AEA Electrical Learning EXPO: An Opportunity for Building Connections, Gaining Industry Insights & Discovering New Products for Electrical & Lighting Professionals

April 15, 2026

AEA Electrical Learning EXPO: Facilitating Dynamic Learning, Connection & Innovation

By: Adora Hartley

The Alberta Electrical Alliance (AEA) is dedicated to enhancing the image, knowledge, opportunity, and environment of the Canadian electrical industry, and I was able to experience an excellent example of this at their AEA Electrical Learning EXPO that took place Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Edmonton EXPO Centre.  

During the event, attendees had the chance to speak with industry experts, explore cutting-edge tech and connect with insightful experts in the business. Whether you are an electrical pro, a supplier, or simply eager to stay ahead of the game, this event presents a beneficial way of staying current in the Canadian electrical and lighting industries.

The expo featured five engaging presentations and provided a platform to connect directly with manufacturers and ask questions to solve real-world challenges. With over 70 companies showcasing their latest products and technologies, along with industry professionals delivering insightful sessions, it was an engaging and energic event to attend.

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Showcasing Expertise & Effective Products in the Electrical & Lighting Industries

While exploring the venue and engaging with the various exhibitor booths, innovative new products and reliable solutions were on full display for both the electrical and lighting industries.

Electrical Vendors

The Dandy booth displayed examples of their Essential Load Transfer Switch & Panel, Circuit Breaker Enclosures, Panel Board Weatherproof Enclosures, LOADMISER Energy Divider Controller, CSA Certified Lighting Controller – Econolite Series, and other electrical solutions like their Flex Post Pedestals.

Surge Pure provided useful information on their Mach-2-4XP non-degrading extra-large block SINGLE-ELEMENT protection systems, which are designed to handle potentially damaging hi-energy transients without degradation, and are now available in explosion-proof enclosures. They also offer ‘Remote Aware’ as an option on Mach 2 to Mach 6 models, which can be wired int the building management system (BMS) for supervisory alert notifications against prevention loss.

At the Helix booth, they highlighted their Field Services and how they design, manufacture, assemble and test a complete range of dependable power control systems, such as VFDs, Control Panels, Distribution Equipment and Temporary Power Systems.

WAGO showed examples from their Marking System on display for reliable control panel and cable management, along with a variety of solutions for Control Cabinets, PCB Connectors, Power Supply Modules as well as Touchscreens, I/O Systems, Controllers, and Edge Devices, offering a source for electrical interconnections, interface electronics and automation technology.

The Harmony XVU Modular Tower Lights from Schneider Electric demonstrated enhanced brightness with a flexible design that is stackable up to 5 units, with 6 colors and 5 light patterns, to ensure safety and visibility. They also highlighted their I-Line Combo Panelboard, which combines I-Line and lighting sections in one panelboard, as well as their Altivar Process Modular ATV 600/900 LV Variable Speed Drive which was developed for industrial applications, such as water and wastewater, mining, minerals and metals, oil & gas and food and beverages.

Siemens displayed their new Twin Arc Fault Breakers, offering tandem AFCI circuit technology that feeds two separate circuits from one breaker position, and fits into new or existing construction, saving space and allowing for easy installation.

ABB’s booth covered a vast range of products from their ReliaGear SB Switchboard – EXcelerate, Enclosed Safety Switches, Manual Motor Starters, and Orion Safety Light Curtains, providing attendees with solutions to suite their specific needs and requirements, with many of the products made in Canada.

These are just a few examples of the electrical and automation focused products and solutions that were available for attendees to ask questions to the experts about, receive feedback about how they function in real world situations, and discuss the specification options offered.

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Lighting Vendors

At the Ledvance exhibit, they presented lighting solutions designed to meet next generation challenges across multiple sectors, focusing not only on functional lighting but transforming environments and experiences. Their lighting technologies include LINK Wireless Network Lighting Controls, TruWave, and tapTronic, with lighting selections for Indoor Luminaires, Outdoor Fixtures and recent Hazardous Location lighting solutions.

CSC LED offers a wide range of lighting products for commercial, residential and industrial applications, such as their WCYL Wall Cylinders which are available in 3CCT and RGBW models, ST Strip Lights providing plug and play row mounting to streamline your space, as well as their FLEX FL05 Area Lights which have been featured in several lighting upgrade highlights and made for the Canadian environment.

In regards to emergency and industrial lighting options, BeLuce offers an effective Bluetooth-enabled technology with their Sagio Smart Emergency Lighting System. The integrated Bluetooth Mesh Control allows for controllable features via BeLuce’s Sagio App such as schedules, enhanced monitoring, up to a distance of 100 feet between lighting devices. They also presented their new Hazardous Lighting Haz-X lighting solution line designed to provide robust protection and performance in extreme industrial environments, including the Haz-X I LED Linears, Haz-X S LED High Bays, Haz-X D LED Flood Light, and Haz-X G LED Jelly Jar just to name a few.

OLC Agency demonstrated the versatility of Fluxwerx’s Speak series luminaires, offering variations of Pendant, Surface Mounted and Recessed Downlighting that allow for precise lighting control and highlighting. In all its forms, Speak enhances directional and area illumination with one family, enabling countless possibilities and specification options.

Finally, AimLite focused on the importance of emergency lighting and compliance, and separated their offerings into categories such as Battery Units, Remote Heads, Signs, Combo Signs, Inverters and their Nucleus – Smart Emergency Lighting products. These Canadian made lighting solutions provide reliable and CSA compliant options for a variety of applications.

Exhibiting companies included:

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Informative Industry Insights

The AEA Electrical Learning EXPO featured five informative presentations, covering a variety of topics currently relevant within the electrical industry. Greg Widmeyer, Director of Technology at DIALOG Design, presented “AI Isn’t on the Horizon…It’s Already on the Job Site,” which discussed AI tools that show promise towards streamlining workflows and automating the busywork, in addition to change management. How to deploy these policy tools internally, including governance and pilots, was illustrated across several slides, as well as how AI literacy is currently the #1 skill searched on LinkedIn for example.

Widmeyer also discussed some challenges facing AI such as 3D Geometry and Electrification, in addition to how it is necessary to develop new ways to test students and train young professionals coming up in these fields to ensure that they “know” and understand the principles, to support successful learning development and not overreliance of “trust” in technology.

“Quality Lighting Isn’t an Accident” presented by Tanya Steeves, Lead Lighting Designer at WSP Engineering, provided an engaging discourse on how quality lighting is the result of aligned decisions, made early and regularly throughout to process until installation. Steeves highlighted how communication between all project members enables successful execution and prevents costly and time-consuming issues.

Discussion points covered included:

• Where lighting quality is most often compromised
• Why substitutions and value engineering frequently miss the real trade offs
• How clearer intent and better communication can reduce rework, callbacks, and frustration
• What “equivalent’ should mean when performance matters

Emphasis was placed on how the focus should be on successful collaboration rather than blame, so that designers, architects, contractors, manufacturers and distributors can provide the client with a compliant project that does not compromise intent, function or performance.

In terms of financial insights, Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Senior Economist at ATB Financial provided an economic update designed to deliver the latest economic insights, regarding the impacts of trade tensions, as well as an in-depth look at Alberta’s business sectors, housing and labor markets.

Michelle Goodkey, Managing Principal at Good Synergies shared insights in her presentation “Building Indigenous Partnerships that Drive Profitability” for electrical contractors and engineers looking to find practical pathways to eligibility, invitations to bid, sustainable working relationships with Indigenous communities.

Lastly, Trina Larsen, P.Eng., MSc., LEED AP+BD&C at Larsen Engineering and Peter Wing, P.Eng., Larsen Engineering in their shared panel on “CAN/CSA S1001 – Building Integrated System Testing: Technology & Business Value” highlighted how life systems such as fire alarms, sprinklers, smoke control, elevators, generators, emergency lighting and door sequences must operate as a unified network to protect occupants. After discussing how the CAN/CSA Standard S1001 defines the process for Integrated System Testing (IST), they explored how IST is shaping Alberta’s electrical industry, as it has become part of the building code, impacting all designers, architects, engineers, contractors, and more.

These presentations offered attendees an opportunity to further their understanding of current topics of relevance in the electrical industry, in addition to allowing for an opportunity to ask questions about real world challenges and solutions from professionals in the field.

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Stay Current on Upcoming AEA Events

The AEA Electrical Learning EXPO was an incredible day of learning, connection, and innovation, offering attendees the chance to speak with industry manufacturers and distributors, discover cutting-edge tech and product demonstrations, as well as connect with informative professionals in the business.

The AEA is a non-profit, member-driven provincial association committed to serving the Alberta Electrical community by offering comprehensive education programs, facilitating networking events, and providing access to valuable business opportunities. They prioritize building connections, celebrating leadership within the industry, and serve as an advocate for the Alberta Electrical Industry.

Since their establishment in 1993, their membership has expanded and diversified, encompassing manufacturers, electrical suppliers, manufacturers agents, engineers, utility companies, electricians, contractors, maintenance professionals, government agencies, and students. 

Don’t miss out on future AEA opportunities and events to connect with the electrical industry in Alberta, see the links below.

For more information on upcoming AEA events HERE

For more information on the Alberta Electrical Alliance (AEA) HERE

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