Cleantech Community Gateway

Mr. Manson is CEO of DC Grid Development Corp., which he founded in 2015 as a vehicle to advance the adoption of cutting edge technologies which exemplify the best in energy efficiency, clean tech, and sustainable renewable energy generation, transmission and storage.

From 2003 to 2015, Mr. Manson served as President and CEO of Sea Breeze Power Corp., a publicly traded renewable energy project development company, following the Company’s acquisition of Sea Breeze Energy Inc., a wind development firm that he co-founded in 2001.

Sea Breeze Energy Inc. became the first company in British Columbia to pursue wind energy as a commercial opportunity, and the first company in British Columbia to achieve a full environmental permit for a wind farm. Under his direction, the Company developed the 99 MW -Cape Scott Wind Farm (on northern Vancouver Island) to the point of sale to GDF Suez. The Cape Scott Wind Farm began commercial operations in 2013.

While at Sea Breeze, Mr. Manson also initiated the Juan de Fuca Cable Project, proposed to be a 550 MW undersea cable, internationally connecting the southern tip of Vancouver Island with the City of Port Angeles located on the north shore of the Olympic Peninsula, in the State of Washington. The Juan de Fuca Cable was designed to utilize high voltage, direct current (“HVDC Voltage Source Converter”) technology, which is steadily gaining recognition as the best available technology for controlling and transmitting variable sources of generation, such as wind and solar.

Originally from New York City, Mr. Manson attended Carleton College in Minnesota, following which he immigrated to Canada, where he was actively involved in British Columbia’s fishing industry for 16 years. Since 1988, Mr. Manson held executive management positions with several development companies in the natural resource industries.

In addition to his duties with DC Grid Development Corp., Mr. Manson also serves as co-chairman of the Energy and Environment Working Group of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (“PNWER”), a bi-national public and private sector forum which addresses issues impacting the regional economy of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. Mr. Manson also is a member of British Columbia’s Central Coast Ocean Advisory Committee, and is an Advisory Board team member to the Vancouver Island Sustainable Technology Association (“VISTA”). Mr. Manson has also enjoyed a longstanding relationship as a board member of Vancouver-based Theater In the Raw (“TITR”) Society.

Yoga Yogendran is a Professional Engineer certified as an Energy Manager in Canada with more than 26 years of experience in developing and deploying clean energy solutions.  Yoga has managed engineering teams both at BC Hydro and at the National Research Council as a Director, Technology Deployment & Commercialization. Recently, his focus has been on helping communities to develop holistic energy solutions that include power and heat. Yoga has in-depth knowledge of clean energy technologies and an extensive network of technology suppliers, communities, utilities, regulators, and related federal and provincial departments.

Yoga holds an Executive MBA from Simon Fraser University (1996), a Ph.D and M.Sc. in Materials Science from the University of Calgary (1988, 1984), and a B.Sc. in Engineering University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Patrick Canning practices law across Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, with a focus on environmental and First Nations law. Patrick graduated from the Maritime Forest Ranger School as Forest Technician and went on to Dalhousie Law School where he graduated in 2006. Patricks also holds a Certificate in Environmental Law from Dalhousie University as well as a Certificate in Public International Law from Queens University. Patrick is an advocate for his clients, whether they are individuals, groups, or First Nations, and seeks to continually grow professionally through education and taking on new challenges. In his legal, policy and volunteer work, Patrick serves justice by restoring and maintaining balance.

Eli Enns is an internationally recognized expert in bio-cultural heritage conservation, reconciliation and climate change action. Utilizing both a western university education, and traditional knowledge from his Nuu-chah-nulth Elders, Eli has designed and implemented engagement strategies for projects and programs including a wide spectrum of community needs. Eli has expertise in First Nations program administration, capital project management, green and culturally appropriate housing and the deployment of renewable energy solutions in remote communities, all in the context of fostering alternative pathways to economic certainty through International Dispute Resolution.

From 2005 to 2012 Eli co-directed a diverse team that delivered the Tyhistanis Equilibrium Community Project, and co-founded the Ha’uukmin Tribal Park, both within the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Today, Eli volunteers his time with several organizations including The Canadian Commission for UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (CCMAB), The Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCA) Consortium and The Pacific Peoples Partnership. In addition to his community level work in sustainable development, Eli has been affiliated with the POLIS Project on Ecological Governance at UVic for several years, collaborating in projects and speaking at events. He has been a POLIS Research Associate since 2015. 

Pierre Iachetti has spent his 20-year professional career working with communities, academia, governments, and not-for-profits on conserving biodiversity, adapting to and mitigating climate change, and using economic and markets tools to drive social change. Pierre is focused on social innovation and working with First Nations around housing and renewable energy. Pierre is a Professional Agrologist (PAg) and Registered Professional Planner (RPP & MCIP). He is currently completing his PhD in civil engineering where his research is on high performance buildings and 100% renewable energy systems in on-reserve First Nations communities.

Larissa holds an interdisciplinary Masters of Philosophy in Culture, Environment and Sustainability from the SUM Centre at the University of Oslo, where her work focused a political ecology lens on applications of indigenous consultation (FPIC) and deliberative-discursive democracy. While in Norway, she was on the Executive Council of the Arne Naess Chair, spoke at numerous Oslo Sustainability Symposia, and researched for The Lancet Commission on Global Governance (Political Determinants) of Health. She has written articles in French, Norwegian, and Swedish publications, was involved with a book on climate psychology and communications, and co-authored a chapter in  FirstWorld Petro-Politics. Larissa was conference coordinator and research manager for Parkland Institute (U of Alberta), and Energy and Climate Campaigner for Sierra Club BC. As a passionate climate communicator and long-standing member of BCSEA-Victoria’s Steering Committee, Larissa manages the Cool It! Climate Leadership Program. Currently, she also serves on Central Saanich’s Economic Development Advisory Committee, The Saanich Inlet Network (steering committee), and The Cascadia (green housing)Collaborative (Director).

Stan Boychuk has worked and lived in Saskatchewan, Quebec, Manitoba, Yukon and British Columbia. He has gained an understanding and appreciation of First Nation culture, relationship to the land and the importance of living in balance and harmony with place. Stan has worked in the public, private and the “not for profit” sectors and most recently was the Executive Director, Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve from 2002 – 2007. Boychuk currently resides in Victoria, BC and works as a private consultant, working with organizations to create meaningful relations with First Nation communities, and to create substantive transformational change, providing avenues for creating success in current and emerging markets. Stan volunteers for a number of community organizations: Georgia Strait Alliance, Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve and has chaired the Canadian Commission MAB Committee since May 2010. In September 2011 Stan undertook a mission on behalf of the Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences MAB Programme, UNESCO, to travel to Kiev and the Shatskiy Biosphere Reserve, Ukraine, to support citizen participation in the West Poliskie Tran boundary Biosphere Reserve between Poland, Belarus and the Ukraine and to explore models of ecosystem based management to mitigate the impacts of climate change. In April 2012 Stan attended the Lifelong Learning Programme Grundtvig Workshop, “Creating Bridges – Education for Sustainable Development in MAB Biosphere Reserves and Protected Areas”, organized by the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development Initiative in Athens Greece as a key presenter and facilitator.