular Biologist, Adventurer, Writer, & Filmmaker
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Case study: Embedding wellbeing and psychological safety into your company culture
Wellness is being taken more seriously than ever due to rising cases of stress and burnout, and HR must lead the way in meeting employees’ needs and assess stress levels to avoid burnout before it happens. This session will look at how HR professionals can support mental and physical health to prevent low productivity, absenteeism, and loss of talent, and create a new sense of belonging by showing that they are invested in ensuring a thriving workforce.
- Creating a supportive work culture from the top down
- Integrating psychological safety through open communication to show that everyone’s input is valued
- Assessing workloads, sick leave, and time-off policies to address unnecessary pressures on staff
- What benefits have a meaningful impact on employees’ mental, physical and financial health?
Senior representative, UKG
Julie Develin
Principal Human Insights Program Manager
UKG -
Networking coffee break
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Panel: Optimizing flexible workplaces to increase engagement
Hybrid work continues to be a major challenge as companies try and balance high expectations for flexibility with the needs of the business and maintaining engagement. This session will look at how organisations can offer flexible work options, while still ensuring an effective culture of communication and cohesion.
- How can HR leaders evolve their hybrid work strategy?
- Best practices for keeping hybrid workers motivated and engaged
- Enabling positive interactions between colleagues and management – both in the office and remotely
- Ensuring a positive experience for hybrid and remote workers during key work milestones such as onboarding, promotions and work anniversaries
Moderator
Kara MacKillop
President
The Roxton GroupPanelists
Ann Clancy
Chief People Officer
Canadian Red CrossCheryl Fullerton
EVP People & Communications
Corus EntertainmentCarolyn Meacher
Chief People Officer, Canada & Employee Experience Lead
Americas, DentsuCarlee Sawyer
Managing Director and Thought Leader
O.C. Tanner -
Networking lunch
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Presentation: Deep dive on talent enablement
This concise presentation will share detailed data on internal development strategies in HR and examine groundbreaking new strategies for enabling talent that are having an impact.
- New approaches to internal development, training and succession planning
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Panel: Internal development – Investing in the success of top talent
Between fierce competition for talent, severe retention issues and critical skill gaps, companies need to find new ways to identify opportunities to invest in the career development of their top talent to meet business goals and reduce turnover. This session will explore the importance of enhancing your internal development strategies by providing upskilling and reskilling opportunities and offering career frameworks with a tailored learning and development strategy.
- An overview of innovative tools and strategies for supporting and coaching key talent
- Connecting development strategies with business priorities to deliver in-demand skillsets
- Supporting internal development programs by listening to employees and recognizing and rewarding achievements
Guy Beaudin
Senior Partner & Region Lead, Canada
RHR InternationalLauren Davey
Chief People & Culture Officer
Compass Group CanadaJane Fedoretz
EVP People, Talent & Transformation
TransAltaJamie Gowryluk
Head of Enterprise & Enablement
SkiptheDishesFrank Monteleone
SVP & Chief People Officer
Rexall Pharmacy Group -
Networking coffee break
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Breakout workshop session – Evolving company culture – Share ideas and develop solutions
Discuss the topics that matter to you most. This session’s interactive format enables in-depth peer-to-peer discussions around the HR professionals’ key challenges covered in day one, offering an opportunity to network with fellow attendees and exchange best practices.
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Panel: DEI – Prioritizing people, setting goals and achieving measurable results
In the current era of social change and connectivity, the business case for DEI is stronger than ever, but studies and employee feedback have shown that there is significant progress to be made before workplaces can become truly inclusive and equitable. This session will examine recent trends in DEI and provide action points for new initiatives that are driven by a people-first approach to business in your organization:- Understanding the role of HR in driving DEI initiatives and setting and meeting targets
- How to prioritize a people-first culture built on empathy and belonging
- Creating goals and initiatives that drive diversity, inclusion and belonging as a part of your culture
- Measuring the effectiveness of organizational initiatives and strategies
- Leveraging tech to overcome hiring biases and pay inequity
Lorna Clamp
Senior Vice President of Strategy & Culture
SecuriguardPermpreet Soomal
Chief People Officer
Capital One CanadaCharlene Theodore
Chief Inclusion Officer
McCarthy Tétrault -
Closing remarks by chairperson
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Networking drinks reception
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Registration and breakfast
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Opening remarks from the chairperson
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Opening keynote: Overcoming disruption by creating an agile HR strategy
In the current climate of disruption, companies need to be able to adapt quickly to achieve their business goals under increasingly challenging conditions. This keynote will provide a detailed look at the steps needed to restructure your organization to improve agility and increase overall resilience to potential challenges including acquiring and retaining talent and maintaining a compelling employer brand.
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Presentation: Deep dive on the use of AI in HR
This in-depth look at the role of AI in HR will cut through the hype and share detailed data on its uptake, how companies are really using it, and what it is doing for their organizations.
- How are companies using AI to boost productivity while managing risk?
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Panel: AI in HR – An update on innovative new applications
AI has taken root in HR departments everywhere. Companies have moved from the experimentation phase to active implementation, using this technology to support core HR functions, such as payroll and benefits, to recruitment, onboarding, and performance management. This session will bring together representatives that have taken the leap with AI to share insights into their processes, policies, and success stories.
- Learn what AI can do for your organization, and how to successfully integrate it into workflows
- Explore how AI can support multiple HR functions and boost productivity
- Understand the potential risks and benefits of integrating AI in your business
Drew Calcagno
Principal, Product Operations, Research & AI, Google
Senior representative, ADPEd Yuen
Vice President Strategy and HR Outsourcing
ADP -
Networking coffee break
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Breakout workshop session – Evolving your HR tech strategy – Share ideas and develop solutions
Discuss the topics that matter to you most. This session’s interactive format enables in-depth peer-to-peer discussions around the HR professionals’ key challenges, offering an opportunity to network and exchange best practices.
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Networking lunch
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Presentation – Deep dive on talent acquisition
The war for talent continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing HR. This detailed presentation will share detailed insights on the latest trends in talent acquisition, backed up by hard data on what is working and what isn’t.
- Creating a talent acquisition strategy to meet your organizations long-term goals
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Panel: Recalibrating talent acquisition strategies to meet business goals
With the competition for talent at an all-time high, companies are being pushed to dig deeper to find crucial skillsets from new sources and strong “diamond in the rough” candidates. This session will examine how leading companies are adapting their talent acquisition strategies to overcome recruitment challenges and skill shortages.
- Develop new strategies to identify candidates with the right skillsets including technical and interpersonal skills
- Identify new recruitment channels and optimize the existing channels
- Leverage AI to respond to the talent shortfall and fill critical skill gaps
Amanda Swant
Director of Employee Experience
Labatt Breweries of Canada -
Networking coffee break
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Fireside chat: HR Analytics – Using data to deliver actionable intelligence
HR teams are in a unique position to provide valuable business insights for leadership through workforce data, provided that the end product is crafted with purpose and targeted towards getting results. This session will look at how some of the leading companies have successfully leveraged HR data to increase productivity and answer executives’ most pressing questions.
- How to put data to good use and deliver a coherent picture of the organization
- How to turn data into strategy in real time to respond to business needs
- Ensure that your data collection methods are producing valuable results
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Panel: Employee engagement – Developing purpose, belonging, and resilience
Continued high turnover is driving companies to seek new ways to engage with employees on a human level to ignite their passion and give a new sense of purpose and belonging. Companies that take two-way communication seriously and invest in their employees are seeing real results in terms of resilience. This session will address how companies can integrate a new culture and leverage tech to achieve new levels of fulfillment and purpose among employees.
- Best practices for empowering employees and making them feel valued
- Communication strategies that motivate teams and encourage collaboration
- Keeping employees engaged by acting on feedback in tangible ways to show that their input counts
Rob Catalano
Chief Strategy Officer
WorkTangoPina Guercio
Vice President, Global HR
Air CanadaJesse Kemp
Learning & Development Specialist
Western Forest ProductsDiana Valler
CHRO
Travel Brands -
Closing remarks by chairperson
SPONSORS
Event Partner
Roundtable Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
KEYNOTE SESSION SPONSOR
Silver Sponsors
exhibitors
VENUE
The International Centre Mississauga
- 6900 Airport Rd, Mississauga, ON L4V 1E8, Canada
- 1.800.567.1199 / 905.677.6131
- internationalcentre.com
TRAVEL PLANS
Preferred Accommodation
Hotel room rates are subject to all applicable taxes and fees. Rooms are subject to availability in each hotel from November 12/13 – November 15. We recommend that you book as soon as possible.
HOLIDAY INN TORONTO AIRPORT EAST
600 Dixon Road, Toronto ON, M9W 1J1
Book your group rate via the reservation link or email [email protected]/[email protected]. Use the group name HR Leaders Summit Canada to secure the discounted rate until October 12, 2023.
Room rate: $169 CAD per standard room/night
Cut-off date: October 12, 2023
Check in: 3pm Check out: 12pm
Book your group rate for HR Leaders Summit Canada.
Hotel Parking: Discounted $10.00+13% HST (regular price is $20.00+13% HST), first come first serve.

Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport
6257 Airport Road, Mississauga, Ontario L4V 1E4
Book your group rate via the reservation link or call 1-800-368-7764 or 905-678-1400. Use the group name HR Leaders’ Summit Canada to secure the discounted rate until October 12, 2023.
Room rate: $195 per standard room/night
Cut-off date: October 12, 2023
Check in: 3pm Check out: 12pm
Reservation Link: HR Leaders’ Summit Canada
Phone Number: 1-800-368-7764 or 905-678-1400
Hotel Parking: $28 per day
Hotel Concessions:
– Breakfast included.
– Complimentary bottled water in each room
– Complimentary Wi-Fi in guest’s rooms, meeting rooms and public spaces

REGISTRATION FOR HR LEADERS SUMMIT CANADA IS OPEN
We’re bringing together Canada’s top CHROs for a day dedicated to leadership and growth. Connect with your community today and reserve your spot now.