The Brief: Is Flying Canada's Ticket to Affordable Transportation? (with Richard Bartrem)
BCA Podcasts
As the world’s second-largest country by landmass, but ranked 188th in population density, Canada depends on air travel as a crucial part of its transportation infrastructure. BCA's economists recently unpacked the issue of why flying costs more in Canada than elsewhere in their latest commentary, so podcast host Scott Crockatt invited former WestJet executive and airline industry expert Richard Bartrem onto the podcast to dive into the findings and hear some of Richard's own insights. Richard argues that while airline fares have fallen in half, government fees have increased more, and...
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The Brief: Mike Holden on why Bill C-5 is a good start, but not a complete strategy
BCA Podcasts
Bill C-5 — otherwise known by its full name, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act — is now officially law. While the name may be a mouthful, its goal is clear: to finally fix what Canada has long struggled with, which is getting major projects approved and built faster. But is C-5 just what the economy ordered, or will it struggle to achieve its intentions and become another overpromised, underdelivered piece of policy? Scott Crockatt is joined by BCA's VP of Policy and Chief Economist Mike Holden to answer this very question. ...
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The Brief: Tyler Meredith and a Liberal Government Temperature Check
BCA Podcasts
In this episode of The Brief, host Scott Crockatt is joined by Tyler Meredith, founding partner of Meredith Boessenkool and Phillips and a leading Canadian policy and economic advisor who served eight years in the Canadian government. Meredith, a former Canadian government advisor, highlights three key issues: managing the threat of Donald Trump, addressing economic concerns (particularly underinvestment and promoting competition), and fostering national unity. He emphasizes Carney's market-based progressive approach, focusing on solving macroeconomic problems. Regarding energy...
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C-Suite Unplugged: Rich Kruger, President & CEO of Suncor
BCA Podcasts
BCA President Adam Legge is joined by one of the most iconic leaders in Canada's energy sector, Rich Kruger, President and CEO of Suncor Energy, for a very special interview on C-Suite Unplugged. Rich talks about a career in the oil and gas industry that spans over 40 years and some of the roles that took him from Minnesota to Texas to the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and now here in Alberta. Adam and Rich talk about philosophies of life and leadership, including lifelong learning, embracing similarities across continents and cultures, and the 'living organism'...
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The Brief: Assessing Alberta’s Economy - The good, the bad, and the urgent
BCA Podcasts
Host Scott Crockatt sits down with BCA's economists Mike Holden and Alicia Planincic to discuss the good, the bad, and the uncertain of BCA's recently-released Spring 2025 Economic Snapshot. In an episode filled with anecdotes, analogies and silver linings, the group chats about what it takes to build an Alberta economic outlook at a time when uncertainty seems to be the only certainty in global markets. This edition of the bi-annual Alberta Economic Snapshot comes at a time of both strength and strain. Alberta continues to lead Canada in population growth, but even with that, most...
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C-Suite Unplugged: Adam Waterous and Build Canada Now
BCA Podcasts
In this episode of the C-Suite, Adam Legge is joined by Adam Waterous, Chief Executive Officer of the Waterous Energy Fund, to discuss his "Build Canada Now" initiative, a collaborative effort among numerous leaders in Canada's energy industry. Waterous advocates for doubling Canada's oil and gas production to help alleviate global energy poverty, citing 8.3 million annual deaths linked to the lack of access to basic energy needs such as heating and non-toxic cooking fuels. He details the initiative's priorities: repealing restrictive legislation like Bill C-69 and Bill C-48, removing...
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The Brief: Panel Chat with the Western Business Coalition
BCA Podcasts
This episode features a panel from the Western Business Coalition, a new alliance of top business association leaders from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. They dive into their joint report, Untapped Potential, outlining key policy recommendations for Canada’s resource sectors—energy, agriculture, mining, forestry, and aquaculture. The panel explores regulatory reform, infrastructure upgrades, Indigenous consultation, and Canada’s economic underperformance. They also tackle major policy issues like Bills C-69 and C-48, emissions caps, and greenwashing rules. Tune in for a...
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The Brief: Canada and the Geopolitics of Energy
BCA Podcasts
In a special episode of The Brief, BCA President Adam Legge sits down with Robert "RJ" Johnston, Senior Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, to discuss Canada's place in a dynamic and rapidly-changing energy landscape. As a leading expert in global energy markets, RJ discusses the impact of the U.S.-China trade war, the shifting dynamics of OPEC+, and the potential for a "Fortress North America" approach to energy security. Adam and RJ also dive into the importance of Canada's energy resources in supporting its manufacturing sector, which RJ...
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C-Suite Unplugged: Terry Anderson, President & CEO of ARC Resources
BCA Podcasts
C-Suite Unplugged host Adam Legge sits down with Terry Anderson, President and CEO of ARC Resources. Terry shares his journey from a farm boy in rural Saskatchewan to leading one of Canada's largest natural gas companies. He offers insights on the lessons he's learned along the way—about hard work, leadership, taking calculated risks, and the importance of making the right decision, even when it's not the most popular one. He highlights several mentors who shaped his path, including old hockey coaches and founding BCA Board Chair Hal Kvisle. Terry also walks listeners through some of...
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The Brief: A Strong Canada. A Good Life.
BCA Podcasts
How achievable is a good life in Canada? Less and less Canadians believe it's possible. Only 30% of Canadians feel the country is on the right track, and less than 5% believe the next generation will be better off. This means more Canadians believe Bigfoot is real than believe they'll be better off than their parents. It is becoming abundantly clear that Canadians want to see fundamental changes to put our country back on track and build real prosperity again, but where do we start? BCA President Adam Legge joins Vice President of Communications and External Relations Scott Crockatt on the...
info_outlineThe BCA team dives into many of the leading and lagging economic indicators that tell us a bit about where Alberta's economy stands compared to the summer snapshot. They also dive into some of the political developments both nationally and globally and what they could mean for Alberta and Canada's economic forecast into 2025.
There are several positives in Alberta's outlook. The Bank of Canada's interest rate hikes seem to have set Canada's economy up for the 'soft landing' they hoped for, curbing consumption and inflation without significant job losses. Meanwhile, Alberta continues to be the economic engine of Canada, significantly outperforming the rest of the country in jobs and economic growth. However, the Alberta and Canadian economies are showing signs of slowing, with job growth decelerating over the past 6-8 months.
Certain "good" sectors like manufacturing, construction, and oil/gas have seen job growth level off after strong gains earlier. This suggests consumer demand has weakened. Newcomers and recent immigrants are being hit particularly hard, with their unemployment rate rising from 10% to 15% over the past year.
Interest rate hikes have started to be reversed, but the full impact of past increases has not yet been felt in the economy. It takes time for rate changes to filter through. The federal government's planned cuts to immigration levels could have significant impacts, though there are questions around whether the full extent of the cuts will actually materialize.
The housing market is seeing a surge in construction activity, especially in Alberta compared to other regions, but it is yet to be seen how this will play out given Canada's anticipated pullback in population growth.
Globally, central banks are seen as having tamed inflation, but there are risks around rising protectionism that could impact the economy.
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About the Business Council of Alberta
The Business Council of Alberta was founded on a simple idea: to make life better for all Albertans. We believe that business has an important role in improving society, and that when business does well, we all do well. We work with the chief executives and leading entrepreneurs of Alberta’s largest enterprises to understand the big, long-term challenges that Albertans are facing and work with industry, government, and civil society to solve these problems and build shared prosperity for every person who calls Alberta home.
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