PROGRAM
Main Stage Events
Welcome to the Main Stage at CIM CONNECT 2026, where we explore the industry’s most pressing challenges under the theme "Our Mining Moment."
These sessions are designed to navigate a pivotal era for Canadian mining, starting with an opening plenary that frames our collective responsibility toward strategic growth and sustainable operations.
We will examine strategies for scaling responsibly, the transformation of practices to meet environmental and social expectations, and the cutting-edge shift toward automation and electrification. Featuring insights from global leaders, these sessions offer a forward-looking roadmap for achieving operational excellence.
This year’s program features speakers representing major operators, equipment manufacturers, technology leaders, and academic institutions, including:
Cameco • Caterpillar • Eldorado Gold Corporation • Kitsaki Management Limited Partnership • Komatsu • Lundin Mining • Nutrien • Rio Tinto • Rhind Management Limited • Sandvik • Suncor • Teck • University of Toronto – Lassonde Institute • Wheaton Precious Metals
Together, these organizations represent companies driving innovation, operational performance, and sustainability across the global mining sector.
Join these leaders on the Main Stage as they discuss the strategic challenges and opportunities shaping mining’s future.
Convention Sponsor
Schedule
Our Mining Moment
Opening Plenary
Monday May 4 | 8:30 | Ballroom B
The opening plenary of CIM CONNECT 2026 will set the stage for our conference theme, Our Mining Moment: Strategic Growth and Sustainable Operations. On the first morning, we will explore how Canada’s mining industry stands at a pivotal crossroads—driven by the global race for critical minerals, evolving technologies, and increasing expectations for sustainable development. This plenary will launch the conference with vision, clarity, and forward-looking dialogue.
MODERATOR
Lucy Potter
General Manager, Technical
Rio Tinto
Sponsored by:
Strategic Growth
Tuesday General Panel
Tuesday May 5 | 8:30 | Ballroom B
The second morning on the Main Stage will spotlight one of the most pressing priorities for today’s mining industry: strategic growth. As companies navigate shifting markets, increasing global demand for critical minerals, and the need to scale responsibly, this panel discussion will explore how leaders are redefining growth for a new era.
MODERATOR
Julie Ann Wriston
Director, Indigenous Relations
Nutrien
Sponsored by:
Sustainable Operations
Wednesday General Panel
Wednesday May 6 | 8:30 | Ballroom B
The third morning on the Main Stage will focus on one of the defining imperatives of modern mining: sustainable operations. As the industry strives to reduce its environmental footprint, enhance operational resilience, and meet rising expectations from communities, regulators, and investors, this panel will explore how leading companies are transforming their practices to build a more sustainable future.
MODERATOR
Lesley Warren
Director, Mining Futures
Professor, Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto
Sponsored by:
Competing Ideas, Collective Impact: The future of mining technology
Wednesday Lunch with Guest Speakers
Wednesday May 6 | 12:00 | Ballroom B
Industry rivals Caterpillar, Komatsu and Sandvik will share the same stage to discuss how to scale and integrate technology to drive consistent performance. Each will offer distinct perspectives on data-driven decision-making, interoperability, reliability and the realities of deployment at scale.
MODERATOR
John Rhind
President & CEO
Rhind Management Ltd.
Sponsored by: