2026 Conference Highlights

OPCA Conference 2026: Industry Collaboration and Advancing Safety

March 9–11, 2026 | Toronto Congress Centre

The 2026 OPCA Conference brought together contractors, industry partners, and safety leaders from across the country for three days of training, collaboration, and forward-thinking discussion. From technical learning to strategic conversations, the event reinforced OPCA’s ongoing commitment to supporting the contractor community and advancing safety across the petroleum industry.

Day 1 – Training & Industry Engagement

The conference kicked off with a full day of manufacturer-led training sessions, offered complimentary to OPCA members and their employees. These sessions continue to be a valued part of the conference, providing practical, hands-on learning directly from industry experts.

A sincere thank you to this year’s participating companies:
Franklin Electric, OPW, Gilbarco, Red Leonard & Associates, Xerxes, Icon Containment Solutions, National Energy Equipment, and NOV.

The day concluded with an evening reception, offering attendees an opportunity to connect, share experiences, and strengthen relationships across the industry.

Day 2 – POST Safety Forum

The POST Safety Forum once again served as a cornerstone of the conference, with a strong focus on continuous improvement and real-world application of safety practices.

As POST Committee Chair, Michelle Rae opened the forum with updates on current POST initiatives, highlighting the program’s continued growth and evolution. The session also featured the premiere of the latest Featured Contractor video, showcasing Claybar Contracting. Special thanks to Brian de Nobriga and his team for their participation and for sharing how POST supports their day-to-day operations.

A key highlight of the forum was the fireside chat with Mike Papulkas of BGIS, which explored the risks associated with hot work. The discussion emphasized that while hot work is familiar, it remains one of the highest-risk activities in the industry—particularly where vapours are present, and conditions can change quickly. The conversation reinforced the importance of proper planning, continuous monitoring, and maintaining a high level of awareness to prevent incidents.

This was followed by a second fireside chat with Kate Fee and Steve Kuzmanovic of Suncor, introducing the new Critical Control Assurance (CCA) Checklist. The discussion focused on shifting from procedural compliance to ensuring that critical controls are effective in real time. Developed through collaboration between Suncor and the POST Advisory Committee, the CCA Checklist represents a practical tool to help prevent high-consequence incidents and strengthen field-level safety practices.

The forum also welcomed keynote speaker Bill Carr, who delivered an engaging and thought-provoking session on complacency in safety. Through relatable examples and humour, Bill challenged attendees to remain present and vigilant in their work, reinforcing that even in well-established safety environments, complacency can pose a significant risk.

The day concluded with the presentation of the POST Volunteer Appreciation Awards. Congratulations to Steve Kuzmanovic and Martin Deblois for their outstanding contributions to the POST Advisory Committee. The awards were presented by committee member Rick Lombardi.

Day 3 – OPCA AGM: Industry Leadership & Looking Ahead

The conference concluded with the OPCA Annual General Meeting, where members received updates on key initiatives and emerging regulatory developments impacting the industry.

OPCA President Ken Jamieson provided an update on ongoing work with TSSA related to the Liquid Fuels Handling Code, reinforcing OPCA’s continued advocacy on behalf of contractors.

Attendees also heard from Owen Kennedy, Director of Fuels Safety at TSSA, who provided a comprehensive update on several key regulatory initiatives, including the Liquid Fuels Compliance Standard, Risk-Based Inspection program, FY25 Safety Performance results, updates on retail mobile refueling, and the Liquid Fuels Code Adoption document. The presentation was followed by an open Q & A session.

The session provided valuable insight into the evolving regulatory landscape and offered members the opportunity to understand better how these initiatives may impact their operations.

Members also heard from Marie-Michelle Modery and Lisa McClemmons, who provided an update on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s current initiatives related to storage tank regulations.

A fireside chat with Ken Jamieson and OPTTA President Jim Wood explored alignment and collaboration across the contractor and transportation sectors, reinforcing the value of working together as the industry continues to evolve.

The meeting concluded with Board elections, with all incumbents re-elected, and the presentation of an Honorary Membership to Mike Haller in recognition of his contributions to the industry.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 OPCA Conference once again demonstrated the strength of the contractor community and the importance of collaboration in advancing safety and industry standards.

From technical training to strategic dialogue, the conference reinforced a shared commitment to continuously improve, adapt, and ensure that safety remains at the forefront of everything we do.

Stay tuned for details for next year’s conference March 8-10 2027!

Thank you to this year’s sponsors!