Inclusion in Action: ABLE and AWN Welcome Chantal Petitclerc to Inspire Alcoa Canada Teams

Employees from Alcoa’s three aluminum smelters in Canada came together for a shared conversation on attitude, passion, and determination.

On February 19, employees from Alcoa’s Canada aluminum smelters in Deschambault, Bécancour and Baie-Comeau came together for a conference with Chantal Petitclerc, hosted live at Aluminerie de Deschambault and livestreamed across the company’s Canadian operations.

Held under the theme “Attitude, Passion, Determination,” the conference created a shared moment of reflection on resilience, discipline and personal accountability — qualities that support strong performance, teamwork and inclusive workplaces and that resonate strongly during the Olympic Winter Games period.

Employees participated both in person and online, underscoring the importance of creating opportunities for connection and learning across locations.

About the Speaker

Chantal Petitclerc is one of Canada’s most accomplished Paralympic athletes and a widely respected advocate for resilience, excellence and inclusion. A wheelchair racer from Québec, she earned 21 Paralympic medals, including 14 gold, across five Paralympic Games between 1992 and 2008.

She is also the first Canadian athlete to win gold medals at the Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games, a rare distinction that reflects the exceptional scope of her athletic career.

Beyond her achievements in sport, Chantal is recognized as a compelling speaker who shares practical lessons on perseverance, discipline and leadership drawn from both her athletic journey and life experience.

Her message resonates across industries, encouraging individuals and teams to challenge perceived limits and focus on continuous improvement.

Connecting to Alcoa’s Culture

Through her personal story, Chantal encouraged employees to believe in their potential, embrace challenges, and apply daily discipline to achieve long-term goals — messages that resonate strongly with Alcoa’s values of Act with Integrity, Operate with Excellence, Care for People, And Lead with Courage and with the mindset seen across Olympic and Paralympic athletes during this season.

The conference was organized jointly by the Canadian chapters of ABLE (Alcoans Moving Beyond Limited Expectations) and AWN (Alcoa Women’s Network), Alcoa inclusion groups that are open to all.

Reflecting Alcoa’s “Care for People” value and committing to make Alcoa a welcoming workplace for all, the event highlighted the value of diverse experiences and perspectives in strengthening teams and building a culture of shared accountability and growth.