Electrical Business Magazine’s podcast—Direct & Current—uncovers the latest trends and challenges shaping Canada’s electrical landscape. From policy and technology to business strategies and workforce development, we explore it all. Join us for insightful discussions with industry leaders, innovators, experts and game changers.
Site Current, Part 3: Putting your data to work with Melvin Newman, Patabid
In construction today, the data you generate across operations has become one of your most valuable resources – a resource that some shop owners might be leaving buried under a mountain of paperwork. Patabid’s Melvin Newman returns for Part 3 of our Site Current podcast miniseries to share strategies for turning your raw operational data into opportunities for profitable decision-making and long-term growth.
1 Sept 2026
Evolving approaches to diversity with Anna Lary, ConnectHER Hub @ BCIT
We kick off our deeper look at the leaders behind our EMPOWER Showcase with Anna Lary, project lead at the British Columbia Institute of Technology’s ConnectHER Hub. Anna joined us to talk about where she sees diversity’s role in the trades trending in 2026, and what it means to be a champion of diversity for the next generation of Canada’s trades workforce.
9 Jul 2026
Site Current, Part 2: AI tools for risk mitigation, with Patabid’s Melvin Newman
While risk mitigation has always touched many aspects of electrical contracting work, the tools available for how contractors can navigate these risks have begun to evolve. Patabid CEO Melvin Newman returns for Part 2 of the Direct & Current podcast’s Site Current miniseries, this time to discuss the possibilities that AI presents in empowering electrical contractors to manage risk effectively.
13 Apr 2026
Site Current, Part 1: Selecting Software to Scale with Melvin Newman, Patabid
The Direct & Current podcast presents its new Site Current miniseries, exploring how electrical contractors can get the most out of the technology trends and software solutions changing the construction landscape. For Site Current’s debut episode, we’re joined by Patabid CEO Melvin Newman to explore the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind optimizing construction software selection based on project scale.
24 Sept 2025
A Matter of Trust: Teresa Sarkesian on customer confidence as a mandate for Ontario LDCs
A recent survey commissioned by the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) reveals 82% of Ontarians are satisfied with their local electricity service, and 89% trust their local electricity utility.
EDA president & CEO Teresa Sarkesian joined Electrical Business Magazine’s Anthony Capkun to help explain what these results mean for Ontario local distribution companies, their partners and customers.
Sarkesian explains why this high level of trust matters, particularly as Ontario utilities prepare for the next decade of electrification. She highlights how electrical contractors, engineers, and manufacturers can support utilities in maintaining reliability, building customer confidence, and delivering on the promise of a more digital, flexible grid.
The discussion also explores how local distribution companies are working to keep costs manageable while embracing new technologies, from distributed energy resources to artificial intelligence. Sarkesian shares how utilities are deepening ties with their communities, engaging in two-way conversations, and building partnerships that will be essential for modernizing Ontario’s power system.
Finally, she highlights the education and networking opportunities at EDIST 2026—EDA’s flagship conference—where utilities and industry partners connect to shape the future of the grid.
24 Sept 2025
Maintenance and Service: The Present and Future of EV Supply Equipment
While EV chargers may look straightforward from the outside, keeping them reliable and available is no small task.
As part of Electrical Business Magazine’s EV Supply Equipment Week—brought to you in partnership with test & measurement leader Fluke—we examine the maintenance and service practices that underpin a successful EVSE ecosystem.[https://www.fluke.com/en-ca/product/electrical-testing/emobility/fev150 (https://www.fluke.com/en-ca/product/electrical-testing/emobility/fev150)]
Host Anthony Capkun and his guest, Fluke technology director Theo Brillhart, talk about the real-world challenges facing charging infrastructure, such as communications failures, software updates and vandalism.
Brillhart explains why interoperability standards matter, what “success rates” at charging stations really mean, and how certified technicians and standards-traceable tools play a critical role in uptime.
He also highlights the importance of separating warranties from maintenance agreements, structuring strong service-level contracts, and aligning operators with service providers to ensure reliable charging access.
From routine maintenance tasks like filter cleaning, ground fault checks, and calibration, to proactive approaches that anticipate higher charging rates and evolving standards, this discussion offers practical guidance for operators, contractors, and technicians alike.
Whether you’re maintaining existing stations or planning the next generation of EVSE, Brillhart’s insights point the way toward a more futureproofed EV charging ecosystem.
1 Aug 2025
Troubleshooting the Top 3 Areas of Concern in Solar PV Installations with Fluke
While solar PV systems may appear simple from a distance, keeping them up and running takes more than just mounting panels and walking away.
As part of Electrical Business Magazine’s Alternative Energies Theme Week—brought to you in partnership with test & measurement leader Fluke—we explore the Top 3 problem areas in solar PV installations: ground faults, PV modules, and inverters.
Host Anthony Capkun sits down with Will White, Fluke’s senior applications specialist and a long-time solar pro, to dig into common causes, telltale signs, and diagnostic approaches for identifying and resolving performance issues in the field.
From wire management best practices and insulation resistance testing to IV curve tracing, aerial thermography, and the soon-to-launch GFL 1500 ground fault locator, White shares practical tips for installers and maintenance techs alike. He also dives into inverter diagnostics, power quality concerns, and data communication issues that often crop up in large-scale systems.
Whether you’re building new or troubleshooting existing PV systems, this conversation provides expert advice for keeping your solar arrays safe, efficient, and producing power.
26 Aug 2024
Pandemic roundtable with electrical distributors, Part 1
At the end of April 2020, to varying degrees, we were just over one month into a national lockdown due to COVID-19.
The economy was shutting down, yet electricians had been deemed “essential” in most jurisdictions and, by extension, their distributors. So I gathered together a panel of electrical distributors, from one coast to the other, to learn how the pandemic was affecting their operations and their ability to serve their customers.
My panelists included: Cliff Backman, Franklin Empire; Elaine Gerrie, Gerrie Electric; Greg Stephenson, Bartle & Gibson; Jason Taylor, Graybar Canada; Mathieu Legris, Electrimat; Michael Gross, Wesco; Roger Little, Rexel Canada (Nedco, Westburne, Rexel Atlantic); Tim Horsman, E.B. Horsman & Son; Tim MacDonald, Ideal Supply.
This is Part 1 of 2 of that discussion. In Part 2, I ask my panelists what pandemic-related changes, lessons learned, and the like will persist when the crisis eventually passes, and we get to our NEW normal.
26 Aug 2024
Is the coronavirus THAT bad? Yes... and no
There’s no shortage of both information and misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, so how do we separate the good from bad? The legitimate from the bogus?
How do we keep safe our construction sites, and the employees work in them?
We can all use the best advice possible during this crisis, so went straight to someone “in the know”— Tom Mackay, who recently joined the Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario as Health & Safety Director.
He is a Canadian Registered Safety Professional and National Construction Safety Officer. Tom has also held the position of Director of Health, Safety & Environment at a high-voltage electrical construction company, and worked at the Ministry of Labour as an Occupational Health & Safety Inspector and as a Provincial Offences Officer.
Tom joins Electrical Business Magazine’s Anthony Capkun for a discussion about COVID-19, where we talk about facts and myths about the novel coronavirus and—perhaps most importantly—best practices for contractors that shows their due diligence in keeping their teams as safe as possible on the job.
NOTE: The COVID-19 situation continue to evolve rapidly. Information changes almost daily. The content of this conversation should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice.
26 Aug 2024
What does Canada’s energy future look like? CanREA’s Robert Hornung answers
The Canadian Solar Industries Association and Canadian Wind Energy Association amalgamated this year to become the Canadian Renewable Energy Association—a new national voice for the wind, solar and energy storage industries.
Leading this new association is Robert Hornung, who served as president of CanWEA for 17 years.
“I would say we have a keen interest in ensuring that our discussions and debates around energy are fact-based, because we want to ensure that the decisions that we are taking are well-informed decisions going forward,” Robert says.
In this episode of Direct & Current, Robert joins Anthony Capkun to not only talk about CanREA’s vision and goals, but to dig deeper and answer questions like: Is there a distinction between renewable energies and green energies? (Yes, in fact) What was the rationale for adding energy storage to CanREA’s equation? What, exactly, does our energy future look like?
“It’s not our intention as an association to attack any other forms of generation... we will compare different forms of generation on a facts basis in terms of various attributes that they have, but the reality is we are going to need a lot of different approaches to deal with targets like those identified in the Paris accord,” Robert explains.
26 Aug 2024
“Leadershift” report a “wake-up call” for gender equity in the electricity sector
In this episode of Direct & Current, Anthony Capkun interviews Michelle Branigan, CEO of Electricity Human Resources Canada, to learn more about EHRC’s research project, “Leadershift: Pathways to Gender Equity”.
And some of the findings—in this day and age—are confounding.
For example, almost 1 in every 5 men (18%) in this report believes it is easier for women to succeed in their workplace than it is for them, while 3 of every 4 women (75%) believe they have a harder time.
“I do think that some of the findings in the Leadershift report will be a big surprise to those reading it,” admits Michelle Branigan, EHRC’s CEO, “But I do think it’s going to be a little bit of a wake-up call for some leaders in the sector.”
CLICK PLAY and let’s untangle those pathways to gender equity.
26 Aug 2024
Giving Ontario’s building and construction tradeswomen a stronger voice: OBCT’s Speakers’ Bureau
Want to hear inspiring stories from women who are breaking barriers in the construction industry? Tune into this episode of Direct & Current to learn about the Ontario Building and Construction Tradeswomen’s new Speakers’ Bureau.
Host Anthony Capkun is joined by Kate Walsh to talk about this exciting initiative that connects organizations with skilled tradeswomen ready to share their experiences. From electricians and carpenters to boilermakers and beyond, these women are passionate about inspiring the next generation of tradespeople.
Discover how the Speakers’ Bureau is helping to change perceptions about women in the skilled trades and providing a platform for these remarkable individuals to share their journeys. Whether you’re a student, educator, business leader or event planner, you’ll want to know more about OBCT’s Speakers’ Bureau.
26 Aug 2024
Pandemic roundtable with electrical distributors, Part 2
At the end of April 2020, to varying degrees, we were just over one month into a national lockdown due to COVID-19.
The economy was shutting down, yet electricians had been deemed “essential” in most jurisdictions and, by extension, their distributors. So I gathered together a panel of electrical distributors, from one coast to the other, to learn how the pandemic was affecting their operations and their ability to serve their customers.
My panelists included: Cliff Backman, Franklin Empire; Elaine Gerrie, Gerrie Electric; Greg Stephenson, Bartle & Gibson; Jason Taylor, Graybar Canada; Mathieu Legris, Electrimat; Michael Gross, Wesco; Roger Little, Rexel Canada (Nedco, Westburne, Rexel Atlantic); Tim Horsman, E.B. Horsman & Son; Tim MacDonald, Ideal Supply.
This is Part 2 of 2 of that discussion. In Part 1, I ask my panelists how the pandemic was affecting their operations and their ability to serve their customers.
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