The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) is hosting its second Smart Rail Technology Conference virtually from November 30 – December 1 to discuss critical topics that will define the future of rail in Canada.

“Last month’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report showed we need to put everything we have into fighting climate change – for our planet’s survival,” said Dr. Josipa Petrunic, the president and CEO of CUTRIC. “We know the transportation sector is the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in Canada. The dialogue on rail technology innovation cannot be delayed.”

The conference is built around five themes:

• Hydrail: Getting to Zero with Hydrogen Propulsion and Fuelling Systems in Rail
• Electrified Rail Systems: Supporting Mass Transit Through Zero-Emissions Public Transit Networks
• Big Data in Rail: Data-Driven Rail Solutions that Build Better, Faster, Cleaner Networks
• Going Driverless: Autonomous and Connected Rail Systems
• Return to Transit: Rail in a Post-Pandemic World

Key topics to be discussed during the conference are the economic and environmental drivers behind hydrail, how the future of bus electrification depends on rail electrification and the ups and down of LRT deployments across Canada.

“The COVID-19 pandemic made it obvious we need rapid, extensive, and country-wide rail that moves Canadians and their freight, faster, cheaper and greener than ever before,” said Dr. Petrunic. “Participants of this conference will hear from industry experts, business leaders and political decision-makers who are working to make this a reality in Canada.”

Tickets for the conference are now on sale, and updates about the event can be found on the conference website as well as CUTRIC’s LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.