Calls for Stronger Government Support as Canada Aims for Net Zero

At the Calgary-based Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2024 summit, a key message emerged from a panel of industry leaders: Canada must accelerate its energy transition by offering stronger government incentives to support startups and boost the country’s global competitiveness.

Panellists discussed how energy will shape the future of Canada and the world, highlighting that there is no “silver bullet” for the complex challenges ahead. A central theme was the need for clearly defined government policy to foster innovation and help startups succeed, particularly in clean technologies.

Kent Brown, co-founder and partner of Idea Well Capital Partners, voiced his concerns about Canada’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions. 

“The elephant in the room is: are we truly serious about net zero? Is Canada serious? Are politicians serious? Is Alberta serious?” says Brown.

He emphasizes that time is running out for decisive action, stating: “We need to move way faster. Everything today is actually getting slower. To get a project approved today is way slower than how it was 10 years ago. It’s harder today than it ever has been.”

Brown called for strong leadership from both the government and entrepreneurs to drive clean energy innovations. He stressed that the government must provide consistent policy support and offer substantial incentives, while startups and entrepreneurs should lead the way in developing new technologies to tackle climate change challenges.

With global pressures mounting to reduce emissions, Energy Disruptors: UNITE aims to accelerate the energy transition through collaboration and disruptive thinking. Organizers of the summit highlight their goal of uniting trailblazers and scale-blazing businesses to push the boundaries and keep Canada at the forefront of the global energy transition.

Business on Camera is the official promoter of WeMaple Season 3. WeMaple, single purpose entity is a registered corporation in the province of Alberta.