CN Forum 2026
Accelerating Innovation through Critical Infrastructure
September 16, 2026 at the MSU Henry Center
Join leaders in business, policy, and binational relations for the 2026 CN Forum, hosted by the MSU Canadian Studies Center.
The Michigan State University Canadian Studies Center's CN Forum, supported by an endowment from Canadian National Railway, brings together academic, business, policy, and government leaders to advance shared U.S.–Canada priorities and promote collaborative social and economic growth across the Great Lakes region and beyond.
Agenda
Coffee and Registration
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Opening Remarks
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Speakers TBA.
Morning Panel: Accelerating a Blue Economy through Critical Infrastructure
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Gain a clear understanding of the current and future needs of Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Seaway critical infrastructure, the binational maritime strategies shaping its future, and the collaborative U.S.-Canada efforts driving modernization and economic growth across the region’s waterways.
Lunch and Networking
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Keynote Address
1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Speaker TBA. Speaker and speaking time subject to change.
Afternoon Panel: Next-Gen Fuels and the Future of Mobility
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Understand the evolving landscape of alternative energy infrastructure and next‑generation fuels, including their economic impact on Michigan and the Great Lakes region, and how these developments align with broader mobility strategies to shape a more efficient binational transportation future.
Closing Remarks and Acknowledgments
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Registration information forthcoming.
The Michigan State University Canadian Studies Center's CN Forum provides a venue for academic, business, policy, and governmental leaders to share information, discuss matters of common concern to those in the U.S. and Canada, and identify opportunities for mutual cooperation to enhance social and economic growth.
Initiated through a generous endowment provided to the Canadian Studies Center by Canadian National Railway (CN), the CN Forum is hosted every other year. It attracts participants from key business and policy communities, including:
- Local, state, and federal legislators from Michigan and the Midwest
- Local, provincial, and federal legislators and diplomats from Canada
- U.S. and Canadian business leaders
- MSU faculty, staff, and students
Past CN Forum themes include:
- U.S.-Canada relations
- Cross-border trade
- Economic development
- Border crossings and security
- Economic development
- Great Lakes trade, research, tourism, and protection
- Arctic research
Past CN Forums:
