REGINA – This week marks the annual Food Fuel Fertilizer Global Summit, showcasing issues touching on the major industries important to Saskatchewan.
The event is put on by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and takes place on April 21 and 22 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott in Regina.
According to the Chamber’s website, the summit “brings together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and partners from across Saskatchewan and Canada to align economic opportunity with national priorities.”
This year the focus is on global trade, tariffs, and economic security, with the chamber pointing to rising tariffs and realignment in global markets creating as much opportunity as uncertainty.
Saskatchewan Chamber CEO Prabha Ramaswamy said the summit is even more important this year as Canada is at a pivotal moment in time and the global demand for Saskatchewan's resources is growing.
"Trade relationships are shifting across the world. The geopolitics are evolving almost on a daily basis. And I think Canada actually has an opportunity to define its role in this new economic order. And Canada should leverage what we have as a country as well as leverage what we have here in Saskatchewan and Western Canada to position itself as a global leader in economic security.”
Ramaswamy said the Food, Fuel, Fertilizer Summit is “exactly the place where this conversation is going to happen because we have policymakers in the room, industry leaders, partners and investors. And from the conversations over the day and a half of this summit, there'll be a policy report that's developed and sent to Ottawa with calls to action and recommendations.”
Last year’s summit came in the backdrop of the uncertainty and volatility of the tariff situation and the trade war that had erupted from the White House.
That has been replaced this year by the uncertainty and volatility from a real war in the Middle East that has impacted oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz.
Ramaswamy acknowledged that at this year’s summit they will be discussing, “the economic environment, the tariffs, the trading relationships, the changing geopolitical situation and all of the challenges that we're experiencing, encountering as a result.
“But having said that, this summit will also shed a spotlight on what the opportunities may be under the circumstances. So I think it's really important for us to, like I said earlier, for us as a province, as a nation, to seize the opportunities that are emerging and move quickly.”
Among the major opportunities have been announcements in recent weeks in the mining sector, with two new uranium mines being launched in northern Saskatchewan.
Ramaswamy noted that even in these uncertain times, the “mining sector is booming in our province. Our GDP growth is tracking very well in comparison to other provinces in Canada, and we are ranked as number one for private capital investment.”
The lineup
Once again the Food, Fuel, Fertilizer summit will be packed with appearances from leading figures from government and the private sector who will be appearing over the two days.
The opening keynote address on April 21 will once again be from Premier Scott Moe. His address will focus on Saskatchewan's position as a reliable global supplier, amid trade and tariff uncertainties.
That will be followed by a fireside chat between Moe and Tim Gitzel, CEO of Cameco.
Both will discuss the surge in global demand for uranium, and Saskatchewan's role in global uranium energy security.
Also Tuesday, members from the Western Business Coalition will speak about a joint project last year on natural resources called Untapped Potential: Driving Canadian Prosperity Through Natural Resources.
Geoff Gay, CEO of Athabasca Basin Developments, will be speaking about economic development and Indigenous partnerships.
Later that afternoon, Kyle Jeworski, CEO of Bunge, will have a fireside chat called Feeding the World from the Prairies. He will talk about how prairie crops move from the farm gate to global markets.
Also that day are leaders from NextGen and Paladin speaking on uranium projects from exploration to construction.
Also that afternoon will be an appearance from Bruce Bodine, the CEO of Mosaic, who will take part in a fireside chat on The Most Critical Mineral: Why Potash Matters in an Unpredictable and Hungry World.
There will also be a panel on oil and gas as well with leaders in the oil and gas industry speaking about Fueling Security: Saskatchewan’s Role in a Shifting Global Energy Order.
On April 22, Darren Baccus, a Vice President at FCC, will speak about capital and about a coalition of 20-plus investment organizations that are deploying $5 billion into the agri-food industry by 2030.
Also that day, Ramaswamy will host Alberta Chamber CEO Shauna Fern and Manitoba Chamber CEO Chuck Davidson, speaking on what is happening in their provinces.
This marks the fourth year for the Food, Fuel, Fertilizer Global Summit and it continues to grow in size and stature.
“I think our number of attendees has increased steadily,” said Ramaswamy. “We're very fortunate… that these global leaders that are featured on the program, who actually happen to be from our province, always make themselves available to participate in this summit. We're very grateful for that.”
Ramaswamy said it is a “really important platform for people in our province, business leaders, decision makers, to understand what we have to offer. We have people in the room from across Canada. We have to offer how we see the opportunities and positions in Saskatchewan as a leader as well.”
