About the 2026 Government of Canada Housing and Infrastructure Data and Research Conference

Aaron Lambie

Executive Director, PEHTA Foundation

Aaron Lambie is Executive Director of the Pehta Foundation and founder of the Pehta Framework, which helps connect Indigenous participation commitments with measurable outcomes for Nations and communities. His work focuses on rights-holder accountability, Indigenous data sovereignty, and clearer reporting of employment, procurement and economic benefits from infrastructure and development projects.

A former CEO of the Paul First Nation Group of Companies, Aaron brings experience in business leadership, resource development and Indigenous economic partnerships. Through Pehta, he works to strengthen the connection between project reporting and the priorities of the Nations affected by development, helping governments, industry and communities understand where benefits flow and how commitments translate into results.

Aaron Lambie

Directeur exécutif, Fondation PEHTA

Ali Bargu

Social Policy Analyst, OECD

Ali Bargu is an Economist/Social Policy Analyst in the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, working on affordable housing and homelessness. In his role, he supports national governments in developing policies to expand the supply of affordable and social housing and works on the OECD Affordable Housing Database.

 He holds a D.Phil in Social Policy from the University of Oxford, where he researched the political economy of social assistance policies. He has also worked for the Social Protection and Labour Unit at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., and for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Ali Bargu

Analyste, politiques sociales, OCDE

Allan Clarke

Consultant, Allan Clarke Associates

Allan Clarke is an Ottawa-based consultant on Indigenous issues. Previously, he served over 30 years in the Public Service of Canada, most recently with Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Allan is Anishinaabe with family roots on the Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve.

Allan Clarke

Consultant, Allan Clarke Associates

Carl Haas

Professor, University of Waterloo

Carl T. Haas is a Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department at the University of Waterloo. He is also a University Research Chair.

Professor Haas’s research, teaching, and consulting are in the areas of construction human-robotic systems, infrastructure computer vision, capital projects process analytics, construction productivity, and circular economy in the built environment. Professor Haas’s research has been supported by numerous companies and agencies such as NRC, OPG, CCMPA, Mitacs, AECO, Aecon, Dupont, the Construction Industry Institute (CII), NSF, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

He has over 500 publications including over 215 refereed journal articles. With Ioannis Brilakis at the University of Cambridge, he co-edited Infrastructure Computer Vision. He serves on a number of editorial boards and on professional committees for organizations such as ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers), NSERC and IAARC. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and the ASCE. He is a member of the US National Academy of Construction. He received the ASCE Peurifoy Construction Research Award In 2015. In 2017, he received the University of Waterloo Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision. In 2019, he received the ASCE Computing in Civil Engineering Award and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers’ Alan Russell Award. 

Carl Haas

Professeur, Université de Waterloo

Celio Oliveira

Chief Data Officer, Government of Canada

Celio Oliveira is the Chief Data Officer at the Department of Finance Canada and a recognized authority in data governance, digital strategy, and ethical, human-centred AI. Named among the Global Top 100 Innovators in Data, Analytics and AI in 2025, he was also a finalist in the Public Service Data Challenge, where he now serves as a Sponsor, and the U.S. Automation Awards. A Fellow of the Future Government Institute, Visiting Faculty at the Canada School of Public Service, and Executive Advisory at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, he is recognized for advancing evidence-based innovation, responsible technology, and trustworthy decision-making in complex institutional environments.

An author, keynote speaker, and Chair of CDAO Canada Public Sector, Celio contributes to national and international conversations on data leadership, responsible AI, public-sector modernization, and institutional trust. His career spans leadership and advisory roles across several Government of Canada organizations, bringing together data, technology, policy, and governance to address complex public-sector challenges.

Celio holds a First-Class Master of Information in Human-Centred Data Science, with a Collaborative Specialization in Knowledge Media Design, from the University of Toronto, as well as an MBA in Marketing and Sales.

Celio Oliveira

Dirigeant principal des données, Ministère des Finances

Charles Gaa

Policy Advisor, Bank of Canada

Charles Gaa

Conseiller en politiques, Banque du Canada

Charles Gaa est conseiller en politiques au département des Analyses de l’économie canadienne (AEC). Il mène des travaux de recherche et d’analyse sur des sujets liés aux fonctions Politique monétaire et Système financier de la Banque du Canada, en mettant l’accent sur le thème du logement. Il fait aussi partie de l’équipe de direction qui oriente et gère le travail du département.

Il est entré pour la première fois à la Banque au département des Marchés financiers, où il a travaillé pendant plusieurs années avant de partir poursuivre ses études. Avant de réintégrer la Banque au département de la Stabilité financière, où il a été directeur de la Section des institutions financières, il a fait partie du corps professoral de l’Université de l’Oregon. Plus récemment, il est entré aux AEC juste avant le début de la pandémie et a contribué à diriger la contribution du département au Rapport sur la politique monétaire de la Banque de 2020 à 2025. Charles est analyste financier agréé (CFA) et titulaire d’un doctorat en finance de l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique.

Cloé St-Hilaire

University of Waterloo

Cloé St-Hilaire is a postdoctoral research associate in the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo. Her doctoral thesis examined the impacts of financialization and digital technologies on Canada’s rental housing sector. Cloé’s research interests centre on housing justice, ownership, quantitative data analysis, and epistemology. She is currently leading a research project on the ownership of manufactured home communities in Canada. Dr. St-Hilaire has published in leading urban journals, including the Journal of the American Planning Association, Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, and Regional Studies. She is a member of the Balanced Supply of Housing (based at the University of British Columbia) and of the New Housing Alternatives (based at the University of Toronto). Cloé is also the Book Review Editor of the International Journal of Housing Policy and serves on the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Policy Research in Tourism, Leisure, and Events

Cloé St-Hilaire

Université de Waterloo

Coleen Volk

President and CEO, CMHC

Coleen Volk

Présidente et première dirigeante, SCHL

Coleen Volk s’est jointe à la SCHL à titre de présidente et première dirigeante en juin 2024. Elle possède une vaste expérience dans des postes de direction au sein du gouvernement de l’Alberta et du gouvernement du Canada. Elle a aussi déjà travaillé dans le secteur privé.

Plus récemment, Mme Volk a été sous-ministre déléguée du Conseil exécutif au sein de la fonction publique de l’Alberta. Elle a aussi occupé les postes de sous-ministre des Opérations, de sous-ministre des Relations intergouvernementales et de sous-ministre de l’Énergie pour la même province.

Pendant plus de 10 ans, Mme Volk a assumé des fonctions de direction au sein du gouvernement fédéral, notamment à Environnement et Changement climatique Canada, à Finances Canada et à Industrie Canada. Elle a aussi travaillé au Bureau du Conseil privé où elle a aidé le premier ministre et le greffier du Conseil privé à procéder aux nominations par le gouverneur en conseil. Celles-ci ont notamment visé des sous-ministres, des conseils d’administration et des premiers dirigeants des sociétés d’État et des organismes, des commissions fédérales et des tribunaux.

Sa nomination au poste de présidente et première dirigeante marque un retour à la SCHL, où elle a occupé des postes de direction pendant neuf ans, de 1996 à 2005, notamment comme vice-présidente adjointe, Finances, directrice générale, Titrisation, et trésorière.

Au début de sa carrière, Mme Volk a travaillé dans le secteur bancaire, dont six ans à la trésorerie de la CIBC. Elle est comptable professionnelle agréée (CPA, CMA), et elle est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en sciences avec majeure en informatique de l’Université de Regina.

Colin Busby

Directeur, C.D. Howe

Colin Busby

Director, C.D. Howe

Colin Busby is Director of Policy Engagement at the C.D. Howe Institute. He leads the Institute’s pension policy program as well as its Intelligence Memos.

An accomplished, bilingual public policy leader, he is recognized for his expertise on a range of policy issues, having written extensively on topics such as social policy, fiscal policy, human capital, healthcare, pensions and demographic aging. 

Colin rejoined the C.D. Howe Institute in 2024, having previously worked at the Institute from 2007 to 2018 in progressive positions, starting as Junior Policy Analyst and finishing as Associate Director of Research. From 2018 to 2022, Colin was Research Director at the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Montreal. And from 2022 to 2024, he was Director of Policy and Outreach with the Retirement and Savings Institute at HEC Montreal. 

He holds a Bachelor in Commerce from the University of Alberta and a Masters in Economics from the University of Ottawa. Colin’s master’s thesis focused on a fiscal framework for saving and spending natural resource revenues in the province of Alberta and was published by the Institute. 

Damien Cutcliffe

Acting Director, Digital Australia, WSP

Damien Cutcliffe is Acting Director, Digital Australia at WSP. With more than 30 years of experience in professional services, he helps governments and infrastructure organisations utilise digital technologies, data, and software to improve decision-making, project delivery and operational performance. 

Damien has led the application of digital twin, geospatial and data-driven solutions across major transport, infrastructure and government programs and is recognised for connecting technology innovation with practical client outcomes.

Damien Cutcliffe

Directeur par intérim de l’initiative Digital Australia, WSP

Daniel Foch

Chief Real Estate Officer at Valery.ca

Daniel Foch is the Chief Real Estate Officer at Valery.ca, and Host of Canada’s #1 real estate podcast. As co-founder of The Habistat, the onboard data science platform for TRREB & Proptx, he helped the real estate industry to become more transparent, using real-time housing market data to inform decision making for key stakeholders. With over 15 years of experience in the real estate industry, Daniel has advised a broad spectrum of real estate market participants, from 3 levels of government to some of Canada’s largest developers.

Daniel is a trusted voice in the Canadian real estate market, regularly contributing to media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, CBC, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail. His expertise and balanced insights have earned him a dedicated audience of over 100,000 real estate investors across multiple social media platforms, where he shares primary research and market analysis.

Daniel Foch

Chief Real Estate Officer at Valery.ca

Daniel Foch is the Chief Real Estate Officer at Valery.ca, and Host of Canada’s #1 real estate podcast. As co-founder of The Habistat, the onboard data science platform for TRREB & Proptx, he helped the real estate industry to become more transparent, using real-time housing market data to inform decision making for key stakeholders. With over 15 years of experience in the real estate industry, Daniel has advised a broad spectrum of real estate market participants, from 3 levels of government to some of Canada’s largest developers.

Daniel is a trusted voice in the Canadian real estate market, regularly contributing to media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, CBC, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail. His expertise and balanced insights have earned him a dedicated audience of over 100,000 real estate investors across multiple social media platforms, where he shares primary research and market analysis.

David Wachsmuth

Université McGill

David Wachsmuth

McGill University

Derek Nighbor

President & CEO, Forest Products Association of Canada

Derek was born and raised in Pembroke, Ontario and is the son and grandson of Ottawa Valley pulp & paper workers. He is proud to bring the voice of Canada’s forest products manufacturing and wood building sectors-–including those of the sector’s employees, families, and communities—to national and international policy and decision-making tables.

Derek has served as the President and CEO at Forest Products Association of Canada since March 2016. In addition to his leadership role at FPAC, he also serves as the interim President and CEO of the Canadian Wood Council (effective July 1, 2026), strengthening connections between the forest floor and the built environment.  

Derek holds international responsibilities as a global forest industry representative to the United Nations Forum on Forests and serves as Canada’s forest sector representative at the UN Food & Agriculture Organization’s Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries (ACSFI).

Prior to joining FPAC, Derek held a variety of leadership roles in business associations and government, including with Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC), the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), and as Chief of Staff to Ontario’s Consumer and Business Services Minister.  

Derek has a keen interest in community-based health care and sport.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Sandra Schmirler Foundation, an organization that raises money to purchase equipment for neo-natal intensive care units in hospitals across Canada. He is also a former Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada.

Derek Nighbor

Président et chef de la direction, Association des produits forestiers du Canada

Dr Julia Christensen

Professeure agrégée, Université Queen's

Dr. Anneke Smit

Associate Professor, University of Windsor

Anneke Smit is Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Cities (C4C) at the Faculty of Law, University of Windsor. She is cross -appointed to the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) at UWindsor and an affiliate of Concordia University's Next Generation Cities Institute. Dr. Smit leads large-scale partnered research focussing on the legal and policy tools of equitable and sustainable citybuilding, including housing and infrastructure systems reform, protection of and connection to nature, climate mitigation, active and public transportation, and municipal governance. She holds an LLB from McGill University and a PhD in Law from the University of Reading (UK). 

Dr. Julia Christensen

Associate Professor, Queen’s University

Julia Christensen was born and raised in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (Denendeh), on Treaty 8 Chief Drygeese territory. She has published extensively on northern and Indigenous housing, including Indigenous self-determination of housing, home as sovereignty, and the role of colonial housing policy in framing the contemporary northern housing crisis. She is a former Canada Research Chair in Northern Governance and Public Policy and is currently the Project Director for At Home in the North (athomeinthenorth.org), a CMHC-funded housing research partnership that brings together researchers and Indigenous and northern community-based organizations and governments to collaboratively address northern housing needs. Julia is currently an Associate Professor in Geography and Planning at Queen's University, where she is privileged to raise her son on the beautiful homelands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe on Dish with One Spoon Territory.

Dre Anneke Smit

Professeure associée, Université de Windsor

Duncan Maclennan

Emeritus Professor in Urban Economics at The University of Glasgow

Duncan Maclennan FRSE CBE is an applied economist who has been researching housing, neighbourhoods and cities for 50 years. He spent the first half of his career at the University of Glasgow, establishing the internationally renowned Department of Urban Studies, Directing the UK's national centre for housing research and holding Visting Chairs in the Department of Finance at the Wharton School, the Department of Economics at Berkeley, and RMIT (Melbourne).

He was the Principal adviser to OECD on housing and cities from 1983-95, advised Housing Ministries in the UK, France, Sweden and Poland, and served on the Board of the National Housing Agency for Scotland for a decade. When the Scottish Parliament was re-established in 1999 he was made Special Adviser to the First Minister until 2003 before moving to the Government of Victoria (Australia) and then Infrastructure Canada to Chief Economist posts. 

He returned to a Head of School position at the University of St Andrews in 2008 and continued to advise governments in the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Norway on housing-economy issues. His wife is from Nova Scotia and he ‘retired’ there in 2022. He has subsequently completed reports on ‘Systems Perspectives on Housing’ for CMHC (2024); 'Beyond City Deals: Collaborative Partnerships for Canadian Housing and Infrastructure Investment' for HICC-RKI (2025); 'The economic impact of housing non-profits' for SFHA (2026); and 'Catalysts, Reinforcers and Inhibitors to Growing Non-Profit Housing: What Canada learns from others' for CHTC (2026). He is currently writing about the productivity effects of housing outcomes. 

Duncan Maclennan

Professeur émérite d’économie urbaine à l’Université de Glasgow

Felicia Mutheardy

Chief Corporate Economist, City of Edmonton

Felicia Mutheardy is the Chief Corporate Economist for the City of Edmonton, leading economic intelligence and strategic analysis for one of Canada's largest municipal governments. With over a decade of experience spanning macroeconomic research, housing and labour markets, and business trends, she advises executive leadership on emerging risks, translating complex economic data into clear, actionable strategy.
 
Before joining the City, Felicia held senior roles at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Government of Alberta. Active in community leadership, she serves on the boards of both the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation and the Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference. Felicia holds a Master of Arts in Economics from Carleton University.

Felicia Mutheardy

Économiste en chef des services corporatifs, Ville d’Edmonton.

Geoff Bowlby

Assistant Chief Statistician, Statistics Canada

Geoff Bowlby has worked at Statistics Canada since 1995 and brings extensive experience as an economist and senior executive. Appointed Assistant Chief Statistician in 2024, he previously served as Canada’s Census Manager, leading the program through the challenges of the global pandemic. He has also headed the Labour Force Survey and Special Surveys and led Collection and Regional Services. Internationally, he contributes to UN statistical initiatives and serves on several global advisory bodies, including the International Census Forum. Geoff is an active supporter of mentoring and professional development, encouraging knowledge sharing and continuous learning, and is the Champion of Values and Ethics.

Geoff Bowlby

Statisticien en chef adjoint, Statistique Canada

Geoff Bowlby travaille à Statistique Canada depuis 1995 et apporte une vaste expérience en tant qu’économiste et cadre supérieur. Nommé statisticien en chef adjoint en 2024, il a auparavant agi comme chef du recensement du Canada et a dirigé le programme dans le contexte difficile de la pandémie mondiale. Il a également dirigé l’Enquête sur la population active et les enquêtes spéciales, ainsi que la Collecte et les Services régionaux. À l’échelle internationale, il contribue aux initiatives statistiques de l’ONU et siège à plusieurs comités consultatifs mondiaux, dont le Forum international du recensement. Geoff soutient activement le mentorat et le perfectionnement professionnel, encourageant l’échange des connaissances et l’apprentissage continu. De plus, il est le champion des valeurs et de l’éthique.

Jennifer Withington

Assistant Chief Statistician, Statistics Canada

Jennifer Withington has been with Statistics Canada since 1996. As an executive since 2016, she has held senior roles including Director General of Macroeconomic Accounts and Director of the International Accounts and Trade Division. She oversees key economic indicators such as the Consumer Price Index, gross domestic product, and international merchandise trade. Jennifer represents Statistics Canada on several international committees including the UN Advisory Expert Group on National Accounts and Chair of the Group of Experts on National Accounts.

Jennifer Withington

Statisticienne en chef adjointe, Statistique Canada

Jennifer Withington travaille à Statistique Canada depuis 1996. Cadre depuis 2016, elle a occupé divers postes, dont celui de directrice générale de la Direction des comptes macroéconomiques et de directrice de la Division du commerce et des comptes internationaux. Elle supervise des indicateurs économiques clés tels que l’Indice des prix à la consommation, le produit intérieur brut et le commerce international de marchandises. Jennifer représente Statistique Canada au sein de plusieurs comités internationaux, dont le Groupe consultatif d’experts sur les comptes nationaux des Nations Unies et le Groupe d’experts sur les comptes nationaux.

Jens von Bergmann

Advisor and Scholar in Residence, CMHC

Jens von Bergmann holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics and is the president of MountainMath Analytics and Software, where he has worked with various datasets centered around demographics, housing, and transportation.

Currently Jens has taken a two-year role at CMHC as advisor and Scholar in Residence in Housing Economics and Insights to work on housing data within CMHC.

Jens von Bergmann

Conseiller et chercheur en résidence, SCHL

Jens von Bergmann possède un doctorat en mathématiques. Il est président de MountainMath Analytics and Software, où il a travaillé avec divers ensembles de données sur la démographie, le logement et le transport.

Jens occupe actuellement, pour une période de 2 ans, le poste de conseiller et de chercheur en résidence dans le secteur Économie et perspectives de l’habitation à la SCHL, où il travaille sur les données relatives au logement.

Jim Dunn

McMaster University

James R. Dunn, Ph.D. (Jim) is the Senator William McMaster Chair in Urban Health Equity and Associate Dean Research in the Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster University. He is Director of the Canadian Housing Evidence Collaborative (CHEC), a knowledge mobilization and research capacity-building hub funded by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. 

Trained in urban geography and social epidemiology, he has worked closely with governments at all levels to address issues related to the effects of income security, affordable housing and urban development on health and healthy child development. 

He is a Member of the Canadian Infrastructure Council and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. In 2024, he received the CMHC President’s Gold Roof Award for Knowledge to Action for work on the City of Hamilton’s Housing Sustainability and Investment Roadmap.

Jim Dunn

Université McMaster

Karen Myers

CEO, Blueprint

As Blueprint’s founder and leader, Karen leads a diverse team of researchers to develop innovative solutions that enable evidence-informed design and delivery.

 Over the past 20 years she has a developed a strong reputation for delivering real-world solutions to even the most complex challenges and has helped establish Blueprint as a leader in the use of innovation and evidence to address pressing public policy issues.

Karen Myers

PDG, Blueprint

Kathryn McCauley

Director General, HICC

Kathryn McCauley

Directrice principale, LICC

Kevin Hughes

Deputy Chief Economist, CMHC

Kevin Hughes has been studying housing markets at CMHC for close to 25 years. In that time, he has primarily been responsible for provincial and regional forecasting and analysis in Quebec and Eastern Canada. He has also focused on a variety of specific topics such as the improvement of quantitative analysis methods and the impacts of the aging population on housing.

Over the years, Kevin has been a regular consultant on initiatives at the corporate and governmental levels. Recently, he coordinated our national macroeconomic housing forecasts and led a team specialized in demographic projections.

“My career as a housing economist has taught me that analysis and forecasting of these markets must be supported by both our best quantitative tools and market intelligence. CMHC stands out as leader in this regard.”

He holds a master’s degree in Economics from Concordia University and has also pursued doctoral studies at the Université du Québec à Montréal and the University of Calgary. Kevin has taught urban economics at the Université de Montréal and has lectured at McGill University and Concordia University. He also pursued post graduate studies in French literature at Université de Montréal.

Kevin Hughes

Économiste en chef adjoint, SCHL

Kevin Hughes étudie les marchés de l’habitation à la SCHL depuis près de 25 ans. Pendant cette période, il a principalement travaillé comme responsable des prévisions et des analyses provinciales et régionales pour le Québec et l’Est du Canada. Il s’est également concentré sur divers sujets précis, comme l’amélioration des méthodes d’analyse quantitative et les répercussions du vieillissement de la population sur le logement.

Au fil des ans, Kevin a régulièrement agi comme consultant dans le cadre d’initiatives menées par la SCHL et le gouvernement. Récemment, il a coordonné nos prévisions macroéconomiques nationales sur le logement et dirigé une équipe spécialisée dans les projections démographiques.

« Ma carrière d’économiste du logement m’a appris que l’analyse et les prévisions de ces marchés doivent être appuyées par nos meilleurs outils quantitatifs et nos meilleurs renseignements sur le marché. La SCHL se démarque à cet égard. »

Kevin est titulaire d’une maîtrise en économie de l’Université Concordia. Il a également poursuivi des études de doctorat à l’Université du Québec à Montréal et à l’Université de Calgary. Kevin a enseigné l’économie urbaine à l’Université de Montréal et a donné des cours à l’Université McGill et à l’Université Concordia. Il a également poursuivi des études supérieures en littérature française à l’Université de Montréal.

Marcia Wallace

General Manager of Planning, Development and Building Services, City of Ottawa

Marcia Wallace is the General Manager of Planning, Development and Building Services with the City of Ottawa. Her portfolio supports Ottawa’s growth and city-building priorities across transportation planning, heritage, urban design, land use planning, building code services, permits, and approvals. Drawing on extensive leadership experience at the provincial and municipal levels, she is driving innovation and continuous improvement in development processes within the complex and evolving context of housing construction and land economics. 

Marcia has significant expertise in developing and implementing regulations, policies, and programs related to infrastructure, the environment, energy, and land use planning. Before joining the City of Ottawa, she served as Chief Administrative Officer for Prince Edward County. She also spent more than 20 years with the Province of Ontario, including as Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. 

Marcia holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from the University of Waterloo. She is a Registered Professional Planner (RPP) with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) and a member of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP). 

Marcia Wallace

Directrice générale, Planification, Développement et Services du bâtiment, Ville d’Ottawa

Mathieu Laberge

Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President of Housing Insights, CMHC

Mathieu Laberge leads a team of experts in housing economics and insights whose work informs Canada’s efforts to address key housing issues including housing affordability.

Mathieu joins CMHC after working at senior executive levels for global consulting firms, advising federal, provincial, Indigenous and municipal governments on economic analysis and modeling, macroeconomic forecasting and social policymaking.

Prior to consulting, Mathieu served as a senior executive in a Canadian cabinet minister’s office, where he provided strategic advice on housing and social policy development. Before that, he worked at CMHC, in the former Market Analysis Centre, and in the Insurance sector, where he oversaw econometric and financial model development and the publication of market analysis studies and reports. Mathieu also worked at the Centre for Interuniversity Research and Analysis on Organizations where he focused on housing, public finance (health and education), infrastructure and natural resources.

Through the years, Mathieu has regularly commented on housing, economic and social policy topics in the media, as a spokesperson for various organizations including CMHC, and as a columnist for La Presse. Until recently, he was a member of the Québec Minister of Social Solidarity’s Comité Consultatif sur la Lutte contre la Pauvreté et l’Exclusion Sociale.

Mathieu is a graduate of the University of Nottingham with a Master of Science in Econometrics and International Economics. He also holds an MBA from Cornell University and Queen’s University and a B.Sc. Economics from the University of Montreal.

Mathieu Laberge

Économiste en chef et Premier vice-président, Connaissance du marché, SCHL

Mathieu Laberge dirige une équipe de spécialistes en économie et perspectives de l’habitation dont le travail éclaire les efforts du Canada pour s’attaquer aux principaux enjeux en matière de logement, y compris l’abordabilité du logement.

Mathieu se joint à la SCHL après avoir occupé des postes de haute direction pour des sociétés d’experts-conseils mondiales. Son rôle était de conseiller les gouvernements fédéral, provinciaux et autochtones et les administrations municipales sur l’analyse et la modélisation économiques, les prévisions macroéconomiques et l’élaboration de politiques sociales.

Avant d’offrir des services de consultation, Mathieu a agi à titre de cadre supérieur au sein du cabinet d’un ministre canadien. Il y offrait des conseils stratégiques sur l’élaboration de politiques sociales ou liées au logement. Auparavant, il a travaillé à la SCHL, dans l’ancien Centre d’analyse de marché et dans le Secteur de l’assurance. Il y supervisait l’élaboration de modèles économétriques et financiers et la publication d’études et de rapports d’analyse de marché. Il a également travaillé au Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en analyse des organisations. Son travail portait principalement sur le logement, les finances publiques (santé et éducation), les infrastructures et les ressources naturelles.

Au fil des ans, Mathieu a régulièrement formulé des observations sur des sujets liés au logement ainsi qu’aux politiques économiques et sociales dans les médias, en tant que porte-parole de divers organismes, y compris la SCHL, et à titre de chroniqueur pour La Presse. Jusqu’à tout récemment, il était membre du Comité consultatif de lutte contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale relevant de la ministre de la Solidarité sociale du Québec.

Mathieu est titulaire d’une maîtrise en économétrie et en économie internationale de l’Université de Nottingham. Il est également titulaire d’une maîtrise en administration des affaires de l’Université Cornell et de l’Université Queen’s et d’un baccalauréat en sciences économiques de l’Université de Montréal.

Matt de Vlieger

Assistant Deputy Minister, HICC

Matt de Vlieger is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Strategic Policy and Integration at Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. In this role, Matt leads policy integration and development regarding both housing and infrastructure areas, focusing on policy frameworks (National Housing Strategy, Build Communities Strong Fund) and emerging priorities and cross-cutting issues such as climate, resilience, and domestic procurement and supply chains. 

Matt is an experienced senior leader in the public service with over 20 years of experience in strategic and program policy. Before joining Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, he worked at the Privy Council Office as Assistant Secretary to Cabinet (Environmental Legislation and Regulations Initiative). 

Prior to this, he was the Director of Operations/Associate Assistant Secretary of the Privy Council Office’s Climate Secretariat, having led the establishment of its role. Matt has previously held executive positions at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada; and Foreign Affairs and International Trade. 

Matt holds a Bachelor of Common Law/Civil Law from McGill University, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Ottawa. 

Matt de Vlieger

Sous-ministre adjoint, LICC

Matt de Vlieger est sous-ministre adjoint du Secteur de la politique stratégique et de l’intégration à Logement, Infrastructures et Collectivités Canada. À ce titre, Matt dirige l’intégration et l’élaboration de politiques dans les domaines du logement et de l’infrastructure, en mettant l’accent sur les cadres stratégiques (la Stratégie nationale sur le logement et le Fonds pour bâtir des collectivités fortes) ainsi que les nouvelles priorités et les questions transversales telles que le climat, la résilience et l’approvisionnement et les chaînes d’approvisionnement nationaux. 

Matt est un haut dirigeant chevronné de la fonction publique qui compte plus de 20 ans d’expérience dans le domaine des politiques stratégiques et de programmes. Avant de se joindre à Logement, Infrastructures et Collectivités Canada, il a travaillé au Bureau du Conseil privé à titre de secrétaire adjoint du Cabinet (Initiative sur les lois et règlements environnementaux). 

Auparavant, il était directeur des opérations et secrétaire adjoint associé du Secrétariat pour le climat du Bureau du Conseil privé, après avoir dirigé l’établissement de ce rôle. Matt a déjà occupé des postes de direction à Immigration, Réfugiés et Citoyenneté Canada, Affaires autochtones et Développement du Nord Canada et Affaires étrangères et Commerce international.

Matt est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en common law/droit civil de l’Université McGill, ainsi que d’un baccalauréat en sciences politiques de l’Université d’Ottawa.

Mike Bulthuis

Executive Director, Ottawa Community Land Trust

Mike Bulthuis has worked with the Ottawa Community Land Trust (OCLT) since 2023, guiding the organization’s initial housing acquisitions, capital growth, partnership development and community engagement. Throughout the 20 years prior, he worked in various policy, research and community development roles promoting housing security and social inclusion. He has held various positions within the federal public service - developing policy on issues including homelessness, social finance, social innovation and infrastructure. He has also held leadership positions in the non-profit environment, including Ottawa’s Alliance to End Homelessness, and the academic environment, including the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. Alongside the OCLT, he’s committed to the preservation and expansion of affordable housing, both within the Ottawa region and across Canada.

Mike Bulthuis

Directeur exécutif, Fiducie foncière communautaire d’Ottawa

 Mike Bulthuis travaille au sein de l’Ottawa Community Land Trust (OCLT) depuis 2023, où il dirige les premières acquisitions de logements de l’organisme, sa croissance en capital, le développement de partenariats et la mobilisation communautaire. Au cours des 20 années précédentes, il a occupé divers postes en politiques publiques, en recherche et en développement communautaire visant à promouvoir la sécurité du logement et l’inclusion sociale. Il a travaillé à différents titres au sein de la fonction publique fédérale, contribuant à l’élaboration de politiques portant notamment sur l’itinérance, la finance sociale, l’innovation sociale et les infrastructures. Il a également occupé des postes de direction dans le secteur sans but lucratif, notamment à l’Alliance to End Homelessness d’Ottawa, ainsi que dans le milieu universitaire, entre autres à l’Observatoire canadien sur l’itinérance. Parallèlement à son rôle à l’OCLT, il s’engage à préserver et à accroître l’offre de logements abordables, tant dans la région d’Ottawa qu’à l’échelle du Canada.

Myrna Bittner

CEO, RunWithIt Synthetics

Myrna Bittner is the CEO and Founder of RUNWITHIT Synthetics, an advanced synthetic data and generative AI modelling platform company working to inform global population futures, including health, equity, housing, economics, sustainability, and resilience. RUNWITHIT is Myrna’s 3rd technology venture, incorporating the foundational technology from her previous neural net and 3D visualization research company. Under Myrna’s leadership, RUNWITHIT has won awards including the United Nations’ Global Call, Taiwan’s Top Technology Gold Medal, ASTech Innovation of the Year and AI/ML in Simulation, serving clients including US National Labs, international governments, and diverse leaders seeking to answer some of the most challenging questions with augmented intelligence. Most recently, RUNWITHIT won the READI (Rapidly Enabling and Advancing Disruptive Innovation) Award at the Alberta Aviation Aerospace and Defence Summit. Myrna is passionate about connecting today's technology, policy, and service choices to analytics that feature impacts and outcomes for our planet and its people. RUNWITHIT is pioneering the field of synthetic data and populations since 2014, including launching the new SWIFT (Synthetic Waterloo Intelligent Futures Technology) Hub at the University of Waterloo.

Myrna Bittner

PDG, RunWithIt Synthetics

Nathan Lauster

Université de la Colombie-Britannique

Nelson Barbosa

Director General, Infrastructure and Governance, Indigenous Services Canada

Nelson Barbosa

Directeur général, secteur de l'infrastructure et de la gouvernance, Services aux Autochtones Canada

Robert Hogue

Assistant Chief Economist, RBC

Robert Hogue is a member of the RBC Economics team, responsible for providing analysis and forecasts on the Canadian housing market and provincial economies. His publications include Housing Trends and Affordability, Provincial Outlook and provincial budget commentaries. In his functions, he is frequently called to comment on the economy both internally within RBC and externally with clients and the media.

Robert joined RBC in May 2008 after spending 15 years with another Canadian financial institution as a senior economist specializing in industrial analysis. At the outset of his career, he spent four years as an economist with Ontario Hydro, where he specialized in industrial and macroeconomic analysis. Robert holds a Master’s degree in economics from Queen’s University and a Bachelor’s degree from Université de Montréal.

Robert Hogue

Économiste en chef adjoint, RBC

Robert Hogue est membre du l’équipe Services économiques RBC, se spécialisant dans l’analyse et les prévisions pour le marché de l’habitation canadien et les économies provinciales. Il compte parmi ses publications Tendances immobilières et accessibilité à la propriété, Perspectives provinciales et l’analyse des budgets provinciaux. Dans ses fonctions, il est fréquemment appelé à commenter l’évolution de la conjoncture économique auprès de la direction de RBC, de ses clients et des médias. 

M. Hogue s’est joint à RBC en mai 2008 suivant une carrière de près de 15 ans au sein d’une autre institution financière canadienne où il fut économiste principal spécialisé dans l’analyse sectorielle. Il a débuté sa carrière à Ontario Hydro, où il a travaillé pendant quatre ans comme économiste spécialisé dans l’analyse industrielle et macroéconomique. Natif de Montréal, M. Hogue détient un baccalauréat en sciences économiques de l’Université de Montréal et une maîtrise en économie de Queen’s University.

Rodrigue Gilbert

President, Canadian Construction Association

Rod Gilbert is the President of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA). Prior to his appointment as President in 2024, Rod had led CCA’s internal and external communications, government relations and membership management, and the industry practices group since February 2018. His mandate is to continue to work with CCA stakeholders, specifically in the public sector, to inspire a progressive, innovative, and sustainable construction industry that consistently acts with integrity.

Prior to CCA, Rod worked for over 21 years both with and for the federal government. During this time, he worked for 10 years as a political advisor to several federal ministers including President of the Treasury Board and Ministers of Heritage, Human Resources and Skills Development, and Industry. After leaving government, he spent four years working for a Crown corporation investment fund in Montreal. He later founded RGGR, a government relations firm specialized in developing and executing strategic public affairs plans tailored to small and medium-sized businesses. 

Rod holds a degree in political science (BA) from Laval University and is fluently bilingual.

Rodrigue Gilbert

Président de l’Association canadienne de la construction

Rod Gilbert est président de l’Association canadienne de la construction (ACC). Avant sa nomination à la direction-générale en 2024, Rod dirigeait, depuis février 2018, les communications internes et externes de l’ACC, les relations gouvernementales, la gestion des membres ainsi que le groupe des pratiques de l’industrie. Son mandat consiste à poursuivre la collaboration avec les intervenants de l’ACC, en particulier dans le secteur public, afin de favoriser le développement d’un secteur de la construction progressiste, novateur et durable, qui agit toujours avec intégrité.

Avant de rejoindre l’ACC, Rod a travaillé pendant plus de 21 ans au sein et pour le compte du gouvernement fédéral. Au cours de cette période, il a occupé pendant 10 ans le poste de conseiller politique auprès de plusieurs ministres fédéraux, notamment le président du Conseil du Trésor et les ministres du Patrimoine, des Ressources humaines et du Développement des compétences, ainsi que de l’Industrie. Après avoir quitté la fonction publique, il a passé quatre ans au service d’un fonds d’investissement d’une société d’État à Montréal. Il a ensuite fondé RGGR, une firme de relations gouvernementales spécialisée dans l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre de plans stratégiques d’affaires publiques adaptés aux petites et moyennes entreprises.

Rod est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en sciences politiques de l’Université Laval et est parfaitement bilingue.

Ross Farris

Director of Development, Windmill Development Group

Ross Farris is Director of Development at Windmill Developments, where he leads projects from entitlement through construction across Windmill’s portfolio. His work spans development, construction management, and project finance, giving him a full view of what it takes to move a project from idea to occupancy. While his last 8 years have been focused on residential development, Ross also brings a background in large-scale institutional construction and high-performance building delivery in several building sectors, and he has helped shape Windmill's design standards and its approach to modern methods of construction (MMC). He is focused on delivering sustainable communities that also make financial sense. Ross holds a leadership role as the Chair of Urban Land Institute (ULI) Ottawa.

Ross Farris

Directeur du développement, Windmill Developments

Seán Hollywood

Chair, Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors

Seán Hollywood is Principal and Executive Commercial Director of Hollywood Associates Inc., the Toronto-based construction claims, quantum, and dispute resolution consultancy he co-leads with Noreen Hollywood. He is National Chair of the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS) for the 2026–2028 term and Industry Co-Chair of FIRPAC. With over 30 years, Seán has led major infrastructure, energy, and building projects across Canada, the Middle East, and the UK, building a reputation as one of the sector's most sought-after authorities on construction claims, quantum, and dispute resolution. His quantity surveying training gives him command of procurement, supply chains, negotiation, construction technology, and shifting market dynamics, while his MSc in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution from King's College London sets him apart from peers who lack formal legal grounding. He also holds FRICS, MCIArb, PQS, CVS, and Fellow–DBF designations, a credential set matched by few, if any, quantity surveyors in Canada.

Seán Hollywood

Président, Institut canadien des économistes en construction

Takara Small

National Technology Columnist, CBC

Takara Small is an award-winning technology journalist. She is the national technology columnist at CBC (Canada's national broadcaster) and North American tech contributor for BBC World News. 
 
 In 2021 she hosted the CBC investigative podcast Death In Cryptoland, a six-part series that reached number one in Canada and the host of the weekly history show They Did That by Sony Entertainment. 
 
Before joining CBC, Takara was a contributing editor at Fortune magazine and host/producer for the Globe and Mail podcast series I'll Go First. Over the last decade Takara has been named one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, Brand Star Leader by AdWeek magazine, Young Leaders of America Fellow by the U.S. state department and more.

Takara Small

Chroniqueuse nationale des technologies, CBC

Takara Small est une journaliste spécialisée en technologie maintes fois primée. Elle est chroniqueuse nationale en technologie à CBC/Radio-Canada, le radiodiffuseur public national du Canada, ainsi que collaboratrice nord-américaine aux questions technologiques pour BBC World News.

En 2021, elle a animé le balado d’enquête de CBC Death in Cryptoland, une série en six épisodes qui s’est hissée au premier rang des palmarès au Canada. Elle est également l’animatrice de l’émission hebdomadaire d’histoire They Did That, produite par Sony Entertainment.

Avant de se joindre à CBC, Takara était rédactrice collaboratrice au magazine Fortune et animatrice-productrice de la série de balados I’ll Go First du Globe and Mail. Au cours de la dernière décennie, elle a notamment été reconnue parmi les 100 femmes les plus influentes au Canada, nommée Brand Star Leader par le magazine AdWeek et désignée Young Leaders of America Fellow par le département d’État des États-Unis, en plus de recevoir plusieurs autres distinctions.

Tania Bourassa-Ochoa

Deputy Chief Economist, CMHC

Tania is a finance and housing economist who has led a diverse portfolio of research projects aiming to promote stable and affordable markets. During the years, she has developed specialized expertise in housing finance across residential and multi-unit mortgage markets.

Over her 10-year tenure at CMHC, Tania has successfully led multiple national data strategies, contributed to the development of new data platforms, and produced flagship reports for the financial industry. Prior to focusing on housing finance, Tania worked as a market analyst for Montréal and Trois-Rivières, gaining valuable insights into various aspects of the housing ecosystem. Driven by a passion for leveraging on-field narratives combined to data-driven analysis, Tania remains at the forefront of innovative research.

"Driving transformative change through housing economics requires fostering transparency in markets, ensuring access to quality data, and actively engaging on-the-ground. It's not just about understanding the numbers; it's about sharing the stories of people, communities and the industry and translating insights into tangible actions".

Before joining CMHC, Tania honed her skills at Hydro-Quebec, where she collaborated closely with the Chief Economist on macro-economic analysis and modeling to support energy demand forecasts in Quebec. Tania holds a B.Scs. Economics degree in Business and Economics and a Master of Arts in Economics degree from the Université de Montréal.

Tania Bourassa-Ochoa

Économiste en chef adjointe, SCHL

Économiste en finances et en habitation, Mme Bourassa-Ochoa a dirigé un portefeuille diversifié de projets de recherche visant à promouvoir la stabilité et l’abordabilité des marchés. Au fil des ans, elle a acquis une expertise spécialisée en financement de l’habitation sur les marchés des prêts hypothécaires pour immeubles résidentiels et collectifs.

Au cours de ses 10 années à la SCHL, Mme Bourassa-Ochoa a dirigé avec succès de nombreuses stratégies nationales en matière de données. Elle a également contribué à l’élaboration de nouvelles plateformes de données et produit des rapports phares pour le secteur financier. Avant de se concentrer sur le financement de l’habitation, elle a travaillé comme analyste de marché pour Montréal et Trois-Rivières, où elle a acquis de précieuses connaissances sur divers aspects de l’écosystème du logement. Passionnée par les récits sur le terrain et l’analyse axée sur les données, elle demeure à l’avant-garde de la recherche novatrice.

« Pour favoriser un changement transformateur par l’économie de l’habitation, il faut favoriser la transparence des marchés, en assurant l’accès à des données de qualité et en s’engageant activement sur le terrain. Il ne s’agit pas seulement de comprendre les chiffres. Il s’agit de partager les récits des gens, des collectivités et du secteur et de traduire les connaissances en mesures concrètes. »

Avant de se joindre à la SCHL, Mme Bourassa-Ochoa a perfectionné ses compétences à Hydro-Québec, où elle collaborait étroitement avec l’économiste en chef à l’analyse et à la modélisation macroéconomiques à l’appui des prévisions en matière de demande d’énergie au Québec. Elle est titulaire d’un baccalauréat en administration des affaires et en économie, et d’une maîtrise ès arts en économie de l’Université de Montréal.

Vincent-Charles Hodder

Co-fondateur et PDG, Local logic

Vincent-Charles Hodder est président-directeur général de Local Logic, une entreprise de Montréal spécialisée dans les données sur les quartiers. Ses outils alimentent la recherche résidentielle de millions de Canadiens sur des plateformes comme Realtor.ca, RE/MAX et Royal LePage. Aujourd’hui, l’entreprise mise sur l’intelligence artificielle pour transformer la recherche immobilière et aider les ménages à prendre des décisions plus éclairées et transparentes.

Vincent-Charles Hodder

Co-founder & CEO, Local Logic

Vincent-Charles Hodder is the CEO of Montreal-based Local Logic, whose neighbourhood data helps millions of Canadians search for homes on platforms like Realtor.ca, Remax and Royal LePage. The company is now building AI infrastructure for real estate search, with a focus on making the housing decision more transparent and informed.