Now entering its 17th year, Life Sciences Ontario’s Ideas to Action Forum returns in September 2026 as the premier gathering for leaders across industry, academia, and government to shape the future of Ontario’s health innovation ecosystem.
Get ready for TED-style talks, high-impact audience engagement sessions, and a political pundit panel diving into real talk behind science policy, funding, and global collaboration. With a sharp focus on Ontario’s global advantage, the future of collaboration, and navigating science in a new world order, this year’s Forum promises fresh insights and bold ideas.
From dissecting misinformation and the “attack on science,” to addressing the economic realities facing the sector, to spotlighting advanced therapeutics and biomanufacturing, Ideas to Action is where real conversations drive real change.
Whether you’re leading strategy, shaping policy, or championing innovation, this is the room you want to be in.
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Time: 8 A.M – 5 P.M
Venue: The Arcadian, 401 Bay Street, Simpson Tower, 8th Floor, Toronto
TICKETS (All prices + HST)
Early Bird (until July 31st)
- Members: $250
- Non-members: $350
- Government / Registered Charities / Full-time Students: $100
Regular
- Members: $300
- Non-members: $400
- Government / Registered Charities / Full-time Students: $150
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact andy@lifesciencesontario.ca
See last year’s schedule below for a preview of the Forum experience
| Time | Session | Speakers/Details |
| 8:00 – 8:30 AM | Registration & Networking Breakfast | |
| 8:30 – 8:40 AM | Welcome | |
| 8:40 – 9:00 AM | Opening Remarks | Hon. Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and the Minister of Health of Ontario |
| 9:00 – 9:45 AM | Keynote Address – Forward Looking | Attack on Science
Timothy Caulfield, Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta |
| 9:45 – 9:50 AM | Audience Polling | Interactive polling session |
| 9:50 – 10:50 AM | Debate Panel | Competing Visions for Canada’s Life Sciences
Moderator: Garrett Tone, Executive Director, Life Sciences, Invest Ontario Panelists: Dr. Patrick Veit-Haibach, MD, FRCPC, Professor, Deputy Radiologist-in-Chief, Co-Director Silber Family Theranostic Centre, Division Head Abdominal Imaging, Director PET/MR program Alison Symington, Principal, Life Science Strategic Consulting Parimal Nathwani, President and CEO, Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners |
| 10:50 – 10:55 AM | Final Audience Polling | |
| 10:55 – 11:15 AM | Morning Break | |
| 11:15 – 11:35 AM | Fireside Chat | In the Trenches: Building a Life Sciences Company
Moderator: Anne Mullin, Principal, Shift Health Matt Cahill, CFO, Nomic Bio |
| 11:35 – 12:05 PM | Panel | Ontario’s Health Innovation Pathway Panel
Panelists:
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| 12:05 – 12:55 PM | Buffet Lunch | |
| 12:55 – 1:55 PM | Panel | Health System Readiness & Technology Adoption
Moderator: Christine Elliott, Partner, Fasken, former Minister of Health, Ontario Panelists: Alaine Grand, VP Market Access & Strategic Customers, Johnson & Johnson Innovation Medicine Connie Cote, CEO, Health Charities Coalition of Canada Dr. Gus Grant, Registrar and CEO, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia Dr. Paul Woods, MD, President and CEO, Southlake Health |
| 1:55 – 2:15 PM | TED Talk #1 | Cell and Gene Therapies: The Future is Here – Is Canada Ready?
Cate Murray, President and CEO, Stem Cell Network |
| 2:15 – 2:35 PM | Afternoon Break | |
| 2:35 – 2:55 PM | TED Talk #2 | How Fiscal Turmoil Can Open the Door – for Real Innovation & Collaboration
Suzanne McGurn, President and CEO, Canada Drug Agency |
| 2:55 – 3:55 PM | Political Pundit Panel | Political Pundits – Inside the Policy Machine
Moderator: Bill Dempster, President, 3SixtyPublic Affairs Panelists: Kim Wright, Principal and Founder, Wright Strategies Sarah Letersky, Partner, National Health Practice Lead, Rubicon Strategy Jason Lietaer, President, Enterprise Canada Stevie O’Brien, Principal, Barrack Hill Public Affairs Inc |
| 3:55 – 4:10 PM | TED Talk #3 | Providing Industry Feedback to Decision Makers
Christopher Alexander, Commercial Officer, U.S. Consulate (Toronto) |
| 4:10 – 4:25 PM | Joint Announcement |
Blue Ticket Competition Winner by Merck, SpinUp & PA Allsopp MPP Tyler Allsopp, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Dr. Christopher Tan, Executive Director, Business Development at Merck France Gagnon, Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation UoT
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