The Canadian Galvanizing Institute (CGI-IGC) is a national, bilingual, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing durable, low-carbon solutions through the use of galvanized steel, helping achieve Canada’s sustainability and climate goals. The institute launched on November 1st, 2025 with the goal of serving as Canada’s national voice and collaborative hub for advancing galvanizing excellence. Since then, they have worked closely with a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders in order to drive research, development, and innovation focused on improving galvanizing systems using Canadianspecific guidance. Hellen Christodoulou, president and CEO, has been with the organization from the beginning, and has been working in the steel industry in Canada for over 40 years. Her storied career prior to helping form CGI-IGC was marked by several firsts – for example, she was the first female engineer in a leadership role at the CP Rail Chief Engineers’ office and introduced orthotropic deck design for CP Rail railway bridges. During her tenure as Executive Vice President of Engineering and Sustainability at Corbec Inc., she pioneered the implementation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for galvanized steel in Canada and galvanized rebar in North America. Recognized as a leading forensic expert in bridge and infrastructure analysis, she has also served as an arbitrator for major bridge projects. Her academic credentials include a PhD in civil engineering specializing in bridges, degrees in civil and common law, and an MBA. According to Hellen, CGI-IGC was created to address a critical gap in Canada’s construction ecosystem, one she had observed personally over her long career in the industry. MARCH 2026
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