‘25 PROGRAM
January 29 & 30, 2025 Jan 29: All Attendees
The Hotel Saskatchewan Jan 30: Leadership Roundtables (invite only)
Regina, Saskatchewan
Day 1: Wednesday, January 29, 2025
8:00AM Registration - Coffee & Networking
8:30AM Welcome & Opening Remarks
Alex Fallon
Founder & Chair
Western Canada Economic Forum
8:45AM Welcome to Regina: A Thriving Prairie Economy
Chris Lane
Chief Executive Officer
Economic Development Regina
9:00AM Government of Saskatchewan: Our Economic Growth Potential
Introduced by: Bruce Bodine, President & CEO, The Mosaic Company
The Honourable Scott Moe
Premier of Saskatchewan
9:15AM 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
9:30AM A Call to Economic Reconciliation: The Land, the Partnership, the Pain & the Possibilities
Presented by: Daniel Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Innovation Federal Credit Union
Cadmus Delorme
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, OneHoop
& Former Chief, Cowessess First Nation
10:00AM STRETCH BREAK & COFFEE TALK
Sponsored by Hill and Levene Schools of Business at the University of Regina, WCEF’s Academic Partner for WCEF 2025
10:15AM REPORT RELEASE Westernomics: The 2025 Economic Outlook for Western Canada presented by WCEF and Deloitte.
Presentation:
Dr. Trevin Stratton
Americas Economic Advisory Leader & Partner
Deloitte
Panel Discussion:
Mark Parsons
Vice-President & Chief Economist
ATB Financial
Rebekah Young
Vice President & Head of Inclusion and Resilience Economics
Scotiabank
11:00AM Global Investments into Canada and the West – A Growth Catalyst
Moderator: Jodi Banks, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Trade and Export Development, Government of Saskatchewan
Laurel Broten
Chief Executive Officer
Invest in Canada
11:30AM BHP: Investing in Saskatchewan and Beyond
Moderator: Blair Wagar, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy and Resources
Simon Thomas
Vice President, Projects
BHP
12:00PM LUNCH – Sponsored by Federated Co-op Limited
12:45PM PRESENTATION: Presentation: The Westerly Award for Outstanding Contribution to Economic Development in the West
1:00PM Views from Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia: The Keys to Economic Growth in the West
Moderator: Prabha Ramaswamy, Chief Executive Officer, Saskatchewan Chamber of commerce
Alicia Planincic
Director of Policy & Economics
Business Council of Alberta
Chuck Davidson
Chief Executive Officer
Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
David Williams
Vice-President of Policy
Business Council of British Columbia
1:30PM Financing Business Growth Across the West
Moderator: Booker Cornea, Market Lead (National), Commercial Banking, First Nations Bank of Canada
Julie Pottier
Senior Vice-President of Small Business & Partnerships
Export Development Canada
Justine Hendricks
Chief Executive Officer
Farm Credit Canada
Steven Kroeker
Chief Investment Officer
Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
2:00PM STRETCH BREAK & COFFEE TALK
Sponsored by Walk the Block at 8 O’Clock
2:15PM Trade, Uncertainty and the Road to Asia - What Now?
Chris Dekker
Chief Executive Officer
STEP (Saskatchewan Trade & Export Partnership)
Vina Nadjibulla
Vice-President, Research & Strategy
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
2:45PM Unleashing the Energy Sector to Meet Growing Demand
Moderator: Heather Exner-Pirot, Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment program, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Travis Davies
Director, Government Affairs
Cenovus Energy
Christophe Owttrim
Executive Director
Emissions Reduction Alberta
David Brock
Vice-President, Energy Security
Crown Investments Corporation
3:15PM The Political Landscape in 2025 and what it Means for the West
Michael Solberg
Partner
New West Public Affairs Inc.
3:45PM Driving Change and Supporting Business Success in Canada and the West
Moderator: Wanda Hunchak, Executive Vice President, Westcap
Candace Laing
President & CEO
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce
4:15PM Closing Remarks
Alex Fallon
Founder and Co-Chair
Western Canada Economic Forum
4:30PM End of Plenary (Reception at 6:00PM)
Networking and Beverages Available, Hotel Lounge (Cash Bar)
6:00PM WCEF Reception Sponsored by The Mosaic Company
The Blue Lounge, Hotel Saskatchewan
Guest Speaker: The Honourable Andrew Scheer, MP
7:30PM Close
DAY 2:
Thursday, January 30, 2025
WCEF LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLES ( - Invite Only -)
8:30AM: Registration & Coffee
9:00AM to 12:00PM (Concurrent)
1. WCEF Leadership Roundtable on Agriculture, Ag-Tech & Food in the West (Saskatchewan Suit)
2. WCEF Leadership Roundtable on Economic Forecasting & Analysis and Review of Westernomics: 2025 Western Canada Economic Outlook (Victoria Room)
3. WCEF Leadership Roundtable on Financing Business Growth in the West (Wascana Room)