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CANADIAN INDUSTRY ONLINE - NOVEMBER 2012
I
N MARCH
OF
this year, CanSIA
welcomed a new president, John
Gorman, to the organization.
Gorman came to CanSIA from
Sunlogics Inc., a global integrator of
solar energy systems, where he served
as Senior Vice President of External
Affairs and Director (Canada). He was
also a Founding Partner of PACE, a
government and public affairs consult-
ing firm focused on aligning the inter-
ests of the public and private sectors
on matters pertaining to sustainable
municipal infrastructure.
In a press release from CanSIA,
Chair Michelle Chislett said: “We are
pleased to have someone with the
wealth of experience John brings to the
table. His background in government
relations and infrastructure are the
right blend for the solar industry and
the many small businesses that com-
prise CanSIA.”
“
Solar moves with rare speed and
his drive and enthusiasm will help
us guide members and work with the
governments that are crucial to our
success.”
Gorman has a career in energy
that spans over a decade, and CIO
had the pleasure of speaking with him
about coming to CanSIA, the organiza-
tion’s success, and plans for the next
few years—which will be critical for
the solar industry in Canada.
What is the biggest change you
have seen in the progression of the
solar industry since you began your
career in energy?
Well, in 2007 we had 400 attend-
ees to the Solar Canada conference.
With the introduction of the FIT Pro-
gram in Ontario, we moved to the
MTCC to accommodate numbers, and
last year we had 4000 attendees. Take
a look at CanSIA statistics: we had just
over 200 members in 2007 and now we
have over 800.
What are the greatest challenges
in Ontario for solar?
There are growing pains with
John Gorman