G7 Canada Brain Economy Summit: Draft Program

Uniting leaders across sectors to build a thriving brain economy for the future.

Summit Overview

The G7 Canada Brain Economy Summit is designed to show how brain health is relevant across all sectors of society—not just health. Through focused discussions aligned with G7 engagement group themes (such as Business 7, Civil Society 7, Labour 7, Science 7 and others), we:

  • Demonstrate that brain health is an economic, workforce, and societal issue.
  • Empower different sectors to take action instead of relying on government alone to drive change.
  • Make brain health a cross-sector responsibility, showing how each area contributes to a broader brain economy framework.

The process is structured to build shared understanding and drive collective momentum across sectors—showcasing real-world contributions in positioning brain health as a key global economic and societal priority.

Read the concept note submitted to Canada’s G7 Sherpa team
• Canada 2025 G7 Brain Economy Summit: Call to Action
Read our editorial published by the Canadian Science Policy Centre
• The Brain Advantage for a Thriving Economy: A Global Call to Action

Event Details

Part 1: Two-Part Virtual Roundtables

Day 1: Date/Time: Wednesday May 28, 2025 | 10am – 1pm EDT | 4pm – 7pm CEST
Day 2: Date/Time: Wednesday June 4, 2025 | 10am – 11:30am EDT | 4pm – 5:30pm CEST

Goal: This convening will bring together stakeholders to explore how key sectors can drive innovative solutions to the challenges and opportunities of the brain economy. Structured around G7 engagement group themes, these discussions will explore how brain capital connects to sectorial priorities and what coordinated efforts are needed to support cognitive resilience, workforce capacity, and inclusive growth.

Big-Picture Framing

  • Opening Segment: Framing remarks on what is the Brain Economy and relevance to G7 priorities.
  • Q&A: Open discussion to clarify key ideas and surface initial reactions before sector sessions begin.

Roundtables: G7-Aligned Thematic Group Work

Participants join virtual breakout rooms aligned with G7 engagement group lenses:
  • Business 7 (B7) – Advancing workforce productivity, cognitive skills, economic growth, and business innovation.
  • Civil Society 7 (C7) – Mobilizing NGOs, advocacy organizations, public health groups, and community-driven initiatives.
  • Labour 7 (L7) – Strengthening worker protections, job design, and career sustainability in a changing economy.
  • Science 7 (S7) – Driving discovery, innovation, and evidence-based strategies to advance the brain economy.
  • Think 7 (T7) – Shaping governance, economic modeling, and policy frameworks.
  • Women 7 (W7) – Advancing gender equity in brain health, caregiving, workforce participation, and economic leadership.
  • Youth 7 (Y7) – Strengthening youth brain health, education systems, and pathways to future workforce resilience.

Learn more about how the G7 Engagement Groups connect to the brain economy.

Each group explores the brain economy through the Inspire–Guide–Forecast framework:
 1️⃣ Inspire – Why this matters and what your sector is already doing
 2️⃣ Guide – What shifts, resources, or actions are needed to contribute more fully
 3️⃣ Forecast – What success looks like if the brain economy becomes a shared priority

Thematic Synthesis & Collective Insights

  • Synthesis will be structured around cross-cutting themes rather than group-by-group report-outs.
  • Facilitators will identify shared ideas across breakout rooms (e.g., what multiple sectors said about productivity, equity, or AI) and bring those themes into a plenary discussion.
  • Designated participants may be invited to respond or add reflections, encouraging integration across sectors and reinforcing collective ownership of the Brain Economy Declaration.

Shaping the Brain Economy Declaration

Collective synthesis point at the end of the roundtables to:

  • Identify key takeaways across groups
  • Highlight points of alignment or urgency
  • Surface what must be included in the Brain Economy Declaration
  • Give participants a sense that the declaration is grounded in what they contributed
Facilitators will draft the Brain Economy Declaration based on insights shared across discussions. A working draft will be circulated to participants for feedback on clarity, alignment, and any key omissions. The final Declaration will be refined and publicly launched at the June 14 event.
Part 2: In-Person Brain Economy Global Briefing

Date/Time: Saturday, June 14th, 2025 | 10:30am – 4pm  MDT
Location: BMO Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Goal: The in-person event in Calgary will serve as the public capstone, unveiling the Brain Economy Declaration. It will bring the brain economy to life through personal stories, system-level insights, and real-world examples—highlighting how brain health and brain skills are driving strategy, investment, and innovation across sectors.

Welcome & Framing

  • Opening remarks by host
  • Short remarks from dignitaries (e.g., Senator, Member of Parliament, Ministers, UCalgary President)

G7 Canada Declaration on the Brain Economy – Presentation

  • Overview of declaration development process (virtual roundtables, cross-sector input) and presentation of 3–5 key themes

Panel Discussion: Policy Reflections – The Brain Economy in Practice

Panelists will frame the brain economy within the current national and international policy landscape, offering insight into how governments are engaging with these ideas.

Themes could include:

  1. What the brain economy means to their portfolios or regions
  2. Where brain health and productivity are already being considered in policy
  3. Opportunities for continued dialogue across sectors and government

TED-Style Perspectives on the Brain Economy

Each session will explore the core themes of the brain economy through complementary lenses—first from the individual level, then from the system and organizational level.

Part 1: Personal Perspectives – How the Brain Economy Shows Up in People’s Lives
Speakers may include:

  • People with lived/living experience (PWLE) – mental health, neurodivergence, caregiving
  • Youth or education sector voices
  • Moderator links to policy, equity, and productivity

Part 2: Business & Systems Perspectives – Strategy and Investment in the Brain Economy
Speakers may include:

  • Business leaders
  • Health or education system leaders
  • Funders or innovation/policy representatives
  • Moderator connects to national strategy and investment implications

Closing Reflections & Forward Look

  • Final remarks from CBRS
  • Setting our sights on UNGA 80, the G20 South Africa Brain Economy Summit and DAC Brain House@Davos2026 – Featured contributions from respective organizers

Innovation Showcase & Networking Reception

  • Interactive exhibit space featuring booths from Canadian and international organizations showcasing bold ideas, research, and community-driven models shaping the brain economy
  • Casual networking reception held in the showcase area, with light bites and informal conversation
  • Designed for connection, visibility, and cross-sector exchange—bringing together researchers, policymakers, funders, and innovators

Summit Outcomes

The G7 Canada Brain Economy Summit is designed to drive tangible outcomes that extend beyond dialogue. These include:

  1. A published Summit report and declaration capturing key insights, discussion highlights, and recommended actions—to be submitted to G7 Sherpas and the Kananaskis Leaders’ Summit, with the aim of securing brain health language in the official G7 communiqué.
  2. Concrete G7-relevant policy recommendations—developed through working groups aligned with G7 engagement themes (e.g., Business, Youth, Science)—focused on advancing the brain economy, including calls for the establishment of a global fund and a strategic implementation committee to drive action beyond 2025.
  3. A Canadian-led contribution to a G7 Brain Economy agenda, highlighting cross-sector insights and leadership examples that can inform national strategies and shape shared priorities across G7 countries.
  4. Strategic visibility and influence for contributing organizations—showcasing their contributions to global dialogue and positioning them as leaders in shaping the future of brain economy policy, investment, and collaboration.
  5. Catalyzing new partnerships and investments by showcasing innovation, aligning policy and research, and demonstrating the economic imperative of brain health.
  6. Momentum toward UNGA 80, the G20 South Africa Brain Economy Summit and DAC Brain House@Davos2026. Summit outputs will inform global brain economy strategy-building and position participants to shape next steps in broader international efforts, particularly with the Global South.

Thank you to our sponsors.