BCA Podcasts

Judy Fairburn is an extraordinary leader in her own right. From her first act as an engineer and executive in the energy industry, to her second act in activating Alberta's tech and innovation sector, Judy has been a shining example of Alberta's famed entrepreneurial spirit and now applies her passion and innovation to her latest venture at The51 to help build women-led capital, invest in women-le...

As Alberta producers and farmers prepare for seeding season, we're taking a moment to focus on Alberta's agriculture industry, looking retrospectively at the 2021 season, the state of the sector today, and expectations for 2022 and beyond, especially as many forces threaten the global food supply chain. To help us understand what's going on in Alberta ag, we invited JP Gervais, Chief Economist, Fa...

Mac Van Wielingen is known by many as the maverick of Canadian business. He's also the founder and current Board Chair of the Business Council of Alberta. Discussing his leadership philosophy and the way he hopes to make life better for Albertans, we talk about everything from ESG and the evolving role of business to the state of Alberta and the importance of big ideas such as cohesion and collabo...

An expert in advancing women's entrepreneurship in Canada, Shannon Pestun is a former business banker in Calgary, who has helped women entrepreneurs across the country start and scale businesses. In this episode, Shannon shares her insights on the current state of women's entrepreneurship in Canada and in Alberta as well as best practices to close some of the most common barriers women experience...

With over 50% of Alberta's population living in Calgary and Edmonton, the success of these two cities is vital to the future of the province. And at the helm of each are Jyoti Gondek, Mayor of the City of Calgary, and Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor of the City of Edmonton. As Alberta faces big challenges, we sit down with each leader to discuss what is keeping them at night, their top priorities for Calgari...

Just as climate change is a global challenge, climate action is a global solution. Tackling this challenge will require many actors—investors, innovators, business leaders, policymakers, and advocates, among others—to work towards our common goal: to reduce emissions globally. The Oil Sands Pathways to Net Zero Alliance is a groundbreaking and historic initiative that proposes multiple solutions e...

The economy may be close to back to normal, but daily life sure isn't. In this episode, BCA economists Alicia Planincic and Mike Holden join Scott and Brittany to break down the data you need to know about Alberta's economy—unemployment, labour shortages, return to normal daily activities, inflation—and how the pandemic has shifted our understanding of economics.

What's on the minds of Albertans heading into 2022? From questions around COVID, to thoughts on the economy and education, to better understanding Alberta's place in Canada, we spoke with renowned Alberta pollster, Janet Brown of Janet Brown Opinion Research to answer these questions and understand what exactly Albertans are focused on the most to start off the new year.

We're closing out our 2021 podcast season with some reflections on the past year, from the big events to policy wins for Albertans, and giving listeners a sneak preview of what BCA will be working on in 2022, featuring special guest, BCA's President, Adam Legge

In our final episode of the 2021 season, we're speaking with a CEO that almost needs no introduction. Nancy Southern has long been a pillar in Alberta's business community, marked by her impressive track record, expanding global footprint of companies, and even more so, by her passion for her province and its people. This episode covers her career journey, why she founded the Business Council of A...

As one of Canada's largest integrated energy companies, Suncor has long been the energy supplier of choice in Canada—and is now emerging as a leader in developing low-carbon fuels and emissions reduction technologies. And at the helm of this evolution is long-time energy leader, Mark Little. In this episode, Mark talks his career journey, Suncor 4.0, emissions reduction and clean energy investment...

These days, you might find it more challenging to find your favorite product at your local boutique or grocery store or even to purchase a laptop or phone for work. You have supply chain disruptions to thank for that. Supply chains are a complex network, and when they experience disruptions, the challenges ripple out to a lot of different businesses and people. Marcela Mandeville, global trade exp...

Imagine starting your CEO career just a few months before the pandemic hit. Scott Bolton took the reigns of UFA's top job just a few months before COVID was declared a pandemic and has guided the organization through some tough and uncertain times while remaining relentlessly optimistic about the opportunity and story of Alberta's agriculture sector. This is his story.

Affordable child care is certainly good economic policy; however, different measurements of "affordability" can have different policy implications. On this episode, researchers Rob Buschman (University of Alberta) and Gordon Cleveland (University of Toronto) discuss the different measures of affordability of child care, accessibility and availability, and the impact of child care policy on broader...

As vaccinations become more important to the health, safety, and sustainability of our economy, employers of all sizes are weighing impacts and risks of implementing employer vaccination policies. Jillian Frank, Chief Talent and Practice Officer at Dentons Canada LLP shares insight into the steps, considerations, and decisions the company's leadership team took to establish its temporary vaccinati...

From a small, remote community to now running one of the fastest growing start ups, Trent Fequet's journey into entrepreneurship and leadership is as unique as it is inspiring. 12 years ago, Trent had an idea. This idea would put people at the centre of doing business. And in 2017, this idea became reality, and Steel River Group was founded. Trent joins Adam Legge to talk about his unique leadersh...

As the rise in innovation and digital transformation continues to sharpen our focus on the intangible economy, what is Canada doing to invest in and support its community of innovators? Jim Balsillie, a leading expert in innovation, joins the show to explore this question and more.

Geothermal energy might be experiencing a renaissance these days. An industry that is over 100 years old has experienced relatively slow growth; however, with new technologies and innovations hitting the market, companies like Alberta-based Eavor Technologies, are unearthing the potential and opportunity of this hot and sustainable source of energy. John Redfern, President & CEO of Eavor Technolog...

High unemployment has not been synonymous with Alberta's labour market for many decades; however, a couple oil price crashes and a global pandemic has changed this story. Today, Alberta has the highest long-term unemployment rate in the country. To explore this challenge and its possible solutions, we invited Michele Evans, Assistant Deputy Minister for the Workforce Strategies Division at the Gov...

Just in time for summer, Big Rock Brewery President & CEO Wayne Arsenault joins Adam Legge on this C-Suite Unplugged episode of AlbertaBETTER. Hear the story of this iconic Alberta brand, the inspiration behind the names of their products, and how they started the craft beer boom in Calgary. And if you're an aspiring leader, Wayne has some good stories and advice for you. This episode is best enjo...

With entrepreneurship skyrocketing within Indigenous communities, the modern Indigenous economy holds a tremendous amount of opportunity. Chief Billy Morin, of the Enoch Cree Nation, is a leader with a passion for entrepreneurship and business and has been at the forefront of creating opportunity for the Enoch Cree community. On this episode, Chief Morin shares his passion for business and economi...

From a double bay garage in Wainwright, Alberta to locations across Canada, Fountain Tire is a true Alberta success story. Brent Hesje, CEO of Fountain Tire, shares the story of this 65-year-old company, how he came to be CEO, and his outlook on the future of the sector and of Alberta.

Lithium—it's something you use every day but likely never think about it. However, without it, we couldn't power our smart phones, electronics, or even our vehicles. On this episode of The Energy Evolution, Kelly Krahulic, VP, Technology & Innovation at Summit Nanotech discusses a pioneering technology to extract lithium, why this innovation is key to meeting increasing global demand, and the impo...

From lawyer to CEO of one of the biggest energy companies in Canada, Alex Pourbaix, President & CEO of Cenovus, stands out in a space predominantly led by engineers and geologists. And his unconventional background for energy CEO and quick rise to the top job may just be the secret sauce of his leadership. On this episode of C-Suite Unplugged, an AlbertaBETTER podcast series, Alex shares about his...

As the economic impact of COVID appears to be waning, the mental health impact is a growing concern. On this episode, Dr. Robbie Babins-Wagner returns for an updated look at the impact of one year of living with a pandemic has had on our mental health. She also discusses where there are signs of optimism and opportunity within the uncertainty and the key roles that business leaders and economic re...