Two extraordinary Canadians will keynote during the AWS‑presented Solutions Studios at YMCA World Council 2026, guiding delegates through leadership, transformation, and navigating disruption.

As the global YMCA Movement prepares to gather in Toronto from 19–24 July 2026, World Council is announcing two exceptional keynote speakers for its AWS‑presented Solutions Studios: journalist and public administrator Marie Wilson, and former astronaut and former International Space Station Commander Colonel Chris Hadfield, sponsored by George Weston Limited.

The Solutions Studios make up the majority of the Wednesday to Friday programme, designed to equip YMCA leaders with the insight, tools, and collaborative space needed to navigate a world defined by disruption.

This part of the programme will guide participants through three thematic lenses - The Shift; The Journey & Response; and The Future & Transformation - helping delegates confront reality, learn from peers, and shape the future of the Movement.

Marie Wilson will open the Solutions Studios as the first plenary on Wednesday, 22 July. As a Commissioner of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission - a landmark national process examining the legacy of residential schools and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples - she played a central role in one of the country’s most significant moments of reflection and change.

A former senior leader at CBC North, she also helped shape northern Canada’s media landscape, creating the region’s first daily television news programmes to amplify voices and stories often unheard. She will challenge delegates to reflect on leadership, equity, and organisational purpose in a rapidly changing world.

Colonel Chris Hadfield will deliver the second plenary on Thursday, 23 July, sponsored by George Weston Limited. The astronaut, business leader, hi-tech entrepreneur, and six-time bestselling author has spent a lifetime leading teams through complexity, risk, and change.

A former Commander of the International Space Station, Hadfield has flown three space missions, performed multiple spacewalks, and served in senior leadership roles with the Canadian Space Agency and NASA. Beyond spaceflight, he advises global technology companies, co-founded the Space Stream at the Creative Destruction Lab, and works with international leaders on sustainable space and innovation initiatives.

Renowned for his compelling storytelling and practical leadership insights, Hadfield connects lessons from space exploration to everyday challenges on Earth - highlighting the importance of purpose, preparation, and shared responsibility.

At World Council, Colonel Hadfield will deliver a keynote that inspires new ways of thinking about leadership, collaboration, and navigating an ever-changing world.