‘25 PROGRAM
January 29 & 30, 2025 Jan 29: All Attendees
The Hotel Saskatchewan Jan 30: Leadership Roundtables & Optional Site Tours
Regina, Saskatchewan
Day 1: Wednesday, January 29, 2025
8:00AM Registration: Coffee & Networking
8:30AM Welcome to Regina: A Thriving Prairie Economy
Chris Lane
Chief Executive Officer
Economic Development Regina
8:45AM Government of Canada: Growth in the West and Growth in Canada
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau (Invited)
Prime Minister of Canada
or
Maninder Sidhu (Invited)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, Government of Canada
9:15AM Government of Saskatchewan: Our Economic Growth Potential
The Honorable Scott Moe (Invited)
Premier of Saskatchewan
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
10:15AM REPORT RELEASE: Westernomics - The 2025 Economic Outlook for Western Canada presented by WCEF and Deloitte.
Moderator: Alex Fallon, Chair, WCEF
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
Karina Gistelinck
President Potash
BHP
11:45AM HEALTH MOMENT: FRESH AIR WINTER WALK
Sponsor: Walk the Block at 8 O’Clock
12:00PM LUNCH – Sponsored by Federated Co-op Limited
12:30PM LUNCHEON ADDRESS: Emily Fleckner, U.S. Consul General to Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest
12:45PM LUNCHEON 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
2:15PM STRETCH BREAK & COFFEE TALK
2:30PM 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
3:15PM Unleashing the Energy Sector to Meet Growing Demand
Moderator: Heather Exner-Pirot, Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment program, Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Jeff Lawson
Senior Vice-President, Corporate Development & Acting Chief Sustainability Officer
Cenovus Energy
Christophe Owttrim
Executive Director
Emissions Reduction Alberta
David Brock
Vice-President, Energy Security
Crown Investments Corporation
3:45PM The Political Landscape in 2025 and what it Means for the West
Michael Solberg
Partner
New West Public Affairs Inc.
4:10PM Driving Change and Supporting Business Success in Canada and the West
Moderator: Alex Fallon, Founder and Chair, WCEF
Candace Laing
President & CEO
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce
4:40PM Closing Remarks and Host City WCEF 2026
Alex Fallon
Founder and Co-Chair
Western Canada Economic Forum
4:45PM Close
Networking and Beverages Available
6:00PM WCEF Reception Sponsored by Mosaic
END OF DAY 1
DAY 2: Thursday, Janury 30, 2025
WCEF LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLES & SITE TOURS
9:00AM to 12:00PM (Concurrent)
1. WCEF Leadership Roundtable on Agriculture, Ag-Tech & Food in the West
2. WCEF Leadership Roundtable on Economic Forecasting & Analysis and Review of Westernomics: 2025 Western Canada Economic Outlook
3. WCEF Leadership Roundtable on Financing Business Growth in the West
1:00PM to 4:00PM
Site Tours Hosted by Economic Development Regina
Option 1: Energy and the Environment
Option 2: Infrastructure Driving Growth