Western Business Coalition Leads Charge to Unleash Canada’s Natural Resource Potential and Secure Its Global Future

Calgary, March 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Western Business Coalition has launched its first major initiative – Untapped Potential – Driving Canadian Prosperity Through Natural Resources – to unlock the economic potential of Canada’s natural resource sector. This effort focuses on advocating for policies that drive investment, create jobs, and position Canada as a global leader in energy, agriculture, mining, forestry, and aquaculture.

The next government of Canada faces a critical choice: continue with policies that limit investment, development and growth, or create a competitive environment that allows the resource sector to thrive. By embracing its natural advantage in natural resources, Canada can not only lead the world in sustainable development but also support long-term prosperity for Canadians.

“Canada has the untapped potential to be an economic superpower by leaning into policies that support the development of our resource sectors. Instead, we are limiting opportunities for the next generation by falling behind in our growth, productivity, and prosperity. It’s time to change course,” says Laura Jones, President and CEO of the Business Council of B.C.

Canada’s natural resource sector is the foundation of our prosperity, yet it remains constrained and limited through regulatory and policy barriers that stifle growth and investment,” says Adam Legge, President of the Business Council of Alberta. “This initiative is about growing Canada’s economy and improving the well-being of Canadians by unleashing Canada’s natural strengths – our recommendations provide a playbook for Canada’s next federal government to do exactly that.” 

The coalition’s first initiative and policy paper, Untapped Potential – Driving Canadian Prosperity Through Natural Resources, provides strategic policy recommendations aimed at strengthening the natural resource sector. The report highlights the sector’s essential role in Canada’s economic future and outlines steps to enhance global competitiveness while ensuring responsible resource development.

It is divided into two sections: 1. Strategic Growth Enablers – essential for the success of all natural resource industries, and 2. Targeted Industry Solutions details policies to remove barriers and drive growth in five key industries.

To enable success across all Canadian resource industries, the coalition recommends Canada must take five actions:

1. Fix Canada’s major project approval process
2. Create a clear and effective Indigenous consultation process
3. Unlock Indigenous economic potential in the resources sector
4. Pursue new global markets for resource industries
5. Invest in trade-related transportation infrastructure

Sector specific chapters, energized by cross-provincial expertise and collaboration offer specific, and short policy actions in five key natural resource sectors:

1. Feeding Everyone: Establishing agriculture and value-added food production as a top federal priority by amending and improving regulations, expanding market access, and strengthening workforce capacity to solidify Canada’s position as a global agricultural powerhouse.
2. Sustaining Canada’s Forests: Promoting healthy and productive forests by modernizing regulations, strengthening trade and market access, and enhancing Canada’s fiscal and investment climate to maintain global leadership in sustainable forestry.
3. Fueling Canada’s Future: Standing up for Canada’s energy sector and supporting its growth. Retracting and repealing investment-killing layers of policy, creating a simple, competitive, and globally focused industrial climate policy, reducing regulatory burdens, and expanding market access to unlock the country’s full energy potential.
4. Securing Canada as a Global Mining Superpower: Enhancing mining capacity and competitiveness by fostering investment, addressing labour shortages, and accelerating responsible development to support our energy, defense, and technological futures.
5. Positioning Canada as a Global Aquaculture Leader: Advancing the sustainable growth of Canada’s aquaculture sector by modernizing outdated policies, fostering Indigenous partnerships, investing in infrastructure, amending licensing regulations, supporting R&D innovation, and increasing west coast harbour funding.

“Western Canada has the expertise, resources, and innovative capacity to grow our nation and meet global demands,” says Bram Strain, President and CEO of the Business Council of Manitoba. “By working together, we can ensure our resource industries continue to drive prosperity for generations to come.” 

“The Prairies have always been leaders in resource innovation. By cutting red tape and creating a more predictable regulatory environment, we can attract investment, create jobs, and ensure long-term economic resilience,” says Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.

Formed by the Business Council of British Columbia, Business Council of Alberta, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, and the Business Council of Manitoba, the Western Business Coalition collectively represents over one third of the Canadian economy and is committed to ensuring Western Canada’s strengths contribute to the country’s economic prosperity.

This initiative is part of the coalition’s broader commitment to advancing public policy solutions that enhance Canada’s economic resilience and global competitiveness. The coalition’s next initiative will focus on creating a new, better version of Canada-U.S. trade, and generating real, immediate action at knocking down interprovincial trade barriers.

CONTACT: Danielle Alfaro
Business Council of Alberta
4039236723
dalfaro@businesscouncilab.com

Alison Grant 
Business Council of British Columbia 
6046843384
Alison.grant@bcbc.com

Josie Fries
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
3067813125

Kate Doer
Business Council of Manitoba
2042506819