First Canadian Smart Rail Technology Conference is being held next week

The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) will host the inaugural Canadian Smart Rail Technology Conference early next week.

Running on November 23 and 24, the conference will focus on “moving Canadians forward” with some of the world’s most advanced rail technologies, many of which are designed and innovated in Canada.

To traverse Canada requires “rail-like none other,” the event’s website says.

• See also:
  • $10 billion in federal funding for infrastructure projects to create 60,000 jobs
  • 60-minute train: High-speed rail proposal linking Whistler, Vancouver, and Fraser Valley
  • High-speed rail connecting Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland worth the cost: report

“The COVID-19 pandemic has opened our eyes to the need for rapid, extensive, and country-wide rail innovation that moves Canadians (and their freight) faster, cheaper, and more sustainably than ever before,” organizers say.

Participants will hear from industry experts, business leaders, political representatives, and decision-makers on the critical topics that define the industry’s future in Canada.

Topics will include electrification, autonomy and connectivity, light-weighting, big data analytics, hyperloop technology, and post-pandemic rail recovery.

The conference will feature speakers from organizations that are at the cutting-edge of transportation and rail innovation, including Ballard Power Systems, Canada Infrastructure Bank, eCamion, Bombardier, Natural Resources Canada, Siemens Mobility, Thales Canada Inc, Translink, and VIA Rail.

“Rail is critical to Canada as a global hub of innovation,” said Josipa Petrunic, president and CEO of CUTRIC, in a release.

“It supports well-paying jobs and national economic growth. Leveraged properly, it can also support nation-wide technological innovation that addresses climate change while ensuring a high quality of life for all Canadians.”

Organizers note that the Canadian Government has committed to exceeding 2030 climate targets and introduced a bill to legislate net-zero emissions by 2050.

The Canadian Smart Rail Technology Conference seeks to drive rail innovation forward, reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency, and create better transit for all, organizers say.

Canadian Smart Rail Technology Conference

When:​ November 23 and 24, 2020

Where:​ Online

Tickets: ​Available online, prices range from $50 to $250.

Daily Hive is a proud media sponsor of the Canadian Smart Rail Technology Conference