Canada’s water sector is feeling the pinch. The costs of infrastructure repair, climate change and development are continuing to increase, while revenues decrease as a result of better water efficiency and conservation. New financing tools are needed to bridge the gap. Should utilities embrace the growing popularity of green bonds? When are public-private partnerships and service agreements a viable option? Can debt financing improve stability? Join our panel of experts from the Canadian Infrastructure Bank, Green Bonds Advisory Council and RBC Capital Markets as we explore possible pathways forward.

Who should attend this webinar series?

Municipal and utility water managers and associated financial/accounting departments, consulting firms and industry, university researchers, federal and provincial government infrastructure departments, the financial sector.

Please register to attend this complimentary webinar; space is limited.

Speakers

Sashen Guneratna, Managing Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank

Sashen is Managing Director within the investments group of the Canada Infrastructure Bank and assists the executive team with implementing the bank’s investment strategy. He has more than 20 years of banking and advisory experience encompassing several sectors and jurisdictions. Most recently, Sashen was a Partner within the Capital Projects and Infrastructure group at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with a focus on water and wastewater, First Nations led projects and power utilities. In 2013, Sashen worked as a financial advisor and underwriter of project finance transactions for National Bank Financial. He holds an MBA and BBA from the Schulich School of Business.

Lindsay Caldwell, Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank

Lindsay Caldwell is a Director on the investment team at the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Her focus is on originating, analyzing, executing and managing investments in green infrastructure. Prior to joining the Canada Infrastructure Bank, Lindsay was a Vice-President on the investment team at Bastion Infrastructure Group. Before that, she worked at OMERS Infrastructure, the direct investing arm of Canadian pension plan OMERS in Toronto. Lindsay has 13 years of infrastructure experience with a focus on principal investing and asset management. She participated in numerous transactions spanning a range of regulated and unregulated industries globally. Lindsay earned an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University and is a CFA Charterholder.

Sarah Thompson, Director, Sustainable Finance, RBC Capital Markets

Sarah joined RBC in 2011 as the bank’s first Green IT Manager. In 2013, she moved to the corporate sustainability team to oversee RBC’s enterprise-wide operational footprint reduction, environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure and the development of environmentally sustainable and socially responsible financial products and services. Sarah is currently Vice President, Sustainable Finance at RBC Capital Markets and works closely with a growing number of corporate and institutional clients globally. Recently, she partnered with RBC’s Corporate Treasury Group to establish RBC’s Green Bond Program; an inaugural green bond was issued in April 2019. Sarah is a member of the Advisory Council of the Green and Social Bond Principles Executive Committee and is Vice Chair of the Canadian Standards Association Green & Transition Finance Technical Committee. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics from McGill University and an MBA in Sustainability from York University’s Schulich School of Business.

Mansoor Khan, Director, Government Finance, RBC Capital Markets

Mansoor joined RBC in 2011 and currently covers the public sector in Canada as a Vice President. In his current role, he is focused on provincial, crown and municipal clients. Mansoor is leading green bond underwriting at RBC and has been closely involved in bringing several new issuers to the green bond market, including Ontario, EDC, CPPIB, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and TransLink. Before joining RBC, Mansoor worked at a U.S. bank in New York in structured product sales and private placements. He holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University and is a designated Chartered Financial Analyst.