2024 Strategic Conference

As the Canada Gas and Exhibition Conference kicks off for its 12^th year, 2024 will be a monumental year for the Canada Gas industry. This session will examine some of the exciting developments in the Canada gas and LNG industry over the past year and the Indigenous partnerships that were instrumental toward their successes.

As the first project to recognize a non-treaty Indigenous government- the Squamish Nation- as a full project regulator, construction for Woodfibre LNG started in September 2023, with an anticipated operation date of 2027. Environment and technical teams have collaborated with Indigenous communities throughout the process for strategic project insight. Careful consideration was taken to ensure the Squamish Nation’s sustainability goals have been met that enable cultural and environmental preservation and economic growth and provide diversification for current and future generations.

Attendee insights

Delegates will learn key insights about this unique project, updates from the last 12 months, challenges, successes, and when Woodfibre LNG will be fully operational. Project leaders will share insights on the unique collaboration involved that has contributed to the success of Woodfibre LNG.

Canada is the world’s fifth largest producer of natural gas and accounts for around five per cent of global production. In 2020, Canada ranked 6^th in the world amongst the top global natural gas exporters but has since fallen out of the top 10.

The Canadian Energy Research Institute found that delays in Canada’s regulatory process meant that, on average, it took Canadian LNG projects 19 months longer to receive approval compared to the U.S. With the Freeport LNG project coming back online, the United States became the largest exporter of natural gas in the first quarter of 2023 and is poised to remain a top producer for the near future.

What steps will Canada need to take compete with emerging markets and how soon will it be able to ramp up its export potential?

Attendee insights

Panelists will discuss strategies for how Canada can capitalize on its LNG potential and what needs to happen for exports to increase globally. Delegates will gain insight on potential solutions for overcoming regulatory challenges and strategies for attracting more LNG investment.

The maritime sector is responsible for 3% of all global greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions with approximately 940 million tons of total CO2 emitted per year. Without implementing decarbonization measures, it is estimated that emissions would increase between 50%- 250% by 2050.

Hydrogen as a low-carbon fuel source offers exciting potential for the marine industry to decarbonize. Hydrogen can be stored in large quantities for extended periods of time and many existing ships can be retrofitted with fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells are also relatively quiet, limiting noise pollution, and only release water vapor and oxygen as byproducts, virtually eliminating air pollutants during fuel consumption.

Attendee insights

Delegates will learn what steps need to occur for hydrogen fuel-cell technology to be a viable fuel option for the marine industry and the challenges of hydrogen as a shipping fuel.

Meaningful Indigenous partnerships are an essential component of economic development. Proudly owned and led by the Haisla Nation, Cedar LNG is a true model of economic reconciliation and Indigenous engagement. Coastal GasLink has also been an exemplary model of Indigenous engagement, with $1.8 billion awarded to local & Indigenous businesses since the project’s inception in 2012.

Attendee insights

This panel of Indigenous leaders, and energy project experts will discuss the essential components of creating long-term Indigenous equity partnerships within the energy industry and beyond. Delegates will learn how to best partner with Indigenous communities to create meaningful engagement and long-term partnerships.

Canada produces the cleanest natural gas in the world due to British Columbia’s primarily electric energy grid and possesses the knowledge and expertise to be a major player in the liquified natural gas sector. As nations like Germany and China increased coal production last year due to energy security, Canada has exciting potential to be a solution for global energy security and affordability.

Attendee insights
This global panel will examine the challenges of LNG supply and availability and will share how Canada can become a global player on the LNG stage by creating entire systems where it can lower costs and deliver natural gas to foreign markets more efficiently and consistently.

Join your industry colleagues for fun and great networking at this business-casual event at Mahony's Tavern conveniently located inside the Vancouver Convention Centre West!

We are on the verge of launching a new industry in Canada, producing and exporting competitive, lower carbon LNG to markets around the world. A secure supply of responsibly produced Canadian LNG is attractive to countries needing looking to meet their growing energy demands needs and lower their emissions profiles. Here at home, LNG development can significantly contribute to productivity, economic growth and stability, employment and workforce development opportunities, and economic reconciliation.

But to fully leverage Canada’s LNG potential, industry participants must look for more opportunities to find common purpose, collaborate, and develop strategies together.

Attendee insights
Delegates will hear from the speakers on how they leveraged their own first-hand experience in developing LNG projects and will explore how Canada’s LNG industry can, and should, continue to expand, innovate and maintain a competitive edge – through collaboration - in an increasingly crowded global marketplace.

Canada’s natural gas and oil industry generated $105 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) with the Canada Gas LNG segment employing 72,000 Canadians. Despite this great economic impact, it is perceived that most of the jobs in LNG are unsophisticated and primarily involve manual labour.

With projects being developed and more being proposed, Canada’s gas industry is expected to create thousands of exciting new career opportunities over the next decade in fields such as technology, engineering, facility operations, and instrumentation. Will Canada’s labour market be prepared for this anticipated growth and the immense labour challenge that lies ahead?

Attendee insights

This engaging panel will explore how careers in Canada’s gas industry have evolved, what employers need to do now to attract and retain skilled labour, and how Indigenous communities can provide long-term employment solutions beyond manual labour. Delegates will learn the transferable skills needed to transition to the LNG sector, and the essential employment skills and qualities that successful companies in the LNG ecosystem are seeking.

LNG Bunkering offers great emissions reduction potential, as LNG fuel provides a vast reduction in pollutants caused by the more traditional method of fueling ships such as heavy fuel oil, marine diesel fuel (MDO) and marine gas oil (MGO).

Another benefit is the fuel is held at the terminal and withdrawn on demand, which allows for more cargo to be carried on ships.

With major industry players announcing plans for LNG bunkering and storage operations, locations such as the Port of Vancouver, the Port of Tacoma, and the Panama Canal, are becoming popular bunkering destinations and viable fuel storage options for the global shipping industry.

Attendee insights

Panelists will discuss the viability of LNG Bunkering destinations and when additional locations may become operational. Delegates will learn about potential challenges such as long-term LNG supply, infrastructure capacity, and what needs to happen to expedite more bunkering operations.

Welcome to the conference roundtables at Canada Gas and Exhibition Conference. Our roundtables are designed to provide you with an opportunity to engage in lively and informative discussions with your industry peers.

1: Indigenous Partnerships and Collaboration

This roundtable is designed to explore the importance of building strong and collaborative relationships with First Nations communities in the gas and LNG industry. Our experts will share their insights on the cultural, social, and economic factors that influence the perspectives of First Nations communities on gas and LNG development, and strategies for building effective partnerships and collaborative relationships with First Nations communities.

Moderator: Paul de Jong, President & CEO, Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

2: Capitalizing on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to Maximize Canadian Exports

Article 6 of the Paris Agreement allows countries to voluntarily cooperate with each other to achieve emission reduction targets set out in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). As more countries buy Canada LNG they will help give Canada carbon credits which will help to reduce Canada’s carbon emissions.

This roundtable will discuss how provincial governments can best work with federal governments to expedite LNG exports and increase their carbon credits and which countries may be potential carbon-reduction allies for Canada.

Moderator: Jana McDonald, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Guardyan Conservation Corp.

3: How to Integrate LNG, Hydrogen, and Carbon Capture Storage to Achieve Net Zero

At this roundtable, our experts will share their insights on the interdependence and potential benefits of integrating LNG, hydrogen technologies, and Carbon Capture Utilization Storage (CCUS) to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase energy security and affordability.

Moderator: TBC

4: Is our Innovation Pipeline Enough to Get us to Scale?

This roundtable will examine Canada’s current innovation pipeline for natural gas and LNG and will examine if enough capacity exists to compete with LNG leaders like Australia and the United States. Canada’s strengths and challenges in innovation will be reviewed to see what Canada will need to achieve to get to scale.

Moderator: Lynn Exner, Chief Operating Officer, Canada Action

Canada’s current infrastructure is lacking capacity to supply LNG to foreign markets but Newfound and Labrador’s LNG Project may be the solution. When launched, the project will provide up to 1,500 jobs during the peak construction phase and 400 permanent direct jobs once operating. Miawpukek First Nation will also benefit from these jobs, as it has a small equity stake in the project. Expected to begin production in 2030, the site aims to be a viable export solution for Atlantic Canada.

Attendee insights
Panelists will discuss the unique features of the project and its anticipated completion date. Delegates will gain insights on the demand for liquefied natural gas in European and Asian markets and how well-equipped Newfoundland and Labrador LNG will be to meet this demand.

Canada has made great progress in addressing regulatory burdens to expedite hydrogen projects. However, challenges remain as unified standards for permitting often differ across municipalities. Regulators can also add to the complexity by changing regulatory requirements for existing projects.

Attendee insights

Panelists will explain how industry can collaborate with the government to create the standards needed to attract investment and support the growth of the hydrogen sector.