ECS Electrical Cable Supply (ECS), one of Canada's largest independently owned wire and cable distributors, will exhibit at Electricity Transformation Canada (ETC) 2026 from October 19 to 21 at the Enercare Centre, Exhibition Place, in Toronto. At Booth #323, the centerpiece will be an electric formula race car designed and built by Toronto Metropolitan Formula Racing (TMFR), a student engineering team at Toronto Metropolitan University. ECS sponsors the team as part of a broader commitment to youth-led engineering programs, where students gain hands-on experience with real components and real constraints before entering the workforce.
That commitment has practical implications for Canada's electrification buildout. The expansion of new generation, storage, transmission, and distribution infrastructure will be delivered by people who are still in school today. Youth-led programs like TMFR give students the opportunity to specify, terminate, and test electrical connections, mirroring the work that industry professionals perform daily. By supporting such initiatives, ECS helps ensure a pipeline of skilled talent ready to meet the demands of Canada's rapidly evolving electricity system.
Techspan Industries donated the component kits used throughout the car's electrical system, including high-voltage hook-up wire, lugs, ring terminals, crimp connectors, fuses, heat shrink, and mounting hardware. The car will be displayed as a static exhibit, underscoring the tangible results of student engineering. "Connecting people and powering success is not a tagline for us. It is the actual business, and it starts long before a project reaches a job site," said Kirk Readings, Chief Revenue Officer, ECS. "The students on this team specified, terminated, and tested every connection on that car themselves. That is the same work our customers do every day, just at a different scale. Partnering with youth-led programs is how our industry makes sure there are people ready to build what Canada is about to build, and being part of that matters more to us than anything we could put on a product sheet."
Belden and Techspan Industries are partners on the ECS booth at ETC 2026. Product literature from both companies will be available, and representatives will join the ECS team throughout the show. Electricity Transformation Canada brings together utilities, developers, contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers working on Canada's electricity system, from renewable generation and energy storage through to grid and distribution infrastructure. ECS supplies cable into all of these sectors from its nine locations in Canada and two in the United Arab Emirates.
ECS technical and account team members will be available at the booth to discuss product specifications, applications, lead times, and supply program options, and to introduce attendees to the TMFR students behind the car. The presence of the student-built race car at a major industry event highlights the critical role of youth-led engineering in building the future electrical workforce. As Canada embarks on a massive electrification effort, the collaboration between industry leaders like ECS and academic teams like TMFR demonstrates a proactive approach to developing the skills needed for the energy transition. For more information about ECS, visit ecswire.com.
