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As part of a widely based funding consortium (listed below), Industry Canada conducted a scenario planning process to answer the question: “How can we ensure the sustainable growth and competitiveness of the Canadian resource value chain to 2025?” The exercise incorporated perspectives from over 160 participants who were actively engaged in six workshops held across Canada. The scenarios were created using two critical uncertainties distilled from among the many driving forces affecting the resource value chain.

Contact

Michelle Gagnon

Industry Canada

Tel. +1-613-991-5449  • Fax +1-613- 941-8048

E-mail: gagnon.michelle@ic.gc.ca

Implementation of Scenarios

The key to this project was the development of tools and initiatives for the use of the funding consortium and for rendering the end product accessible to industry and other stakeholders.

Tools and initiatives include:

•Signpost indicators that will be monitored for a period of 3 years;•Annual reporting event on signpost indicators and strategic discussions on scenarios;•Interactive Web site to foster continued discussion and exploration of the topic;•Communication plan for the launch of the final products;•Workshop “Train the Trainer” piece to enable associations / stakeholders to hold workshops that train participants on the use of the scenarios in their strategic and policy planning;•Popularly written and presented final scenarios; and•New networks and partnerships between government and industry for further research and implementation strategies.

Funding Consortium

•Alberta Pacific Forest Industries Inc.•AMEC Earth and Environmental•Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Atlantic Provinces•BC Hydro•Dow Canada•Employment, Immigration & Industry, Alberta•Environment Canada•Human Resources and Social Development Canada•Industry and Resources, Saskatchewan•Industry Canada•Ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation, et Ministère des Ressources

naturelles et de la Faune, Quebec•Ministry of Economic Development, British Columbia•Ministry of Research and Innovation, Ontario•National Research Council of Canada•Natural Resources Canada•Shell Canada

Four Futures: Canadian Natural Resource Challenges

The scenario initiative has been designed to create and maintain a dynamic dialogue. It is hoped that this dialogue will influence policies and business planning over the coming years. The process was multifaceted, involving a wide range of stakeholders, and it was funded by various levels of government and industry thus expanding buy-in to its results and increasing the understanding of the usefulness of this type of approach. In turn, the “products” create ongoing opportunities to leverage this initiative, whether through educating other organizations in how to use the results (workshop), pulling stakeholders and general public into the discussion (website), or annual reporting and strategic discussion sessions to maintain the interest of the network of key participants.