About
The Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum (AusCan Forum) is a Canadian non-profit corporation headquartered in Toronto, Ontario and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors as well as an Organizing Committee. The AusCan Forum was formed in 2010, and since that time, has brought together 150+ leaders from government and public and private sectors for high-level discussions every 18 months. On issues such as investment and trade, climate change, finance, technology, natural resources and Indigenous economic engagement, the Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum provides a regular platform on which leaders from both countries can discuss ways to address domestic, bilateral and regional challenges and opportunities. Business priorities and government policies are at the centre of discussions intended to advance ongoing collaboration.
Mission
The mission of the Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum is to strengthen the relationships between economic leaders in the Australian and Canadian private and public sectors with a view to sharing knowledge and networks. The exchange of best practices and lessons learned is designed to reinforce bilateral and regional economic cooperation in the mutual interest.
Vision
Australia and Canada are charter members of the Commonwealth as well as the G20 and have a common heritage of language and democratic freedoms. Both countries regularly consult with one another to advance common interests ranging from defense and security to Indigenous, social, cultural, academic and regional issues. A strong, diversified commercial relationship between Australia and Canada is also present. In 2022, bilateral trade between Australia and Canada totaled CAD 5.8 billion. The ABS reported that in 2022 total bilateral investment both ways totalled CAD 185 billion.
2025 AusCan Awards: Exceptional Leaders Under 40 – Meet This Year’s Trailblazers!
We are proud to announce the 2025 AusCan Under Forty Exceptional Leaders Award winners, celebrated during the 9th Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum held in Sydney.
Please join us in congratulating:
🏆 Amanda Brain – Creative Destruction Lab, Melbourne 
A bold innovator accelerating entrepreneurship and impact through deep tech and mentorship.
🏆 Jahanzaib Ansari – CEO & Co-founder, Knockri 
A trailblazing tech leader driving inclusive hiring through AI-powered behavioral assessments.
These two outstanding individuals were recognized for their leadership, innovation, and commitment to building a better future for both nations and beyond. The awards were presented by Caitlin Gill of Egon Zehnder, in recognition of the exceptional talent that exemplifies the strength of Australia–Canada collaboration.
The AusCan Awards spotlight the power of collaboration between Australia and Canada. By honouring young changemakers, we invest in a shared future rooted in innovation, inclusion, and global impact.
A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF CANADA AND AUSTRALIA FOR THEIR FUNDING SUPPORT:
Presenting
Palladium
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Lanyard
Networking Lounge
Bronze
Official Airline Partner
Partners
2023 Forum – Toronto, Canada
2020 Forum – Melbourne, Australia
What’s New
The AusCan Forum held its first in-person meeting in three years at the Four Seasons in Toronto, Canada from July 16-19, 2023. For videos, the Rapporteur’s Report, and more information, follow this link: 2023 Forum – Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum (auscanforum.com)
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162 delegates were in attendance for this year’s Forum in Toronto. Notable appearances were made by Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto; Hon. Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan; Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP, Attorney-General of Australia; Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry of Canada; and on Kristy McBain, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. The Forum provided a wonderful opportunity for CEOs, academia, business association leaders, and former cabinet ministers to connect with one another.
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The 2023 AusCan Forum hosted its first-ever AusCan Awards – celebrating top innovators under 40 from both Australia and Canada. Nominees were judged based on five (5) criteria: innovation, leadership, financial performance, social responsibility, and industry impact. Our Australian winner was Mina Nada, Co-Founder & CEO of Zoomo, and our Canadian winner was Joelle Faulkner, Founder & CEO of Area One Farms.
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The Media coverage from the 2023 AusCan Forum achieved a reach of over 143,000,000 and included 4 stories filed by Australian news media outlets and 25 stories filed by Canadian news media outlets.
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Feedback from the Forum clearly expressed an interest in more engagement between Australia and Canada. New initiatives will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to this space and the AusCan social media accounts Linkedin and Twitter for more details.
Topics Covered at the 2023 Forum included
- THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION
- CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN CYBER
- FOOD SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE
- INDIGENOUS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
- INFRASTRUCTURE: KEY CHALLENGES FOR SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY
- SPACE AND PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT
- MINISTER VIC FEDELI FIRESIDE CHAT
- CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY