Over 120 nonprofit leaders from across the country gathered in Ottawa this past Fall for the largest nonprofit leadership conference of its kind in Canada: the Imagine Canada Leadership Roundtable. Over the course of the two-day event, sector leaders had the opportunity to soak in sector insights, collaborate with and learn from their peers through presentations, panel discussions, interactive workshops, as well as networking opportunities. The roundtable provides a unique occasion for knowledge sharing and relationship building, and this year’s edition didn’t disappoint, with eye-opening keynotes and engaging conversations.
Here are some of the highlights of the event:
Fortifying the nonprofit sector, today and tomorrow
Opening Keynote
Leslie Church, Member of Parliament for Toronto — St. Paul’s, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretaries of State for Labour, for Seniors, and for Children and Youth, and to the Minister of Jobs and Families (Persons with Disabilities) delivered a spirited address that highlighted the key role the nonprofit sector plays in our society. It was followed by a dynamic Q&A session with nonprofit leaders.
From Research to Action - A New Conversation with Canadians
Over the years, perceptions related to charities and nonprofits have changed. While there is a strong public belief in the value of charities and nonprofits and the vital services they provide, there is a disconcerting lack of understanding that the services people access and use are, in fact, delivered by the nonprofit sector.
To create a new conversation with Canadians, Imagine Canada has embarked on a multi-year initiative that will culminate in a major, national public relations and advertising campaign. The initial phase of the project, which concluded in the Fall of 2025, consisted of extensive qualitative and quantitative research to confirm perceptions and test assumptions to identify opportunities as they relate to shifting mindsets. Leadership Roundtable attendees had the opportunity to preview the data collected, thanks to a presentation by project researcher Stephen Tile of Ignite, in addition to participating in a workshop that will help inform the project's campaign.
Reconnecting Communities - Belonging & Civic Engagement
What does civic engagement look like in 2025? How can community members feel connected in a world marked by increased isolation? The 2024 Giving Report by CanadaHelps has shown the connection between connection and generosity. Mahalia Verna, Board Trustee, Canadian Museum of History and Imagine Canada Board Director, guided an inspiring interactive panel discussion on the topic of belonging and civic engagement. Nonprofits play a crucial role in holding communities together and providing opportunities for connection, through the services they offer, but also volunteering opportunities. Panelists included Duke Chang, President & CEO, CanadaHelps (who also offered an exclusive preview of the organization’s new public service announcement); Niamh Leonard, Executive Director, Euphrosine Foundation; and Pete Bombaci, Founder & CEO, GenWell - Canada's Human Connection Movement.
In the Crosshairs - Navigating the Politicization of Charities at Home & Abroad
On April 22, 2025, ahead of the federal election, Imagine Canada and Philanthropic Foundations of Canada co-signed an opinion letter that aimed to unveil a disturbing, growing trend - the politicization of charities. While not new, there is increased evidence of this troubling phenomenon. Democratic institutions are being shaken to their core in the United States. But we would be wrong to assume such issues cannot occur on our side of the border.
To discuss this situation, what it means for the sector and how charities can prepare, Andrea Dicks, President, Community Foundations of Canada & Board Director, Imagine Canada, moderated a discussion with Dr. Akilah Watkins, President & CEO, Independent Sector; Lisa Lalande, CEO, Century Initiative, and Mohammed Hashim, CEO & Executive Director, Canadian Race Relations Foundation.
Ottawa Art Gallery Sector Social: Unwind & AI Adoption
To conclude day one of the event, Leadership Roundtable participants were joined by other local sector peers for our traditional Sector Social Reception, held this year at the beautiful Ottawa Art Gallery. The gathering serves as a platform for shared learning and cross-sector networking, uniting organizations in their commitment to strengthening collective impact.
Guests enjoyed drinks and delicious food while listening to a special interactive panel on the very current topic of nonprofit AI adoption. Attendees left the reception armed with practical information delivered by the panelists, Alisa Simon, Group Head & EVP, e-Mental Health Transformation & Clinical Services, Kids Help Phone; Émile Piché, Executive Advisor, Réseau SOLIDARITÉ Itinérance du Québec; Omar Yaqub, Executive Director, IslamicFamily; and Tim Lockie, CEO, The Human Stack. The panel was moderated by CCNDR’s Executive Director, Wilfreda Edward.
B(old) Moves - Transformational Thinking for Future-Ready Organizations
Day two of the event started on a high note with an exercise facilitated by Renata Rusiniak, Managing Director & Founder, Green Horseshoe Solutions. The panel featured Danielle Gibbie, Executive Director of Annauma Community Foundation; Diane Roussin, Project Director of The Winnipeg Boldness Project; Kevin McCort , President & CEO (Emeritus) of the Vancouver Foundation; and Steve Archambault, Co-Founder of Stonewall Recovery Centre. Through a PechaKucha story-telling-inspired format, the panelists shared the unique ways their organizations are breaking traditions and opting for bold ideas to centre the people they serve and achieve their mission.
Imagine Canada Update
Bruce MacDonald, President & CEO of Imagine Canada, shared some of the initiatives that our organization will be focusing on in 2026 and beyond to support the sector. This work will be guided by our new Strategic Action Plan, unveiled for the first time at the Roundtable. This plan is based on extensive consultations with sector stakeholders, including our Members. Three main points clearly emerged from these consultations which guided our reflection: creating greater focus by carefully selecting specific sector issues and power them forward with maximum impact; strategically convening the sector to bring diverse voices together in a way that creates both cohesion and strength; and champion the sector by proactively advancing fundamental issues related to trust, awareness and financial sustainability in a way that brings us together. We invite you to learn more about our plan, and share your thoughts with us!
Headwinds or Tailwinds? A Frank Assessment of our Economic Environment
Armine Yalnizyan, Economist and Atkinson Fellow on the Future of Workers, delivered an impactful and timely presentation that left participants energized. She reminded us that our sector (categorized in this context as the ‘care economy’), is 1.5 times bigger than manufacturing, almost double construction and 2.7 times bigger than all forms of mining and extraction, as measured by its share of GDP. It is the single biggest source of earned income for Canadians. In the context of a new economic reality, marked by slowing growth and a possible recession, our sector has a crucial role to play.
Beyond the Forecast - Building Resilient Solutions in Uncertain Times
The two-day event concluded with a dynamic table discussion exercise facilitated by Odette McCarthy, Executive Director, Equitas and Imagine Canada Board Director. Participants came together to exchange ideas for concrete solutions to weather challenges organizations are facing in an uncertain environment.
The full event program is available here.
Cultivating our collective power
The 2025 Leadership Roundtable was a collaborative and forward-looking event that we curated with the intention of leaving participants feeling equipped with the insights they needed and with a renewed sense of belonging and shared identity. We look forward to continuing our collective journey as we work to strengthen communities and the sector as a whole.
Thank you to all participants for joining us for this edition of the Leadership Roundtable in Ottawa!
Imagine Canada would like to thank all of its partners and sponsors - including our 2025 Presenting Sponsor, PearTree Canada. Many thanks to our Lead Sponsors, KCI, Miller Thompson LLP, nfpResearch, RBC and Sage Intacct Canada; our Welcome Reception Sponsor, Intact Public Entities; our Sector Social Sponsor, Ecclesiastical Insurance; our Capacity Sponsor, The Brenda Strafford Foundation; and our Sector Sponsors, Environics Analytics, PAA Advisory, and Tapestry Community Capital.
Membership: A Way to Sustain the Momentum
Did you know that Imagine Canada members get a discount on tickets to the Leadership Roundtable, and have access to a wide array of benefits, resources, advocacy initiatives, and networking opportunities? Learn more about the Imagine Canada Membership here and sign up today.
What’s Next? 2026 Regional Conversations
The Leadership Roundtable will be back in 2027. In the meantime, we will be traveling to Quebec, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Alberta next year to meet with our peers in your own areas! Dates and cities will be announced in the coming months - we invite you to subscribe to the Imagine 360° newsletter to get news and updates, or write to us at membership@imaginecanada.ca if you have any questions.
We look forward to connecting with you again soon!
