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Context

Canada is founded on the pursuit of raw materials, and this pursuit remains a driving force in the growth of the Canadian landscape and economy. The Resource Sector covers a very wide spectrum, including oil and gas, mining, metals, electricity, raw materials, and distribution systems. Though the Canadian economy can no longer be classified as predominantly resource-based, this sector continues to be large and pivotal. This makes the Canadian economy unique in the G8. The mining and forestry industries are prime employers in a number of Canadian communities and major exporters of raw material and processed goods around the world. Canada is the third largest producer of natural gas in the world, and the ninth largest producer of crude oil.

Drivers

Global market forces are the primary drivers for long-term stability of Resource Sector development. Equally, the local regulatory framework within which development must co-exist is fundamentally important. Increasingly stringent environmental regulations are a concern, as is regulatory uncertainty. Understanding current regulations, pending changes to these regulations, and knowing the pathway through the approval process is paramount to the success of an economically viable development. Prospecting – aided by satellite tracking – and production have become truly global. World markets are more competitive than ever, reflecting a shift of capital investment away from established economies such as Canada’s to the richest sources of raw materials, however remote their location. Producers need to be able to supply global markets, to satisfy ever more exacting environmental and regulatory requirements, and to master cutting-edge technology.

Outlook

The present Canadian economy is showing continued growth in the exploration and development of our vast natural resources. Demand for power, oil and gas, wood and mineral products remains strong. As the Canadian infrastructure grows and increases its ties to the US market, the ability to safely and economically transport the resource to the end consumer is a critical component of the growth of the Resource Sector. The global appetite for Canadian resources is increasing with the rapidly expanding economies of nations such as China and India, fuelling demand for natural resources at increasing levels for the foreseeable future, leading to further opportunities for companies to safely and economically develop local resources. Regulatory and technology changes will also be important determinants of the health of the sector.

Changing Client Needs

Resource companies operate within a business environment of constant change with respect to the requirements and demands of environmental and societal regulatory frameworks. Whether these are global initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol, or a change in local regulations, successful companies must comply, while making real-time production and cash flow decisions. Societal pressures demand that companies think and act both globally and locally in an environmentally and socially conscientious manner. Partnerships between resource companies and financial and technically-based companies will become more common, and more essential to success. Also key will be comprehension of technologies such as renewable energy and process automation, and a more in-depth understanding of risk management.

Dillon’s Approach

As a national company operating multi-nationally, we understand the local and broad requirements affecting the development and operation of resource-based enterprises. Whether it‘s dealing with federal regulators, completing end-of-pipe monitoring or conducting detailed design, we provide a broad range of professional and technical services to resource companies to assist in meeting their objectives.