Renewable Energy Quebec Summit & CanREA Connects (Networking Reception)

Gregory Balycky joined the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) in November 2019 and played a lead role in the development and market roll-out of the CIB’s Building Retrofits Initiative. Gregory is currently responsible for leading investments in building and industrial sector decarbonization projects nationwide, and also oversees investment opportunities across the CIB’s priority sectors within the province of Quebec.

Gregory has over 16 years of banking and project finance experience. Prior to joining the CIB, Gregory was a Director within the Project Finance team at Laurentian Bank, focusing on renewable power and social infrastructure across Canada, prior to which he held positions with Sasol, Credit Suisse and GE Capital, and was a lecturer at McGill University.

Gregory holds an MBA from the University of Oxford. He also received an Honours degree in Business Administration from HEC Montréal and is a CFA charterholder. 

A third-generation successor, he joined the family business in 1993 as Director of Transportation Operations, later overseeing various branches within the group of companies. A visionary and courageous leader, he enabled the group to penetrate the pan-Canadian and American markets as early as 1997. A major turning point for the organization came in 2003 with the opening of the wind energy market. This marked the beginning of rapid growth with the opening of branches in Eastern Quebec, the Maritimes, Ontario, New York, and then Texas. Offering much more than transportation services, the Bellemare Group continuous growth has also led its companies into various clean economy sectors, such as materials recycling, including glass.
It is now time to integrate the fourth generation to ensure continuity of Quebec ownership.

André Bourgault, Eng. MBA, has worked as a Commercial and Technical manager with 20+ years of experience in energy, technology, consulting engineering and construction projects in the Wind, Hydro, T&D, Transportation and Infrastructure markets.

Andre Bourgault is a Professional engineer, has completed an MBA degree and a Certificate in Law.

Etienne is an executive leader specializing in energy development and asset management, with over 20 years of experience in the renewable energy and natural gas sectors. He has deep expertise in strategic, technical, and financial management, as well as in the development and construction of energy projects.

Etienne is an authentic and inspiring leader, recognized for his communication skills, his ability to simplify complex concepts, and his talent for fostering a strong sense of belonging within teams. Proactive, solutions oriented, and highly driven, he promotes collaboration and collective performance.

Alex Couture, CEO of Development - North America joined Innergex in September 2022. He leads business development activities in both Canada and the US. Mr. Couture has over 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry, including project development, asset management and operations.

Prior to joining Innergex, Mr. Couture spent nearly 15 years with EDF Renewable where he held the position of Senior Regional Director for Canada and other developing positions.

He began his career at Eolectric, where he worked in project development for 5 years.

Strongly involved in his industry, he served as chairman of the board of directors of the Association Québécoise de la production d’énergie renouvelable (AQPER) from 2016 to 2022.

He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.A.) from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a Master of Management (M.Sc.) from HEC Montréal.

Stephane Desdunes is Vice President of Development for Grid-Scale Power at EDF power solutions, where he leads renewable energy development activities across Canada, New York, and New England. He oversees a portfolio of utility-scale wind, solar, and energy storage projects and manages all aspects of development from origination through permitting and the start of construction. With more than 20 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, he has contributed to the development of more than 2 gigawatts of contracted and commercialized projects. Stephane also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY) and President of the Board of Directors of the Québec Association for the Production of Renewable Energy (AQPER). He also serves on the Québec Steering Committee of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA).

François-Olivier Gagnon is Associate Chief Executive Officer of Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Business Corporation (MMBC), the economic development corporation representing the Mi’gmaq communities of Gespeg, Gesgapegiag, and Listuguj. He works closely with the Chief Executive Officer to help shape the organization’s strategic direction, structure partnerships, and lead the development of major projects, particularly in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. His role focuses on positioning MMBC as a credible investment partner and a key driver of community-led economic development.

Originally from New Richmond, he remains deeply committed to MMBC’s mission of creating sustainable economic opportunities that support community autonomy and the prosperity of future generations.

Sabrina Harbec is the Vice President of Corporate Relations – North America at Nordex, where she leads government relations, Indigenous community relations, communications, public policy, Strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement to strengthen the company’s presence in the renewable energy sector in Canada and the U.S. Based in Montreal, it works closely with federal and provincial partners; as well as with Indigenous communities, industry associations, developers, community organizations and other key players in the renewable energy ecosystem to advance clean, inclusive, community-centred and economically viable energy development.

Prior to joining Nordex, Ms. Harbec held a number of senior positions at Hydro-Québec (2020–2025), including that of Director – Business Clients and Energy Solutions. In this role, she led the development of integrated energy transition offerings, overseen business programs, and oversaw communications related to key initiatives. Managed regulatory affairs and supported key industry and public stakeholders in achieving their decarbonization goals.

She previously spent nearly a decade at ArcelorMittal Mineral Exploration Canada, where she held key roles in strategic procurement and energy strategy. His work included managing carbon market policies, community-based business development and extensive collaboration with Indigenous communities to support sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships.

Ms. Harbec holds a double bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from St. Lawrence University (New York), a D.E.S.S. in management – sustainable development from HEC Montréal, as well as an executive MBA from the Université de Sherbrooke. A former high-performance athlete, she competed for six years with Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team and was named three times All American by the NCAA.

Jimmy Jean is Vice-President, Chief Economist and Strategist at Desjardins Group. He leads a team of researchers, analysts and forecasters that has been named Best Overall Forecaster – Canada by FocusEconomics on numerous occasions. His keen insights and clear communication style make him a sought-after speaker and a regular guest on financial news programs in Canada’s English and French media markets.

Jimmy has been with Desjardins Group for most of his career, but has also served as senior strategist at Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and as an economist at Moody's, RBC Capital Markets and Statistics Canada. He has a master’s degree in applied financial economics from HEC Montréal and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Michel Lagacé has served on the municipal council of Saint-Cyprien since 1988 and has been Mayor since 1997. Deeply engaged in his community, he has also been a member of the executive committee of the Council of Mayors of the MRC de Rivière-du-Loup since 1999. In 2002, he was first elected Prefect of the MRC de Rivière-du-Loup, a position he continues to hold today.

He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Renewable Energy Association (AQPER) since 2019. Since March 2022, he has also served on the Board of Directors of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM), where he chairs the Standing Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Mr. Lagacé previously served as Chair of the Conférence régionale des élus du Bas-Saint-Laurent (2004–2015), the Table régionale des élus municipaux du Bas-Saint-Laurent (2019–2023), and the Parc éolien communautaire Nicolas-Riou (2015–May 2023).

He currently serves as Chair of the Société d’économie mixte d’énergie renouvelable de la région de Rivière-du-Loup (SÉMER), a biomethanization facility (since 2012), as well as Chair of the Parc éolien communautaire Viger-Denonville s.e.c. (since 2013), the Régie BSL (since 2014), and the Alliance de l’énergie de l’Est, since its establishment in February 2023.

Olivier Lacaille is Managing Director and Head of Infrastructure and Energy Transition financing at Desjardins. He brings extensive experience in capital markets and banking, with a specialization in infrastructure and renewable energy financing transactions across North America.

He holds a Master’s degree in Financial Markets from HEC Montréal and the CFA designation. Olivier is responsible for leading the origination and execution of project financings and is actively involved in advancing energy transition initiatives at Desjardins.

Carlos Leitão was born in 1956 in Peniche, Portugal, and immigrated to Canada in 1975. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from McGill University in 1979, launching what would become a distinguished career as an economist. From 1983 to 2003, he worked at the Royal Bank of Canada, and later became Chief Economist at Laurentian Bank Securities in 2003. In that role, he developed a strong reputation for his expertise in economic forecasting, earning recognition from international outlets such as Bloomberg News.

Leitão entered provincial politics in 2014 as a member of the Quebec Liberal Party. He was elected to the National Assembly of Québec for the riding of Robert-Baldwin and was immediately appointed Minister of Finance in the government of Premier Philippe Couillard. During his tenure as Minister of Finance from 2014 to 2018, Leitão was widely respected for his disciplined approach to fiscal management and his focus on economic growth, job creation, and balanced budgets. Between 2016 and 2017, he also served as Minister responsible for Government Administration and the Permanent Program Review. He was re-elected in 2018 but chose not to seek re-election in 2022, concluding an eight-year provincial political career.

Following his time in the National Assembly, Leitão continued to contribute to public life. In May 2023, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Bank of Canada, recognizing his longstanding contributions to economic thought and public finance. Two years later, in 2025, he entered federal politics as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in the riding of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, located in Laval, Québec. He was elected as Member of Parliament on April 28, 2025.

Now serving as the Member of Parliament for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, Carlos Leitão brings his experience in economics and public administration to the national stage. He currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry and sits on the Standing Committee on Finance. His federal priorities

include strengthening Canada’s economic resilience, promoting innovation and industrial development and addressing housing affordability.

Pierre-Oliver Pineau (PhD, HEC Montréal, 2000) is a professor at the Department of Decision Sciences of HEC Montréal and holds the Chair in Energy Sector Management since December 2013. He is an energy policy and management specialist, with a focus on electricity reforms. He has published many papers on the energy sector, most of them exploring the links between energy and some aspects of sustainable development. He participates regularly in the public debate on energy and has authored many reports for the government and other public organizations. His book The Energy Balance (in French only) was released in February 2023.

He is a researcher and Fellow at the Center for Interuniversity Research and Analysis of Organizations (CIRANO). Before joining HEC Montreal, he was an associate professor at the School of Public Administration, University of Victoria (2001-2006).

Prefect of the MRC du Fjord-du-Saguenay since November 2025, Hervé Simard has served as Mayor of Ferland-et-Boilleau since 2013, following nearly 10 years representing his community as a municipal councillor.

With more than forty years of experience in management and administration, he served for twenty-five years as Assistant Director of Administration at the Centre de services scolaire de la Jonquière. He has also worked within forestry organizations, where he held various management roles.

Deeply rooted in his community, Hervé Simard has chaired the Corporation de mise en valeur des lots intra-municipaux since 2003 and has operated his own company, GESTION G.S., specializing in accounting services, since 1987.

Highly engaged in his community and recognized for his rigour and leadership, Hervé Simard embodies a distinguished professional career marked by a strong commitment to the development of his region and the regional forestry sector.

Myriam Trudel has been a lawyer since 1995. She has devoted most of her practice to well-known law firms in the Quebec City region, particularly in labour relations and litigation.

At the FQM since 2015, Ms. Trudel has served as Director of the Human Resources and Labour Relations Department, providing support to several municipal organizations across the province and on various files with a team of experienced professionals. She also served, at the same time, as head of the FQM Training Department, particularly for the first version of mandatory ethics training in 2021. The FQM then formed nearly 80% of municipal elected officials in Quebec.

As director of the Energy Performance and Decarbonation department, she oversees the deployment of the ecoenergy 360 program, a major and innovative asset for the eco-energy renovation of municipal assets across Quebec. Similarly, with its team of renewable energy professionals and consultants, it provides support to municipal communities in the development of renewable energy projects on their territory.

With 20 years of experience in the mobility sector, Laurent leads the Project Management Office at Propulsion Québec, where he helps structure and accelerate the development of the electric and smart transportation sector. He also leads the “Charging Infrastructure” community of interest, bringing together key stakeholders across this strategic industry.

An engineer trained in France, he also studied at Concordia University. He began his career with Renault and Nissan, working in Europe and Southeast Asia, where he held various logistics roles before taking responsibility for Nissan’s Project Management Office in Bangkok. Upon returning to Paris, he joined the team responsible for studies on autonomous shuttles.

After working in Montréal’s public transit sector, he joined Québec’s electric and smart transportation cluster to actively contribute to the decarbonization of the transportation sector, fostering collaboration among industry, institutional, and public partners.