
Global Energy Show expected to draw thousands to Calgary, highlight 'global energy story'
The Global Energy Show is expecting more than 30,000 attendees at Calgary's BMO Centre this week, featuring speakers from around the world.
Article content
In May, the show revealed that Haitham Al Ghais, secretary general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, would appear as a keynote speaker.
Article content
The event will also feature more than 350 speakers, including energy industry CEOs, leaders from the private sector and elected officials.
Article content
Article content
Broadly, the conference aims to tackle big questions and issues, looking at Canada's energy mandate over the next five years.
Article content
Article content
'We really wanted to . . . put a stake and say, let's make a conference this year that's going to tell a global energy story,' said Nick Samain, senior vice-president of dmg events and head of the energy show.
Article content
In terms of what will come out of this year's show, goals include some influence on federal policies and to 'reinforce' many important discussions around energy, according to Samain.
Article content
Talk coming from Ottawa and Prime Minister Mark Carney around Canada as an 'energy superpower' has created an air of cautious optimism from delegates, added Samain.
Article content
'Over the next five years, we've got some really big decisions to make that could fundamentally change our (lives),' he said.
Article content
Amanda Bryant, a senior oil and gas analyst with the Calgary-based Pembina Institute, highlighted many 'issues of the moment.'
Article content
Article content
'Nation-building projects. What does that mean? What is (actually) in the national interest? How do we weigh costs and benefits?' she posed.
Article content
Article content
'How do we take Canada into the future, and what does it mean to be an energy superpower for Canada?' Bryant added.
Article content
She hopes to get more 'nuance' around many of the questions facing the industry.
Article content
Rather than just a slogan of 'we need to build pipelines,' she proposed ensuring that options are explored that 'will be economic and actually will have longevity.'
Article content
Bryant is speaking for a panel at the show on Wednesday afternoon focused on tackling methane innovations for cleaner energy production, which she specializes in.
Article content
'That panel will really focus on opportunities to mitigate methane emissions from the oil and gas sector,' said Bryant.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Cision Canada
41 minutes ago
- Cision Canada
Vantage Foundation Joins The Habbit Factory to Empower Young Voices Through Creative Confidence
LONDON, June 11, 2025 /CNW/ -- Vantage Foundation is proud to support The Habbit Factory, a London-based charity that uses the power of theatre and creativity to help children build self-confidence, resilience, and a sense of self-expression. This partnership reflects Vantage Foundation's commitment to community engagement and inclusive empowerment for young people – especially those from underserved or disadvantaged backgrounds. The Habbit Factory has been a champion of creative youth development for over 20 years. With a focus on inclusiveness and emotional support, the organisation designs theatre-based programmes for children and teens to improve public speaking, storytelling, and personal confidence. Today, the charity supports 156 young people through its membership programme and reaches hundreds more through school outreach and education partnerships. As part of its continued mission to uplift communities, Vantage Foundation volunteers joined The Habbit Factory's creative workshop, lending their time and energy to inspire the next generation. Among them was Ben Joseph, who brought his background in dance and performing arts to the session. "Many of these children come from disadvantaged backgrounds and may lack self-esteem or confidence," said Ben Joseph. "By earning their trust and creating a supportive space, we help them grow, express themselves, and discover who they are. The Habbit Factory is a safe and empowering place for every child, and I'm proud to have contributed to something so meaningful." The charity's impact is driven largely by volunteers – many of whom are former participants who return to give back. This cycle of mentorship and transformation lies at the heart of The Habbit Factory's enduring success. "We thoroughly enjoyed hosting the Vantage Foundation at The Habbit Factory. It was a meaningful opportunity for both teams to connect, share ideas, and learn from each other's approaches to community impact," said Lee Giles, Artistic Director & CEO of The Habbit Factory. "Supporting The Habbit Factory aligns deeply with our mission at Vantage Foundation," said Steven Xie, Executive Director of the Vantage Foundation. "We believe in building confidence through creativity and connection. Seeing our volunteers actively participate in such a powerful, community-led initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating meaningful impact in the lives of young people." Together, Vantage Foundation and The Habbit Factory demonstrate the incredible potential of partnerships rooted in compassion, creativity, and shared purpose. Through this collaboration, they aim to build a future where every child has not only the voice – but also the confidence – to use it. Vantage Foundation Vantage Foundation is an independent charitable organization launched at the McLaren Technology Centre in the UK in 2023. The foundation has partnered with organisations worldwide, including Grab Indonesia, the iREDE Foundation in Nigeria, Teach for Malaysia, and Instituto Claret in Brazil, to drive impactful social initiatives.


Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
What to know about the Weihei shipyard chosen by B.C. to build four major vessels
A 2024 Forbes article described how Asian countries, including China, were building ships at 'breakneck' speed and racing to get a foothold in North America. This week, B.C. Ferries announced that it had chosen CMI Weihai, a Chinese, state-owned shipyard, to build four new major vessels. It has set off a flurry of interest, including B.C.'s transportation minister flagging worries about the choice. In a statement, Mike Farnworth said: 'I do have concerns around procuring services from any country that is actively harming Canada's economy through unfair tariffs or other protectionist trade practices.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. CMI stands for China Merchants Industry Holdings Co., a firm that is part of the China Merchants Group, a state-owned conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong with businesses in transportation, finance and property. Weihai is a city in China's Shandong province on its east coast, southeast of Beijing and north of Shanghai, across from Korea. CMI owns several shipyards in other Chinese cities and took over the Weihai shipyard in 2019. Before this, the Weihai shipyard was owned by another state-owned company, AVIC International, whose departure from the market was described as part of a major wave of consolidation of the shipbuilding business in China under the government's mandate. Shortly after this, Beijing announced it would merge its two largest shipbuilders — Shanghai-based China Shipbuilding Industry and China State Shipbuilding — into one mega, state-owned China Shipbuilding Group. China by far dominates the world shipbuilding market in all categories of vessels, followed by South Korea and Japan. The B.C. Ferries' announcement noted that CMI Weihai has built passenger and vehicle vessels for Stena RoRo in Sweden and Grimaldi Lines in Italy. It also noted that through a long relationship with Stena RoRo, CMI Weihai has also built vessels for Canada's Marine Atlantic ferry company, a federal Crown corporation, and other operators such as Corsica Lines and Brittany Ferries in France. In February 2024, CMI Weihai delivered a new ferry to Marine Atlantic for its line between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Canadian shipbuilders and others had protested when Marine Atlantic awarded a $100 million contract in late July 2021 to the Swedish company, which subcontracted construction to CMI Weihai. This was at a time when Canadians Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig were held in Chinese prisons after Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. CFO Meng Wanzhou was detained in Canada on a U.S. extradition warrant over allegations of fraud. Grimaldi Lines said in April that it has commissioned the construction of nine so-called Ro-Pax ferries from CMI Weihai, with six that will serve routes in the Mediterranean and three that will be delivered to Finnish-company Finnlines and run in the Baltic Sea. The deal has been reported to be worth Euros1.3 billion or US$1.49 billion for ferries that will be delivered in 2028 to 2030. Not noted in B.C. Ferries' announcement is that when AVIC International owned the Weihai Shipyard, between 2011 and 2019, it acquired Deltamarin, a company headquartered in Turku, Finland. It's a ship design consultancy, established in 1990 with 400 experts in Finland and Poland. It's described on its website as being an independent part of the China Merchants Group. In May, when Deltamarin and CMI Weihai announced it will work together on the design and engineering of the vessels for Finnlines, it noted a 'long-standing partnership' and said this latest order brings the total number of vessels designed by Deltamarin and built by Weihai shipyard to 22 in the last 10 years. jlee-young@


Vancouver Sun
3 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Criticism comes from all sides after B.C. Ferries awards contract to Chinese state-owned company
Criticism of B.C. Ferries' decision to partner with a Chinese state-owned company to build four new vessels intensified Tuesday, with calls from B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad to cancel the contract and reissue the request for proposals to make it more attractive to Canadian bidders. 'I think we should be doing everything we can to support jobs in B.C. and our economy in B.C.,' he told Postmedia News. If the B.C. companies can't build the vessels, then Rustad said the ferry service should be looking at procuring ships from other countries such as Germany and Poland that B.C. Ferries has worked with before and are more friendly to Canada. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Rustad's comments echoed sentiments from B.C. Transport Minister Mike Farnworth who expressed concern about procuring ships from a country currently engaged in a tariff war with Canada. Farnworth, however, stopped short of saying he was going to take action against the decision. 'My main concern with B.C. Ferries' decision is the lack of Canadian content in the contract. My hope is that going forward B.C. Ferries will make a greater effort to require Canadian inputs into its new vessels,' said Farnworth, explaining he had shared those concerns with the corporation. 'With respect to China specifically, my concern is focused around the ongoing trade disputes between our nations and the fact China is deliberately attacking sections of the Canadian economy through unwarranted tariffs.' B.C. Premier David Eby has repeatedly criticized the Asian economic giant over allegations of money laundering, election interference and that it's arming Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. A recent trade mission by the premier intentionally skipped China, with B.C. instead choosing to focus on strengthening ties with Japan, South Korea and Malaysia. On Tuesday, B.C. Ferries announced it had signed a deal with Chinese state-owned Weihai Shipyards to build four new vessels between 2026 and 2031 as replacements for its oldest ships. Nicholas Jimenez, the corporation's CEO, has defended the choice by saying that there were no Canadian companies that applied for the project. In September, North Vancouver-based shipbuilder Seaspan said that 'Canadian shipyards and their supply chains cannot compete with low-wage countries that have lower employment standards, lower environmental standards and lower safety standards.' The company has urged the province to follow Quebec in providing tax breaks and forgivable loans and grants to help ensure ferries can be built in B.C. Jimenez also said that China has come to dominate the global shipbuilding industry with 60 per cent of all ships in the world today having been built by the Asian behemoth. 'In the last 10 to 15 years, the technological capabilities and shipbuilding prowess inside that country has grown immeasurably,' Jimenez told reporters Tuesday. 'We consulted heavily with our colleagues in Europe, who have been in the market for more than a decade. I would note even as recently as two months ago, another very large Italian ferry organization just signed a deal for nine vessels with the very same shipyard that we intend to build in.' Jimenez promised there are provisions in the contract that ensure Weihai will not be paid in full until the ships are delivered. Additionally, he said there will be oversight teams on the ground in China during construction to ensure compliance with the contract and address any security concerns. The full contract has yet to be release and B.C. Ferries isn't releasing the amount being paid to the Chinese company, citing the need to protect future bids. Ed Hooper, B.C. Ferries head of fleet renewal, said Tuesday that the corporation took the step of travelling to all the shipyards on its shortlist and that there was a sense of strong worker safety provisions and oversight at Weihai. He did acknowledge, however, that the dominance of China in the industry is deliberate. Neither Jimenez or Hooper were made available Wednesday for further questions. Joy MacPhail, B.C. Ferries board chairwoman and former NDP cabinet minister, was also unavailable. A corporation spokesperson said that they had been having regular briefings and meetings with the provincial government throughout the procurement process and had notified the federal government of their selection of Weihai ahead of time. They also said that all IT networks and vessel systems for the ships will be installed in Canada by local suppliers and that B.C. Ferries had sought the advice of an independent risk consultancy on security measures for the project. Rustad said that while Jimenez might not have concerns about the geopolitical ramifications of the deal, there is no telling when an international incident could occur between Canada and China that might put the delivery of the vessels in jeopardy. 'Obviously there's lots of rhetoric going back and forth between the United States and China, friction with Taiwan,' Rustad told Postmedia. 'Who knows what may happen? Hopefully nothing by 2029 to 2031 which is when these ships are going to start to be constructed and delivered.' Concerns over the contract have reverberated to the federal level with Jeff Kibble, Conservative MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford, questioning federal Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland during question period in Ottawa. 'The Liberals are set to hand over $30 million (in federal subsidies) to B.C. Ferries while B.C. Ferries hands over critical jobs, investment and industry to China,' Kibble charged. Freeland responded that she agrees the federal government needs to be supporting local industry and working with allies and trade partners but that the B.C. Ferries' contract wasn't a federal project. Jenny Kwan, NDP MP for Vancouver East, told Postmedia that Ottawa has a role in working with provincial governments to build up the country, including ensuring that domestic companies can compete for large procurement contracts. 'We have to re-examine how that procurement process is undertaken,' said Kwan.