AI Symposium on Education, Public Policy & Economic Development
Schedule
Fri Feb 20 2026 at 08:30 am to 02:30 pm
UTC-08:00Location
Capilano University Lonsdale | North Vancouver, BC
About this Event
Hypatia AI Research Symposium on Education, Public Policy & Economic Development
Join us in person for an exciting day diving into how AI is changing the game in education, shaping public policy, and boosting economic development. Connect with experts, share ideas, and explore future possibilities in a relaxed, interactive setting.
Canada and the world are changing rapidly before our eyes. Prime Minister Mark Carney has encouraged us to "take down the sign" and the myths of the former economic order and start afresh to build a new world order where middle powers can cooperate to gain more control over our destiny.
The last two conferences held in North Vancouver, Data Centres in an Age of Heterogenous Computing (2024) and the AI Summit & Research Symposium (2025) have focused mainly on the technology but now it's time to hear from some of Canada's leading public policy experts and leading educators about how AI can go beyond the powers that be, how AI can be leveraged for good, how human rights and AI agent governance can unfold, and how creative ideas can spur socio-economic development.
AI is moving faster than policy but this movie has been seen before. What happens when government picks the winners and losers? What will befall those that are left behind in the job market? What is Canada's role in the AI race between the United States and China? How can our local communities benefit? Is this just for the elite and powerful or can small and medium sized companies benefit too?
The Hypatia Research Centre in Education, Public Policy and Socio-economic Development (AIresearchpolicy.org) invites you to join us to explore these topics and more with our expert keynote presenters Senator Yuen Pau Woo, Talita Dias of Partnership on AI, Don Wright, Senior Counsel at Global Public Affairs, and Susan Romeo-Gilbert of Access2Innovate Foundation.
Zen Launchpad's Scale AI Accelerator Cohort 2 will also be presenting during the lunch showcasing some innovative AI-powered, Canadian ventures. Cohort companies include Logisrch, Cithorum, Duotone, eGrowth and Triweco.
Note: Speaker topics are still being finalized and may change slightly.
Agenda
π: 08:30 AM - 09:45 AM
Speaker Breakfast - Pinnacle Lobby Hotel Event Room
π: 09:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Registration
π: 10:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Welcome & Introductions - Susan Romeo-Gilbert, Access2Innovate Foundation
π: 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
National Strategy to Engage Canadians Abroad in AI Era - Senator Yuen Pau Woo
π: 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Human Rights Risks of Autonomous Al Agents - Talita Dalias, Partnership in AI
π: 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Coffee Break
π: 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Government Policy & Econ Dev Lessons Learned - Don Wright, Senior Counsel, GPA
π: 12:15 PM - 12:30 PM
Zen Launchpad Scale AI Cohort 2 Pitches - Carolina Vecino
π: 12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch
π: 01:30 PM - 02:00 PM
K-12 AI Education Access - Susan Romeo Gilbert, Access2Innovate Foundation
π: 02:00 PM - 02:45 PM
AI Policy Panel - Don Wright, Talita Dias, Susan RG
π: 02:45 PM - 03:00 PM
Zen Launchpad Scale AI - Cohort 3 Pitches - Carolina Vecino
π: 03:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Networking at Joey's
Where is it happening?
Capilano University Lonsdale, 125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver, CanadaEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 25.00 to CAD 5335.47
















