Max Cananzi was appointed by the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) to the OMERS Sponsors Corporation (SC) Board effective January 1, 2022. In 2024, Mr. Cananzi was elected as the Chair of the SC Board for term starting on January 1, 2025 through April 14, 2027. Mr. Cananzi serves as a member of the Plan Design Committee and, as Chair, as an ex-officio (non-voting) member on the Corporate Governance & Risk Committee, and Audit & Human Resources Committee. Mr. Cananzi is also a member of the AC/SC Joint Council.
Mr. Cananzi was formerly (2017 to 2020) the President of Alectra Utilities Corporation, the largest municipally-owned electricity distribution utility corporation in Canada; a position from which he retired.
In 2013, Mr. Cananzi was recognized for his leadership in sustainability and utility performance as a Clean50 award recipient. In 2017, he was co-awarded the Ontario Energy Association (OEA) Leader of the Year for his leadership in the merger and creation of Alectra. In 2020, Mr. Cananzi was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the OEA for his leadership, contribution and achievements in Ontario’s energy sector.
From 2006 to 2017, Mr. Cananzi was President and CEO at Horizon Utilities Corporation, where he led the company to become the first utility in Canada to receive the Sustainable Electricity Company™ designation.
Mr. Cananzi has served on several Boards, including the EDA, Municipal Electric Association Reciprocal Insurance Exchange, OEA, Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), and Ontario Energy Network. He also served as Chair of the EDA, OEA, the CEA Sustainability Committee and the CEA Standards Management Committee.
Mr. Cananzi is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Faculty of Engineering and a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) in Ontario. He received his Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Schulich School of Business at York University. In 2022, he completed the Chartered Director program from McMaster University. In 2024, he successfully completed the PPAC program requirements for Pension Plan Administration.