News & Views

Canadians enjoy the sixth highest standard of living in the world. This single largest factor behind this is our ability to export crude oil.

A study from the Northern Development Initiative Trust shows that the region continues its hefty contribution to provincial well-being. Uncertainties in trade and decision making have consequences for all British Columbia residents.

A Supreme Court judge has rejected the use of violent threats against salmon farm workers' families.

In 2018, many British Columbians don’t want to see an expansion of natural resource industries here, especially energy-based export industries. 

In this free downloadable report, Resource Works looks at how Taiwan is dealing with pressures to curtail its greenhouse gas emissions. LNG is shaping up as a vital part of the solution.

Can we harness technology to ensure necessary natural resource activities are as safe and beneficial as possible? Judging by the turnout at the Nov. 29 Naturally Resourceful event in Vancouver hosted by Resource Works, the answer is yes. 

Here are seven charts that touch on trends in Canada's natural resource future. They are drawn from Maclean's magazine in its annual Chartapalooza feature looking at the biggest economic trends for the coming year.

After reviewing the Site C hydro project, British Columbia's decision to keep going to completion is an important step in a long-term energy transition. Stewart Muir looks at the issue.

TURNING POINT: Two political leaders, two views of how the expanded TransMountain pipeline project benefits Canada's environmental journey.

To reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, Canada must commit to building a vast amount of clean energy infrastructure. That's why projects like Site C are critically important.

Alberta's premier Rachel Notley had a powerful message for Vancouver residents in her Nov. 30 speech: expanding the TransMountain pipeline is a project that centre-left Canadians can embrace. Stewart Muir examines her argument.

Natural resource businesses mean high wages and high productivity. At our Naturally Resourceful conference, we heard why this is a winning advantage.

An academic calling for class-action lawsuits against Canadian energy companies is ignoring the obvious fact that, ultimately, it's always the consumer who pays. That's you, writes Kim Lonsdale.

An emerging trend that offers significant reductions in carbon emissions is working from home, or telecommuting. Kim Lonsdale takes a look.

Canada’s climate is challenging and hugely variable given that our land area begins at the 42nd latitude and extends to the magnetic north. Between long distances and extreme temperature, Canadians use lots of energy for basic heating, cooling, and mobility.

Meet nine companies enabling a clean, efficient natural resource industry. They're leading an exciting new export industry based on Canada's traditional strengths: learn more Nov. 29.

Most Canadians are concerned about climate change, yet their actions as consumers paint a contradictory picture. In his second article in a series, Kim Lonsdale illustrates how making better vehicle and engine choices can help make actual headway in terms of reducing our carbon emissions.

Tickets are now on sale for this powerful lineup of thinkers talking about the shift to a more diversified, green resource economy through the global export value chain.

Over 80% of Canadians, and an even greater percentage of British Columbians indicate that they are concerned or very concerned about climate change. Kim Lonsdale looks into how is this translating into how we get around.

Extracting added value from commodities like minerals, energy, paper and lumber is the most realistic option we have to create more high-tech jobs in an era when over 70 per cent of global trade is in intermediate goods and services and capital goods.

Greener and more efficient use of our precious natural resources can only come from harnessing technology. In the Naturally Resourceful series, Resource Works writer Don Hauka looks at the British Columbia companies that are on the leading edge of this transformation. Eighth in the series.

The world is just as dependent as ever on basic materials that need to be responsibly sourced from somewhere. This can be challenging to understand  for those who've heard the arguments that Canada is a post-resource economy. This material can help.

British Columbia's highest productivity, highest paying jobs are in natural resources. But did you know resources are creating a stunning level of high-tech and clean tech jobs? Meet some of the companies driving this renaissance.

To mark the British Columbia Tech Summit, Resource Works looked at how foundational industries are at the leading edge of innovation. You'll be amazed at what we discovered.

Industry and government are paying the price for being tone deaf and numb to their obligations to First Nations and communities. Regulatory burden and uncertainty is another. Layer on top of that regulatory uncertainty and a lack of a real and clear commitment by governments, and it's clear Canada is in trouble. 

Canada has natural advantages in its oil and gas industry that the country would be wise to consider as it plans its energy future. The head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, took time out from a recent visit to Winnipeg to explain what those are. 

Every woman, man and child in Canada benefits from the oil industry through the billions it pays in royalties, corporate taxes and other levies. According to Jamie Carroll, that includes the women, men and children living in British Columbia and Quebec.

In our haste for energy perfection, we are overlooking the more important need to sustain, over the long term, supplies of energy sufficient to let us maintain our standard of living. Stewart Muir looks at what we can do about this emerging crisis.

Electric vehicles? Solar panels? Wind turbines? None of the above. Educating girls and family planning in combination offer the greatest single opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Greener and more efficient use of our precious natural resources can only come from harnessing technology. In the Naturally Resourceful series, Resource Works writer Don Hauka looks at the British Columbia companies that are on the leading edge of this transformation. Seventh in the series.

Sobering thoughts from a retired energy regulator who has won accolades from all sides through contentious processes. 

Our new daily infographic from adventurer-scientist Tony Morley appears in social media with the hashtag #ResourceProgress.

Global demand for crude oil and natural gas is not credibly forecast to diminish over most of this century, but there is increasing pressure to change our energy systems. Some leading-edge thinkers examine the thorny issues that result.

A court challenge paid for by British Columbia taxpayers claims that building safe energy infrastructure is not in the national interest. Could this be true?

 Winnipeg conference aims to shape Canada’s long-term energy future.

"We continue to drag our feet about pipelines, we manage to discourage liquefied natural gas investments in BC..."

A fascinating new study from the Business Council of British Columbia reveals high level of mutual dependency between the neighbours.

Resource commodities are nearly 80% of British Columbia's exports today and continue to underpin hundreds of thousands of jobs. Wrong moves on carbon pricing can hurt those workers while doing nothing for climate. 

A trio of city policies amounts to a de facto ban on natural gas in pursuit of a "100% renewable energy" target. Moreover, the ban is based on insufficient renewable natural gas and could blunt more effective work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

One of the most important skill sets for current times is the ability to work with people we don't necessary agree with or even trust. Finally there is a way to acquire this ability.

While a small number of protesters get themselves on the news with emotionally charged displays, it turns out most British Columbia residents are practical green futurists who support new energy projects done right.

Resource families are among the hardest hit by British Columbia's summer of wildfires. As we leave the summer season, they're going to need all the help they can get. Please join us supporting the Thanksgiving Food Drive, an annual event that takes place each September

In June 2018, Vancouver will be the site of a major international conference exploring themes of interest to the Resource Works community. 

How can we collaborate to protect workers and grow the economy? A roundtable conversation with Canada's environment minister is a reminder that complex regulatory systems are not simple to manage. 

Recent events prove that when resource investment is driven away from Canada, governments will have no choice but to raise taxes to get the funds they need. 

​We're often asked how natural gas, which occurs in great abundance in western Canada, can be extracted with minimal impact on land and water. This animation shows the steps involved.

Greener and more efficient use of our precious natural resources can only come from harnessing technology. In the Naturally Resourceful series, Resource Works writer Don Hauka looks at the British Columbia companies that are on the leading edge of this transformation. Sixth in the series.

What country wouldn't want to retain, and keep improving, a trillion dollar industry? (If it was lucky enough to have one, that is.) Stewart Muir looks at some surprising data.