Accelerate Announces Matthew Fortier As President and CEO

Ottawa, ON – Accelerate, Canada’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) supply chain alliance, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Fortier as President and CEO. As the transition to ZEVs accelerates due to global efforts to reach net-zero, Matthew will use his experience building meaningful and progressive relationships with Canadian industry and government to bolster Canada’s ZEV supply chain.

“The global shift towards ZEVs offers an unprecedented economic opportunity for Canada to capitalize on our rich resources, talent and infrastructure to become a global ZEV leader, and to grow our domestic auto industry so that good jobs in the sector will exist in 10, 20, and 50 years from now,” said Matthew Fortier, President and CEO, Accelerate. “Canada has all the pieces of the puzzle to win the global ZEV race, and I look forward to putting my experience to work for Accelerate’s members and supporting the accelerated build-out of Canada’s ZEV supply chain.”

“Steering Canada’s ZEV supply chain towards success requires the right mix of business, government relations, public affairs and policy advocacy experience,” said Moe Kabbara, former Acting Executive Director, Accelerate. “With Matthew’s extensive experience and excellent relationships with government and business stakeholders alike, we are thrilled to have him at the wheel to advocate for our members’ shared vision of creating a strong Canadian ZEV supply chain and setting Canada’s auto industry up to win in a net-zero world.”

A public policy leader and executive with over 20 years’ experience, Matthew Fortier was previously Vice President at the Institute of Corporate Directors, where he worked closely with many of Canada’s most senior business leaders to create approaches to climate change oversight, the future of work, and Canadian innovation and global competitiveness. There, he built coalitions to shape federal legislation and regulation and developed partnerships and programming with the Government of Canada, provincial premiers’ offices, the UN Global Compact, the World Economic Forum, TMX Group, and several private sector companies.

Previously, Matthew held senior corporate and public affairs roles at Re:Sound, where he shaped successful approaches to Canadian and North American IP ownership and trade, at TD Bank, where he helped advance Canada’s banking agenda by creating the Conservative Party Financial Services Caucus and at the Business Council of Canada.

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Jess Harris
437-227-6123
media@acceleratezev.ca

About Accelerate

Accelerate, Canada’s ZEV supply chain alliance, was launched to help Canada leverage its strengths and experience to become a global ZEV leader as the world shifts to net-zero and zero-emissions vehicles. Bringing together companies and organizations from across the ZEV landscape – from mining to mobility, R&D to commercialization, and vehicle assembly to infrastructure – with labour unions, ENGOs, researchers and post-secondary institutions, Accelerate is a forum for members to collaborate, strategize and advance priorities that will support the accelerated development of a ZEV supply chain in Canada. For more information and a full list of Accelerate members, visit acceleratezev.ca.