Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford will discuss Canada’s energy future in Calgary on Monday, as a separate summit brings thousands of industry leaders to the city. The premiers are taking part in Enserva’s speaker series at the Telus Convention Centre. The event, running from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., will focus on how Canada develops, transports and sells its energy. The discussion is expected to include pipelines, energy corridors, as well as permitting and industrial partnerships between Western and Eastern Canada. The appearance follows the premiers’ July 6 announcement in Calgary of a proposed route for the Northern Shield Energy Corridor. The proposal includes a crude oil pipeline stretching roughly 3,300 kilometres from Hardisty, Alta., to Sarnia, Ont. The provinces say the corridor would strengthen domestic energy supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign markets. Energy Disruptors summit begins The Energy Disruptors: UNITE summit also gets underway in Calgary on Monday, with organizers expecting nearly 3,000 attendees over the two-day event at the BMO Centre. The summit will examine energy security, investment, global trade and the growing electricity and infrastructure demands associated with artificial intelligence. Graeme Edge, the summit’s co-founder and CEO, said the program is designed to connect issues often discussed separately. “You cannot have a serious conversation about AI without talking about electricity. You cannot talk about electricity without talking about natural gas, nuclear, renewables, storage, transmission and infrastructure,” Edge said in a release. Former British prime minister David Cameron is scheduled to speak at 9:30 a.m. Monday about shifting global relationships and what Canada’s ties with the United States and Europe mean for energy and economic security. Other Monday sessions include discussions on geopolitical change, battery technology and Canadian entrepreneurship. Tuesday’s program includes discussions about AI, data centres and electricity demand, with Alberta Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish and Capital Power president and CEO Avik Dey among the scheduled participants. The broader summit lineup also includes author Margaret Atwood, Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas.
