General Information
Advancing Economic Security Through Resiliency, Sovereignty, and Readiness
Presenting the 3rd Annual Vancouver International Security Summit: Advancing Economic Security Through Resiliency, Sovereignty, and Readiness at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel in Vancouver, BC (900 Canada Place). This fully in-person summit is an elite gathering of global leaders, security experts, policymakers, and industry innovators. This event, scheduled for October 28-29, 2026, aims to confront the pressing challenges of foreign threats while fortifying economic and political stability. The summit will feature keynote addresses and panel discussions designed to foster international cooperation, safeguard critical infrastructures, and enhance resilience against diverse global threats.
Summit Rates (In-person registration)
It is a place where you will experience engaging and interactive live keynotes and panel sessions, networking activities, interactive exhibit booths and the opportunity to build business relationships.
| Early Bird (until June 30th) |
Regular (after June 30th) |
|
| 2-Day Registration | $750.00 CAD (plus GST) |
$995.00 CAD (plus GST) |
Registration Includes:
- 2 day live interactive in-person experience in Vancouver, BC (Oct.28-29)
- Signature keynotes by international subject matter experts
- Concurrent panel sessions + interactive in-person Q & A
- Unparalleled in-person networking via 1:1 meetings and small group conversations
- 2 buffet lunches and coffee breaks – please note breakfast is not provided
Social Media
Stay connected and engaged in the conversation leading up to and during the summit by following along on X (Twitter) @VIPSSUMMIT. Use the event hashtag #VISS in your tweets to add to the existing discussions. Please also join our security group on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4278381/ .
Fairmont Waterfront Hotel
Fairmont Waterfront, located on Vancouver’s stunning harbour, offers relaxed West Coast luxury. Just steps from the Vancouver Convention Centre, Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, historic Gastown and the iconic Seawall, it’s the ideal jumping off point for your Vancouver getaway.
Rooted in a sustainable travel philosophy, Fairmont Waterfront features a rooftop garden with bee hives where honey, herbs, fruits and vegetables are harvested. You can find those rooftop ingredients in the handcrafted food and cocktails in ARC Restaurant + Bar.
900 Canada Place Way, Vancouver, BC
*Invited Speaker
Click on the date of the agenda you would like to view. Please note the timezone listed on the agenda.
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
7:15 am PST •
Registration Opens
8:15 am – 8:25 am PST •
Call to Conference & Territorial Acknowledgement
8:25 am – 9:00 am PST •
Session 1 - Keynote Address: TBD
9:00 am – 10:30 am PST •
Session 2 - Opening Panel: The Defence Industrial Strategy
Canada’s defence industrial strategy aims to strengthen national security while building a competitive domestic defence sector. It prioritizes equipping the Canadian Armed Forces with advanced capabilities, driving economic growth through local innovation and job creation, deepening collaboration with allies (particularly through NATO), investing in research and development, and ensuring the sustainment and modernization of defence systems to maintain operational readiness.
10:30 am – 10:50 am PST •
Morning Coffee Break
10:50 am – 11:25 am PST •
Session 3 – Keynote Address by Title Sponsor
11:35 am – 12:35 pm PST •
Session 4A - Concurrent Panel: Energy Security
Energy security in Canada plays a crucial role in enhancing economic security by ensuring a reliable and stable energy supply and in shaping the relationship among energy security, economic resilience, sovereignty, and readiness. Canada aims to strengthen its energy security, contributing not only to economic stability but also to overall national security. The panel will discuss Canadian energy policies, the impact of renewable energy on economic growth, or how Canada’s energy sector adapts to global changes.
11:35 am – 12:35 pm PST •
Session 4B - Concurrent Panel: Space as Critical Infrastructure
Canada’s national defence and security increasingly depend on space-based systems that enable secure communications, navigation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), missile warning, weather forecasting, and emergency response. These capabilities are critical to Canadian Armed Forces operations, NORAD modernization, and coordination with allies across domains. This panel will explore the strategic importance of space to national resilience, the growing risks from contested and congested orbital environments, and how Canada can strengthen its posture through investment, allied integration, and innovation in next-generation space capabilities.
12:35 pm – 1:35 pm PST •
Lunch Break
1:35 pm – 2:35 pm PST •
Session 5A – Concurrent Panel: Civilian Resiliency to Disinformation & Hybrid Tactics & Cognitive Warfare
Civilian resilience is a critical line of defence against disinformation, hybrid threats, and cognitive warfare. As adversaries increasingly target public perception, social cohesion, and democratic institutions, strengthening societal awareness and response mechanisms has become a national security imperative. This panel will examine how governments, industry, and civil society can detect and counter malign influence, build public trust, and enhance Canada’s ability to withstand and respond to evolving information threats.
1:35 pm – 2:35 pm PST •
Session 5B – Concurrent Panel: Canada’s Arctic Century: Arctic Defence/Security
As geopolitical competition intensifies in the Arctic, Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy is placing renewed emphasis on northern sovereignty, capability development, and sustained presence. This panel will examine how targeted investments in Arctic infrastructure, domain awareness, and climate-adapted technologies are strengthening national defence while creating opportunities for industrial growth and innovation. It will also explore the role of the Canadian Armed Forces, NORAD modernization, and partnerships with Indigenous communities and allies in building a resilient, future-ready Arctic security architecture.
2:40 – 3:10 pm PST •
Session 6A - Concurrent Keynote Address by Platinum Sponsor
2:40 – 3:10 pm PST •
Session 6B - Concurrent Keynote Address by Platinum Sponsor
3:10 pm –3:30 pm PST •
Afternoon Refreshment Break
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm PST •
Session 7A - Concurent Panel: Critical Minerals Security in Canada: Ensuring a Stable Supply for Industries and Defence
As part of Canada’s unprecedented Defence Industrial Strategy, securing critical mineral supply chains is a top priority and will bolster Canada’s sovereignty, industrial capacity, and economic prosperity. Canada’s approach to securing critical mineral security includes exploration and mining, supply chain development, research and innovation, trade relations, and environmental and social governance.
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm PST •
Session 7B – Concurrent Panel: Critical Infrastructure Resilience
Critical infrastructure resilience is a cornerstone of Canada’s national security and a key priority within the Defence Industrial Strategy. As threats to energy systems, telecommunications, transportation, and supply chains grow in complexity—from cyber attacks to hybrid disruption—Canada is increasing investment in secure, adaptive, and interoperable infrastructure. This panel will examine how government and industry can strengthen resilience through modernization, public-private partnerships, and innovation, while ensuring continuity of essential services and operational readiness in an increasingly contested environment.
4:40 pm –5:10 pm PST •
Session 8 – Keynote Address: TBD
5:10 pm – 5:15 pm PST •
Closing Remarks
Thursday, October 29, 2026
8:00 am PST •
Registration Opens
8:30 am – 8:40 am PST •
Administrative Announcements & Territorial Acknowledgement
8:40 am – 9:10 am PST •
Session 9 – Keynote Address: TBD
9:20 am – 10:20 am PST •
Session 10A – Concurrent Panel: Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy
Canada’s Indo-Pacific Trade Strategy focuses on strengthening economic ties across the region, diversifying trade partners, and reducing reliance on traditional markets. It emphasizes building resilient supply chains, expanding export opportunities, attracting investment, and leveraging agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to enhance market access, while advancing collaboration on shared challenges such as climate change, public health, and regional security.
9:20 am – 10:20 am PST •
Session 10B – Concurrent Panel: Defence Procurement & Dual Use - Partnerships
Implementing a Defence Industrial Strategy requires aligning national security priorities with industrial capability. This includes assessing defence needs, partnering with industry through public-private collaboration, investing in research and development, strengthening supply chain resilience, and building a skilled workforce. This panel will explore how Canada can operationalize these elements through effective governance, regulatory frameworks, performance evaluation, and deeper collaboration with allies to deliver sustained defence capability and economic growth.
10:20 am – 10:45 am PST •
Morning Coffee Break
10:45 am – 11:45 am PST •
Session 11A – Concurrent Panel: How Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing are Shaping Geopolitics and Foreign Policy
Artificial intelligence and quantum computing are rapidly reshaping the geopolitical landscape and redefining the tools of statecraft. As these technologies drive strategic advantage across defence, intelligence, and economic domains, they are influencing global power dynamics and foreign policy decision-making. This panel will explore how nations are leveraging AI and quantum capabilities, the risks and opportunities they present, and what they mean for Canada’s role in an increasingly competitive and technologically driven world order.
10:45 am – 11:45 am PST •
Session 11B – Concurrent Panel: Cross-Border Trade
Cross-border trade is facing renewed pressure amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and evolving U.S. tariff measures, underscoring its importance to Canada’s economic and national security. As supply chains are reconfigured and protectionist policies gain traction, Canada must adapt to maintain market access and competitiveness. This panel will examine the impact of U.S. trade actions, strategies for strengthening bilateral and regional trade resilience, and how Canada can position itself in an increasingly complex global trading environment.
11:50 am – 12:20 pm PST •
Session 12A - Concurrent Keynote Address by Platinum Sponsor
11:50 am – 12:20 pm PST •
Session 12B - Concurrent Keynote Address by Platinum Sponsor
12:20 pm – 1:25 pm PST •
Lunch Break
1:25 pm – 1:55 pm PST •
Session 13 – Keynote Address by Premier Sponsor
1:55 pm – 2:25 pm PST •
Session 14 – Keynote Address by Premier Sponsor
2:25 pm –2:45 pm PST •
Afternoon Refreshment Break
2:45 pm – 4:15 pm PST •
Session 15 - Closing Panel: A New Canada in a New World
4:15 pm – 4:25 pm PST •
Closing Remarks & Announcements
If you would like to sponsor this event, please download the Sponsorship Brochure for more information.
