The Empire Club of Canada
Hybrid
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
The average life expectancy of a Canadian has grown over the past 200 years from below 40 to over 82 years. Canadians are living longer, but for many, it is not long enough.
The pursuit of longevity is further evolving – becoming a passion feeding a booming industry promoting preventative and personalized health care strategies to increase not only our lifespans but our health spans as well. From cold plunges to red-light therapy – from sleep-tracking rings to biohacking practices, there have been many varying methods that have been featured by celebrities in the news and social media, that are claimed to promote life extension.
But are any of these treatments grounded in science?
Longevity also has “side effects”. When our retirement years can last longer than expected, it requires a different approach to savings and investment portfolio construction. There are insurance implications and immeasurable costs for the sandwich generation as they balance unpaid caregiving with paid employment – impacting economic productive and growth potential.
This event will feature three very different approaches to longevity.
On April 23, 2025, the Empire Club of Canada will first hear featured remarks from Dr. Kashif Irshad, Lifespire’s Medical Director & Co-Founder on the evolving science of longevity that impacts health vitality and well-being.
We are also honoured to welcome the remarks from Dr. Samir Sinha, Geriatrician and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and Director of Health Policy Research at the National Institute of Ageing, on the science of ageing from his perspective of his role as a renowned clinician and research who has been known to question the scientific basis for some of the emerging longevity practices being currently promoted.
And to understand how living longer should impact your personal approach to financial and estate planning, we will welcome Alex Besharat, Executive Vice President, Canadian Wealth Management of Scotia Wealth Management to join our medical experts on a panel.
Karli Farrow is the President and CEO at Trillium Health Partners (THP). Previously she was the Executive Vice-President of Patient Care Services and Chief Operating Officer where she was accountable for clinical operations and the delivery of exceptional patient experiences. She also oversaw capital planning and redevelopment to ensure that all future planning at THP is closely linked to the delivery of patient care.
Karli joined THP in 2009 prior to the merger of Credit Valley Hospital and Trillium Health Centre. She provided leadership to support the merger of the two organizations in 2011. She has since led innovative processes to engage people within the organization and in the community to achieve the hospital’s strategic mission to deliver a new kind of health care for a healthier community.
Prior to joining THP, Karli worked in health care consulting where she led projects focused on reducing wait times and improving chronic disease management. She has also served in senior advisory roles for the Ontario Government, including Director of Policy for the Premier of O ntario and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, where she helped develop and implement strategies to improve access to care and long-term sustainability of the health care system in Ontario.
Karli serves on the Board of Trustees of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) and the Board of Directors of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).
Alex Besharat was appointed Executive Vice President, Canadian Wealth Management on March 1, 2020. In this role, he is responsible for defining and implementing the strategic direction, goals and values for Scotia Wealth Management in Canada, including ScotiaMcLeod, Private Banking, Scotia iTrade, MD Financial Management, Private Investment Counsel and Scotiatrust businesses, to deliver sustainable and profitable growth and meet our clients’ financial goals.
Alex has over 35 years of wealth management experience. He began his career as an advisor with ScotiaMcLeod in 1986. Since then, he has held progressively senior roles within ScotiaMcLeod and Scotia Wealth Management. Over the course of his career, Alex has been recognized for his strategic leadership, relationship management expertise, and unwavering focus on client centered, comprehensive wealth management solutions.
Dr. Kashif Irshad is the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at William Osler Health System and a leader in cancer surgery innovation. He earned his medical degree and completed his General Surgery training at McGill University, where he also obtained a Master of Science in Experimental Surgery. In addition to his surgical expertise, Dr. Irshad serves as Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at Clinic360 and is a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Driven by the belief that longevity is about more than just lifespan—it’s about healthspan—Dr. Irshad focuses on preventive care, early intervention, and continuous optimization. His patient-centered approach combines advanced diagnostics, biomarker testing, and personalized longevity roadmaps to empower individuals in their health journey. At Lifespire, he leads initiatives integrating cutting-edge technology, coaching, and therapeutics, ensuring members receive the most comprehensive and transformative longevity care available.
Dr. Samir Sinha is a Geriatrician and Clinician Scientist at Sinai Health System and the University Health Network in Toronto, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, the Director of Health Policy Research at Toronto Metropolitan University’s National Institute on Ageing, and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.
A Rhodes Schola, Dr. Sinha received his Medical Degree from Western University and completed his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at the University of Toronto and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He further holds a Masters in Medical History and a Doctorate in Sociology from the University of Oxford.
He is a member of the Government of Canada’s National Seniors Council and Ministerial Advisory Board on Dementia that developed, launched and now oversees Canada’s National Dementia Strategy. He also recently led the successful development of Canada’s new National Long-Term Care Services Standard. Internationally, since 2014, he has served as a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council and was recently appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees for HelpAge International.
After recently completing a long and successful tenure as the Director of Geriatrics for Sinai Health and the University Health Network, Samir is currently serving as a 2024-2025 Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford and AMS Fellow in Compassion and AI exploring the ethical and other implications of leveraging AI and other technologies to enable healthy ageing and ageing-in-the-right-place.
