WCEF 2024 RECAP

8:00AM Registration: Coffee and Networking

8:30AM Welcome and Opening Remarks

Land Acknowledgement and Economic Reconciliation Call to Action
Chris Sicotte, Chair of the Board
Sparrow Hawk Developments (Peepeekisis Cree Nation)

Western Canada Economic Forum Introduction
Alex Fallon, Founder and Co-Chair

Host Organization, Welcoming Remarks
Brad Parry, Chief Executive Officer
Calgary Economic Development

9:00AM Government of Canada: Growth in the West and Growth in Canada

Maninder Sidhu
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
Government of Canada

Diane Gray
President
Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan)
Government of Canada

9:35AM The Economic Outlook for the West and for Canada

Moderator: Annette Bester, Partner, National Credit Union Leader, MNP

Mark Parsons
Chief Economist
ATB Financial

Marie-France Paquet
Chief Economist
Global Affairs Canada

10:15AM STRETCH & COFFEE BREAK

10:30AM The Provincial Perspective – Provincial Growth Strategies

Moderator: Hon. Gary G. Mar, KC, President and CEO, Canada West Foundation

Jodi Banks
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Trade and Export Development, Government of Saskatchewan

David James
Deputy Minister
Ministry of Technology and Innovation, Government of Alberta

Government of Manitoba*

*invited

11:15AM Business Opportunities & Challenges for Growth in the West

Moderator: Shauna Feth, President and CEO, Alberta Chamber of Commerce

Prabha Ramaswamy
Chief Exeutive Officer
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce

Adam Legge
President
Business Council of Alberta

Chuck Davidson
Chief Executive Officer
Manitoba Chamber of Commerce

12:00PM LUNCH

Presentation: The Westerly Award for Outstanding Contribution to

Economic Development in the West

1:00PM Financing Business Growth Across the West

Moderator: Richard Arthurs, Partner, National Leader - Internal Audit, MNP

Chris Fowler
Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Western Bank

Paul Poscente
Chief Executive Officer
Axxcelus Capital Advisory

Ted Bauer
VP Engagement and External Relations
Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation

1:45PM Investment Attraction, Trade and Export Development

Moderator: Vina Nadjibulla, Vice-President, Research & Strategy, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Jacquie Griffiths
President
Invest Vancouver

Chris Dekker
Chief Executive Officer
Saskatchewan Trade & Export Development (STEP)

Mark Livingston
Regional Vice President
Export Development Canada

2:30PM: BREAK

2:40PM: Transformational Growth Opportunities for the West

Heather Exner-Pirot
Senior Fellow
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Drew Zieglgansberger
Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer
Cenovus Energy

3:30PM: The West, First Nations and Canada - Can We Grow Together?

Ken Coates
Distinguished Fellow and Director of Indigenous Affairs
The Macdonald-Laurier Institute

Blaine Favel
Founder, First People's Pipeline
Past Chief, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations

4:00PM KEY NOTE: Unlocking the Full Potential of Economic Growth in the West

Introduction: Gillian McCormack, National Director, Clients & Industries, Bennett Jones and Co-Chair, WCEF 2024.

The Honorable Jason Kenney, PC, ECA
Senior Advisor, Bennett Jones
Fellow, C.D Howe Institute

4:45PM Closing Remarks & Host City 2025

Alex Fallon
Founder and Co-Chair
Western Canada Economic Forum

5:00PM END OF PROGRAM

Networking and beverages available to 6:00pm in the Petroleum Club Lounge.

WCEF Leadership Roundtable on Economic Development in the West

At this invite only morning session, twenty economic development leaders from across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will convene to share economic development strategies and highlight best practice across Western Canada.

This leadership group will create a new network of leaders committed to economic growth across the west. The group will be invited to present at WCEF 2025 on ‘Economic Development Best Practice in Western Canada’.