SHOWGUIDE
CONFERENCE
Presented by
In Partnership with
OCTOBER 8, 2026
SANDMAN SIGNATURE HOTEL, MISSISSAUGA, ON
Funding to grow your electricity workforce EHRC offers employer support programs to help you hire, train and retain the next generation of talent.
Empowering Futures
Up to $5,000 per post-secondary student in a STEAM program, covering 50% of gross wages.
Discovering Potential
Up to $22,000 per youth under 30 in STEM, covering 75% of gross wages and/or 100% of training costs.
Destination Trade
Up to $5,000 per third- or fourth-year apprentice, covering 50% of gross wages.
Apply today at ehrc.ca/funding
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
CONFERENCE
Agenda Time
Session
7:30-8:20
Check-in/Breakfast
8:20-8:30
Opening remarks Speakers: Beatrice Sharkey (President, Ontario Electrical League), Jack Burton (Electrical Business Magazine)
8:30-9:30
The State of Ontario’s Electrical Sector panel: What’s new and what’s next Speakers: Michelle Branigan (CEO, Electricity Human Resources Canada), Peter Norman (Principal, Norman Economic Strategies), Todd Storms (Partner, Soloway Wright)
9:30-10:15
Networking break
10:15-11:15
Project management software for electrical contractors: A user’s perspective Speakers: Jason Herd (Tradetraks), Garrison Oosterhof (Oosterhof Electrical Services) Ryan Pope (Motion Services)
11:15-12:30
Networking lunch
12:30-1:30
Getting real with AI: A no-hype, all-action AI workshop for electricians and contractors Speaker: Melvin Newman (CEO, Patabid)
1:30-1:45
Networking break
1:45-2:45
Lighting the path: Expert insights from industry veterans Speakers: Cameron Hann (Jestek Electric), Paul Manzoli (Manelect Electrical Services), Katie Pope (Motion Services), Mathiew Scratch (TwoWiredGuys)
2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
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CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
Welcome to LiveWire On behalf of Electrical Business Magazine, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to the first-ever LiveWire Conference. We’ve been delighted to be working alongside the Ontario Electrical League to help bring together electrical contractors from across the province for an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and learn about navigating this industry during such an significant time of change. From catching up with old colleagues and making new connections, to gaining insights on best practices for the present and preparing for future opportunities, it’s been so exciting to help bring such a solutionoriented event to life, and I’m even more eager to help share this event with Ontario’s electrical workforce. Whether you’re looking to grow your business, uncover new opportunities, or expand your network, I’m confident that you’ll come away from the day having learned something that you can put into action across your business, or met someone to share strategies with amidst the changing tides of the sector (hopefully both!). I’m incredibly proud of the work I see being done to advance the industry, and our speakers, panelists, and even our attendees are all examples of the outstanding work that this event looks to celebrate. I would also like to thank our sponsors for helping make this celebration and launchpad to industry growth possible in the first place. Jack Burton Editor, Electrical Business Magazine
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2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
CONSTRAINT-BASED DETERMINISTIC SOLVER FOR ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
Intelligent scheduling for electricians.
7:04 AM, Marc texts “not coming in today.” A shop across town already re-planned his whole day, kept every window and billed every hour — in 3 seconds. Was it yours? OUR VISION
Dispatch shouldn’t be a judgment call. Your day is a puzzle with rules — licences, hours, travel time, breaks. Crisphive writes those rules down as hard constraints and a solver finds the one plan that satisfies all of them. Because it’s deterministic, the same day always produces the same plan: no gut feel, no drift, no “it depends who’s dispatching.” Marc’s 3 jobs reassigned · 0 windows missed
TODAY · 7:04 AM · MARC OUT SICK
Marc
Panel swap
EV charger
Pot lights
Priya · Master
Service upgrade
+ Panel swap
Generator tie-in
Noah · EV cert.
Rewire
+ EV charger
+ Pot lights
<3 s
Re-decided when the day changes Sick call, emergency, school pickup — the whole board replanned, dependencies intact.
−41%
0
Who does which job, when, in what order. One decision, fully resolved.
Cascades are free. Every customer notified automatically.
Dispatcher time re-juggling
Reschedules ever billed
There’s a full day of billable work hiding in your schedule.We’ll find it. DETERMINISTIC
HARD CONSTRAINTS
MCP-NATIVE
So you can trust it, audit it, repeat it.
So it never proposes a plan you can’t run.
So you can ask “what if” before it happens.
Same inputs, same plan. When a customer asks “why Tuesday?”, there’s a real answer.
Licences, availability, proximity, breaks and supply runs are rules — not suggestions. Never broken.
From Claude or ChatGPT: “Rehearse tomorrow with one tech out sick.” Preview only — nothing moves until you approve.
SEE IT LIVE AT LIVEWIRE
Scan to schedule a demo. Every contractor gets a free dispatch audit — the shops that book first get their Tuesdays back first. Download on the
App Store
GET IT ON
Google Play
crisphive.com/ts · docs.crisphive.com
SCAN TO SCHEDULE
CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
Sessions & Speakers 8:30-9:30AM
The State of Ontario’s Electrical Sector panel: What’s new and what’s next Ontario’s electrical landscape – and construction sector at large – is in the midst of a number of industry shifts, including new technologies, government initiatives, project opportunities, and workforce trends. Our State of Ontario’s Electrical Sector panel gathers experts to share their specialized knowledge on different sides of the industry, from legislative shifts to workforce opportunities, and how the changes they see are shaping the present and future of the province’s electrical sector.
Speakers Michelle Branigan – CEO, Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) As CEO of EHRC, Michelle leads Canada’s only organization dedicated to workforce development in the electricity sector. Under her leadership, EHRC has become the trusted convener of industry, government, labour and academia – delivering actionable research, strategic programs and collaborative initiatives that address workforce challenges and shape the sector’s future. Michelle is a sought-after advisor to senior officials and industry leaders, and her work has earned national and international recognition, including honours at COP27 and COP29, and the WiRE Woman of the Year award. Peter Norman – Principal, Norman Economic Strategies Inc. Peter Norman is a recognized leader in land economics and strategic market insights. With over 30 years of experience as a partner with Clayton Research, chief economist with Altus group and now as founder and principal at Norman Economic Strategies Inc., Peter combines a deep understanding of economic principles with a talent for communicating complex concepts clearly and persuasively. Todd Storms – Partner, Soloway Wright LLP Todd practices primarily in the areas of construction law and commercial litigation. For Construction he frequently advises owners, general contractors, subcontractors, governments, suppliers and builders in contract review, procurement, tender issues, and other construction matters, as well as construction litigation, construction liens, arbitration, mediation, and adjudication. As a commercial litigator, Todd’s practice encompasses shareholder disputes, contract disputes, mortgage remedies, commercial tenancy issues, and bankruptcy and insolvency litigation.
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2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
Bid Smarter. Win More.
Electrical Estimating Software 70,000+ items database with material & labour units AI automated takeoff Cloud-native platform Real time supplier pricing
Book a Demo Today
CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
Sessions & Speakers 10:15-11:15AM
Project management software for electrical contractors: A user’s perspective Ontario’s electrical landscape – and construction sector at large – is in the midst of a number of industry shifts, including new technologies, government initiatives, project opportunities, and workforce trends. Our State of Ontario’s Electrical Sector panel gathers experts to share their specialized knowledge on different sides of the industry, from legislative shifts to workforce opportunities, and how the changes they see are shaping the present and future of the province’s electrical sector.
Speakers Jason Herd – CEO and founder, Tradetraks Jason Herd is a second-generation electrical contractor, entrepreneur, and industry leader based in Hamilton, Ontario. He began his career in the trades through the OYAP program in high school and went on to graduate from Mohawk College’s Electrical Engineering Technician program. Over the past two decades, Jason helped grow his family’s electrical contracting business from $3.5 million to over $20 million in annual revenue. Using lessons learned across that journey, Jason founded Tradetraks, a fully integrated business management platform built by trades professionals, for trades professionals. Jason was recently recognized as a Mohawk College Alumni of Distinction for his leadership in both business and community. Ryan Pope – Co-owner, Motion Services Ryan is the Co-Owner of Motion Services and brings more than 25 years of industry experience to the team. A licensed Master Electrician, CFAA Fire Alarm Technician, and G2 Gas Technician, Ryan has built his career around delivering quality work, solving complex problems, and supporting the next generation of skilled tradespeople. Garrison Oosterhof – Oosterhof Electrical Services Garrison is a licensed electrician (309A) from Kingston, Ontario, with seven years of experience in the trade. He recently took ownership of his family company, Oosterhof Electrical Services, which was founded by Gary Oosterhof in 1991. His company specializes in residential and commercial new installations and renovations, with a team that consists of apprentices, electricians, an estimator, administrators, and a bookkeeper.
12:30 -1:30PM
Getting real with AI: A no-hype, all-action AI workshop for electricians and contractors While the transformational potential of artificial intelligence has been a hot topic for several years, the specifics behind fully realizing this potential – especially in specialized applications such as construction and electrical work – can often be overlooked. This workshop aims to provide electrical contractors with actionable advice and best practices for getting the most out of AI tools, along with how they can be safely and efficiently integrated into everyday workflows.
Speaker Melvin Newman – CEO, Patabid Melvin co-founded PataBid in 2018, including the Patabid Quantify AI estimating software. Drawing on his background as an estimator, construction technology guru, and experience as a full stack developer, Melvin is passionate about making technology accessible to all through sharing his expertise in AI, ML, systems development and their intersection with the construction industry. 8
2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
Sessions & Speakers 1:45-2:45PM
Lighting the path: Expert insights from industry veterans Veteran electrical contractors take the stage to answer your questions and share some of the lessons they’ve learned across their decades of industry experience. From advice on how to navigate any issues your organization might be facing, where they think the sector might be headed, to any thoughts they might have about some of the things learned across today’s sessions, LiveWire closes out with an opportunity for the various groups, generations, and regions from Ontario’s electrical sector to learn, connect, and share their knowledge.
Speakers Cameron Hann – President, Jestek Electric Ltd. Cameron Hann has decades of experience in Ontario’s electrical industry, having been a licensed 309A electrician since 1988 and a Master Electrician for over 25 years. He has owned and operated Jestek Electric in Ottawa for more than 25 years and recently completed his succession plan, passing ownership of the business to his son, Jesse. Cameron has also dedicated significant time to industry leadership, serving chair positions with the Electrical Contractor Registration Agency and the Ontario Electrical League’s Contractor Committee.
Paul Manzoli – Master Electrician, Manelect Electrical Services Paul Manzoli is a second-generation master electrician with over 30 years of hands-on experience in the electrical industry, including more than 25 years operating as an electrical contractor.
Katie Pope – Co-owner, Motion Services Katie is the co-owner and co-founder of Motion Services in Fergus, Ontario. Founded in 2011 alongside her husband Ryan, Motion Services began out of their home before growing into its own standalone shop, having built a reputation for quality work and trusted service by putting their team, clients, and family first. As the founder of Mindful Skills, Katie is also an advocate for mental health in the skilled trades and construction sector, where she helps tradespeople build environments where people feel safe, supported, and empowered to do their best work. She currently serves on the Ontario Electrical League’s board of directors, Contractor Committee, and Waterloo Region Chapter. Mathiew Scratch – Co-owner and director, TwoWiredGuys Mathiew Scratch has been in the electrical trade since 2004, and currently serves as a director for TwoWiredGuys in North Bay, Ontario. Born and raised in Kirkland Lake, Mat has built his electrical experience across subsectors including mining, manufacturing, automation, commercial, residential, and renewable energy. Mat is passionate about giving back to the electrical sector; having served in volunteer roles with the Master Examining Committee, Contractor Advisory Council, and OEL’s Contractor Committee, in addition to regularly spreading awareness of renewable energy through his work with TwoWiredGuys.
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2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
CONFERENCE
Sponsor Showcase
Ontario Electrical League Since 1922, the Ontario Electrical League (OEL) has helped independent, open-shop Licensed Electrical Contractors succeed by providing the industry knowledge, business resources, connections, and technical expertise they need to grow. Founded by electrical contractors for electrical contractors, we are a non-profit, member-based organization committed to strengthening Ontario’s electrical sector and helping shape its future. Be Part of a Supportive Community Wherever you are in Ontario, you’ll have a support network to rely on. Our community of professionals actively collaborates, shares insights, and helps one another navigate the challenges and opportunities of the industry. Whatever you may be facing in your business, you’ll never be alone. Access Exclusive Deals & Discounts for your Business Whether you’re just starting out or an established contractor, we know running a business comes with significant costs. Our Member Benefits Partners offer exclusive rebates, discounts, and complimentary services designed to help you save, strengthen your business, and grow. 2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
Learn About Member Benefits Here: https://www.oel.org/en/ why-join/member-benefits Subsidies for Employers and Apprentices For the sixth consecutive year, we are proud to support employers and apprentices through wage, equipment, and training subsidies. With funding from the Government of Ontario, we provided $1.4 million in support last year, helping more than 490 employers and 1,000 apprentices. Membership is not required to access this support. Learn About our Subsidy Program Here: https://www.oel.org/ en/tools-resources/oel-subsidy-program Your Advocates at a Provincial Leve Many OEL Members help shape the industry and are active through external committees, including ECRA, the Master Examining Committee, CoAC, and the Ontario Provincial Code Committee at ESA. Our internal Contractor Committee also serves as OEL’s advocacy arm, engaging with ESA, utilities, government, and other key industry stakeholders.
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CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
Patabid
TradeTraks
PataBid Quantify is an AI-powered takeoff and estimating platform built for electrical contractors who want their bidding process to be faster, more consistent, and easier to defend.
Running a trade business is complicated enough without having to manage a dozen different software programs. Tradetraks was built to make that easier.
Most estimating software on the market was designed decades ago and has been bolted onto ever since. Quantify was built from scratch for how contractors work now — modern interface, cloud access, AI takeoff, and no license fees for extra features.
Tradetraks is a Canadian-built ERP and contractor management platform designed for trade and service businesses. It brings the day-to-day parts of running a business into one place, from estimating and project management to scheduling, time tracking, purchasing, materials, financials and health and safety.
At the core is Rapid Count, our AI takeoff engine. It reads project drawings, recognizes electrical symbols, and classifies components automatically. Behind that sits a curated 70,000item database covering the material electrical contractors actually bid, along with live pricing connections so your numbers reflect current market conditions. Quantify handles the full bid workflow. Assemblies, labour units, quotes, change orders, and closeout all live in one platform, so estimators aren’t rebuilding the same information in three places. Multi-user access with role-based permissions means larger shops can standardize how every estimator works, whether they sit in one office or five. The platform also tracks what happens after the bid goes out. Win/loss analytics, historical bid performance, and margin reporting turn your estimating history into something you can actually learn from — which jobs you win, which customers are worth chasing, and where there is little margin.
The goal is simple: give contractors one system they can actually rely on. Tradetraks helps businesses manage projects and bids, service calls, quotes, work orders, employees, equipment, materials and customer information while keeping their office and field teams connected. Features such as GPS-verified time tracking, employee scheduling, certifications, safety management and QuickBooks Online integration help reduce paperwork and give business owners and managers a clearer picture of what is happening across the company. The platform is built to work for growing contractors as well as larger organizations with teams working across multiple locations. Employees can access Tradetraks from their computers, phones or tablets, making it easy for field and office teams to stay connected wherever the work takes them.
For contractors running enterprise systems, Quantify integrates with ERP, accounting, project management, and labour tracking platforms so estimate data flows into the rest of your operation without manual re-entry.
What makes Tradetraks different is its approach to both software and its customers. The platform was built around the real challenges contractors deal with every day, with an emphasis on keeping things practical, easy to use and affordable.
PataBid is a Canadian company. Our team has spent decades in the field and in the office as estimators, electricians and tradespeople. We know estimating and we know the Canadian electrical industry.
For businesses looking to spend less time managing disconnected systems and more time running their business, Tradetraks offers a complete solution built specifically for the trades.
Stop by our booth to see a live demo of PataBid Quantify or visit patabid.com to book a walkthrough.
Learn more: https://www.tradetraks.ca/
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2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
OCTOBER 8, 2026
MISSISSAUGA, ON
CONFERENCE
CrispHive Every electrical contractor knows the 6:45 a.m. phone call. A journeyman is out sick, a panel fire just turned into an emergency call, and the inspector is still showing up at 2. The whole day’s board collapses — and someone spends the next hour on the phone shuffling crews, pushing service calls, and apologizing to customers who booked weeks ago. Meanwhile, licensed hours that should be billable are burning up in the truck or back at the shop. Crisphive is constraint-based scheduling infrastructure built for electrical contracting and service operations running ten crews or more. It works on three core capabilities. Match puts the right crew on every job — weighing licensing, certifications, job requirements, location, and availability all at once, so a service upgrade never lands on a crew without the ticket to do it. Route optimizes the day’s drive: travel between calls, mobilization, breaks, and supply-house runs — cutting windshield time so more of every shift goes to billable, on-thetools work. Cascade handles the mornings that go sideways: when an emergency call lands or a crew member calls in sick, Crisphive re-plans the entire day — every dependency, every downstream service call — in under three seconds. There’s no guesswork underneath. Crisphive is a deterministic constraint solver: exact, repeatable, and auditable. It works as your dispatcher’s daily board or as infrastructure your existing systems call directly. The payoff is a schedule that runs like a machine — fewer gaps, fewer missed windows, more billable hours per crew per day. See it on your own data first: Crisphive’s Shadow Schedule Audit replays your past weeks and shows the hours left on the table. Book a demo at crisphive.com/ts · Developers and integrations: docs.crisphive.com
EHRC Employer Funding Programs
EHRC offers funding programs to help Canadian employers across the sector hire, train and support talent. Whether you’re onboarding apprentices, youth or students, we have a program to support your workforce needs. Find your funding program: https://ehrc.ca/funding/
Simpro Simpro is the leading AI-first operating platform for residential and commercial trades. Our mission is simple: double contractor profitability. Built for the heroes who keep the world running, Simpro transforms how trades businesses operate – eliminating complexity, unlocking clarity, and turning hard work into lasting success. The platform integrates scheduling, dispatch, compliance, safety, invoicing, and cash flow into one clear path to profitability. Today, more than 250,000 users worldwide rely on Simpro to scale with confidence, supported by offices in the U.S., Australia, and the UK. Simpro is part of Simpro Group, alongside BigChange, AroFlo, and ClockShark. Book a demo today at https://www.simprogroup.com/demo
Investing in talent and growing our electricity workforce. The electricity sector in Canada is growing. Current forecasts suggest an additional 2-3x more generation, transmission and distribution capacity by 2050. This means a growing workforce to build, operate and maintain this new carbon-neutral infrastructure.
2026 LIVEWIRE CONFERENCE SHOWGUIDE
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