Mitacs welcomes the Honourable Lisa Raitt to its Board of Directors

Vancouver, BC — Following the Annual General Meeting on September 29, 2026, Mitacs is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honourable Lisa Raitt, P.C., to our Board of Directors. Raitt brings extensive experience spanning business, public service, governance, and economic development to the role.

Mitacs also extends our sincere thanks to outgoing Vice-Chair of the Board, Dr. Amiee Chan, President and CEO of Norsat International Inc., for her leadership, dedicated service to the organization, and commitment to advancing innovation and talent development in Canada.

New director

The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Vice-Chair, Office of the CEO, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)

The Honourable Lisa Raitt joined CIBC Capital Markets in 2020 and currently serves as Vice-Chair, Office of the CEO. Her work focuses on senior client relationships and business development across the energy, infrastructure, and industrial sectors.

Prior to joining CIBC, Raitt served as President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and held several senior federal cabinet portfolios, including Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of Labour, and Minister of Transport. She later served as Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition.

Raitt holds a Bachelor of Science from St. Francis Xavier University, a Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of Guelph, and an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School. She was called to the Ontario bar in 1998.

She currently serves as Chair of the St. Francis Xavier University Board of Governors and brings extensive experience in corporate and not-for-profit governance.

Raitt joins current board members:

• Bruce MacDougall (Board Chair), Principal, Burcot Park Inc.
• David Agnew, President, Seneca Polytechnic
  Alice B. Aiken, CD, PhD, MSc, BScPT, BSc, ICD.D, Professor
• Bing Cao, Founder and CEO, Nanode Battery Technologies Ltd.
• Leonard Daniels, Principal, Daniels Management Consulting
• Alex LaPlante, Vice President Cash Management and Technology Canada, Royal Bank of Canada
• Wendy Luther, MBA, CITP, President and CEO, Halifax Partnership
• Michael McNair, President and CEO, Arctic Economic Development Corporation
• Nabila Mohammed, Chief Financial Officer, Cystic Fibrosis Canada
• Thomas Park, Chief Investment Officer, InBC Investment Corp
• Mario Pinto, Vice-President Research, University of Manitoba
• Karen T. Y. Shaw, Legal Counsel, Fairstone Financial
• Paul Smith, Executive Director of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC)

Quotes

“Lisa Raitt is a distinguished Canadian business and public policy leader who has served as Vice-Chair of CIBC, Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition, federal Minister of Transport, Labour, and Natural Resources, and President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. Lisa brings an outstanding combination of distinguished public service, senior business leadership, and deep knowledge of the Canadian economy to Mitacs. Her perspective will be invaluable as we continue to build partnerships that help strengthen Canada’s productivity and competitiveness.”

— Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO, Mitacs

“On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to welcome Lisa to Mitacs. Her experience across government, industry, and governance will add an important perspective to our work. I also want to thank Amiee for her leadership and valuable contributions to the Board and to Mitacs over the course of her service.”

— Bruce MacDougall, Chair, Mitacs Board of Directors

About Mitacs

Mitacs delivers the return on innovation Canada needs now by connecting big ideas, people, and ambition to turn potential into results. Through our co-funded innovation partnerships, we get Canada’s businesses and researchers where they need to go.
Mitacs partners innovate faster. Commercialize sooner. Compete globally. Scale and grow stronger. We open the door to opportunity, creating jobs and equipping students and postdoctoral researchers with skills, industry experience, and professional networks.
A national not-for-profit organization founded in 1999, Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.