Canada’s energy industry is large and essential, a vital component of our national prosperity. A basic numbers review illustrates the point: representing 10.3 per cent (or $279 billion) of nominal GDP, the energy industry provides 697,000 jobs across the country. At 28 per cent of total Canadian goods exported (or $199.1 billion), energy is our country’s number one export. Government energy revenues (income tax, land sales and royalties) averaged $19.3 billion between 2018 and 2022.
The industry, like all others, is really the people within it. These individuals, from varying places and with varying backgrounds, enter into and propel it along with world-leading skill, talent and dedication. The industry demands of and rewards much to its people.
And many of these people are women. Roughly 25 per cent, to be exact. Though a minority of the workforce, women in the Canadian energy industry have a significant impact. This is perhaps best exemplified by Canadian Women in Energy (CWiE), an inclusive, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, supporting and empowering women in Canada’s energy sector.
With a growing membership base and recently expanded geographic scope, CWiE’s impact is on an upward trajectory. Today, it comprises of two chapters: Calgary and, as of September, Edmonton, with more than 450 active members.
The Edmonton Chapter launched with a hugely successful inaugural event held at the Dow Centennial Centre in Fort Saskatchewan on October 2. “We had over 200 people at the event,” Alicia Donnelly, Edmonton Chapter president explains. Donnelly is an operations director with Graham and has been working in Alberta’s energy industry for 25 years. “We sold out very quickly.”
Attendees included many local industry owners and contractors and major speakers included Minister of Arts, Culture and the Status of Women Tanya Fir, representatives from Dow Chemicals, Shell Canada and Air Products, as well as from Women Building Futures.
The impetus for an Edmonton chapter (prior to the Edmonton expansion the organization was based in Calgary and was called Calgary Women in Energy) had been building for years. Shauna Holmes, Calgary Chapter president, was the driving force behind the expansion. Holmes has 15 years of experience in the Western Canadian energy industry and is currently senior commercial director at WillScott.
“I had been a part of Calgary Women in Energy for 12 years, in various roles, and traveled to Edmonton regularly for work,” Holmes explains. “And I saw how many females work in our industry up there but didn’t have something like Calgary Women in Energy. So last December at the Shutdown Turnaround Conference I approached one of our members, Alia Jeethan [now vice president of the Edmonton Chapter] who was from Edmonton, and she introduced me to Alicia. We got to talking and got a little fired up, and somehow I convinced them to dive into this journey with me! They have been excellent at leading the team in Edmonton.”
“By March we were meeting every week,” Donnelly continues. “We worked on the name change and the new logo, and on getting set up.” The new name – a switch from Calgary to Canadian – reflects the broader reach of the organization and the intent to continue to spread into other parts of the country like Ontario and B.C.
“We thought having a huge kickoff event would be a good way to get people involved and get the word out,” Holmes says. “We are very excited these days. Everyone is feeling very motivated and energized. And we have a lot of really cool events coming up!”
Formed in 2002 as Calgary Women in Energy, CWiE was started by six women who worked in the industry. “Most of them were in business development and felt the need for collaboration and community,” Holmes says. “They got together and started this group. First they held monthly technical sessions. Then they started a golf tournament. It was very grassroots and grew organically.”
“CWiE really started as an opportunity for these women to get together and talk about what they were experiencing within the industry,” Donnelly continues. “To leverage their relationships with one another and hear each other’s stories. To ask questions and learn from one another. To create that network or community to sustain a career in a predominantly male dominated industry.”
Entering into its 23rd year as an organization, CWiE today focuses on three pillars: networking, technical education and philanthropy. In Calgary, networking events include monthly Mix n’ Minglers on the third Thursday of every month at the Petroleum Club, and which are open to all members of the industry.
“It’s creating that community where we can leverage one another and make sure that when someone new comes in, we give them an opportunity to meet those who have been in the industry a long time or who, like them, are new as well,” Donnelly explains.
CWiE hosts quarterly members-only breakfasts too. “Our next one is actually a speed networking event so our members can get to know one another,” Holmes says. “Because at 450 members, there’s no way everyone can know one another. So were taking the opportunity for members to get to know other members.”
Another important CWiE networking event is the annual Allies in Energy Executive Forum. “It’s an event where people can be real and authentic, and talk about their journeys,” Holmes explains. “We’ve hosted some amazing leaders from the energy industry, really high caliber C-suite speakers. And it’s about 300 people, so quite intimate. The speakers share their journey and the challenges and success they’ve had.”
For 2025, the Allies in Energy event will be focused on the employment journey and career transitions.
This year, CWiE hosted its first ever Student in Energy Night at the Petroleum Club, where students from MRU and the University of Calgary were invited to attend. “We had 14 organizations there,” Holmes says. “Suncor, CNRL, Gibsons, Inter Pipeline, Paramount. We’ve had nothing but good feedback that it was one of the best job fair style events they’ve ever seen.”
On the technical side, CWiE hosts monthly technical education sessions on a variety of topics. In Calgary, for example, topics have included Indigenous relations, Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) and Renewable Natural Gas (RNG).
“We always get an amazing subject matter expert to come and speak,” Holmes says. “They showcase current and upcoming projects, new technology in the industry, and really hone in on some of the skills and interesting topics they’re working on.” Each technical session is capped at about 100 people, providing an intimate learning setting.
One differentiator between Edmonton and Calgary will be around the technical session. “In Edmonton we’re going to be more boots on the ground,” Donnelly notes. “Much of the industry is in our backyard. Our first technical session is at ATCO Hydrogen Blending Project, we’re actually going to their facility. Another session we’re working on is with IOL and their new renewable diesel facility.”
Given the more frontline nature of Edmonton’s energy industry, Donnelly expects the Edmonton Chapter membership to have a different feel too. “There are more tradespeople in Edmonton, so I do think our membership may be more rounded out in that respect,” she says.
Holmes notes that the majority of the Calgary Chapter members are in business development, sales, engineering, project management, accounting or finance, Indigenous relations and technical safety. “We haven’t seen a lot of trades in Calgary,” she says, “So Edmonton will be really unique because there will be corporate and also trades. That’s a really exciting combination.”
On the philanthropy side, CWiE chooses a charity for a two year term, and raises funds for it through its annual golf tournament, fundraising drives and other events. For the past two years, the charity has been Women Building Futures. In October, CWiE presented a cheque for $175,000 to the charity.
“We donated $155,000 last year and $175,000 this year,” Holmes beams. “In total, we’ve raised almost $1.2 million for local charities.”
Both the Calgary and Edmonton Chapters will host their own Christmas parties, with funds raised at each to go to a chosen charity (last year it was the Alberta Children’s Hospital).
Looking forward, Holmes is excited for where CWiE is headed, and is particularly proud of the team she’s working with. “Everyone has been working so hard,” she says. “We are very aligned. We come from different backgrounds, companies, employment fields, and it’s really nice that we’ve created this sisterhood. We have a goal, we stay focused and we work very hard. We all put our blood, sweat and tears into this and it speaks volumes. We are very proud of the work we’ve done since inception.”
In Edmonton, Donnelly is focused on slowly and methodically growing CWiE: “We will hold our very first technical session in November and we’ll host a community-focused Christmas party in December. “Next year, we plan to organize a golf tournament, launch a mentorship program and host an Allies in Energy event. We’re approaching this with small, intentional steps.”
No matter the Chapter, CWiE members have access to all events wherever they are, Holmes points out.
The CWiE Calgary Chapter Board includes: Shauna Holmes (president), Jana Hackman (vice president), SueAnne Fu-Joncic (corporate secretary), Sameera Kanji (treasurer), Carmen Lazzer (director of Community Involvement), Leslie Cassidy (director of Technical Education), Alena Blanes (director of Marketing & Communications), Britlynn Mracek (co-director of Membership), Alana Hoekstra (co-director of Membership), Rachel Ong (director of Events), and Rayna Oryniak (sponsorship coordinator).
The CWiE Edmonton Chapter Board includes: Shauna Holmes (executive director), Jana Hackman (executive director), Alicia Donnelly (president), Alia Jeethan (vice president),Carrie Quaschnick (corporate secretary), Aman Bar (treasurer), Morgan Proudfoot (director of Community Involvement), Sheliza Kassam (director of Technical Education), Grace Elliot (director of Communications & Marketing), Parris Stacey (co-director of Membership), Senia McPherson (co-director of Membership), Chelsey Lavallee (director of Events), and Magdalena Usyk (sponsorship coordinator).
For more information about CWiE, visitcanadianwomeninenergy.com.
Minister of Arts, Culture and the Status of Women, Tanya Fir, on how her Ministry supports women in Alberta’s energy sector
As Minister of Arts, Culture and the Status of Women, Tanya Fir is tasked with, among other things, supporting the participation of women in Alberta’s economy, including pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
“Ensuring women in Alberta have access to good quality jobs and can succeed in fulfilling careers is crucial to the success of our province,” Fir says, “and we are reducing barriers for women to achieve this. Careers in STEM offer women amazing opportunities, and women can offer important perspective and skills to those industries as well.”
Her Ministry awards scholarships, including the Women in STEM Scholarship, the Persons Case Scholarship and the new Women in Technical and Applied Arts Scholarship. Last year, $225,000 was awarded in scholarships to students through the Women in STEM and Persons Case scholarship programs.
In the energy industry, Minister Fir is eager to understand what unique barriers exist that prevent women from entering those fields of employment. “I was very inspired earlier this year when I met with women business leaders from across Alberta,” she recounts. “I heard loud and clear about how important things like access to affordable childcare, training and mentorships are for women in every sector, and the need to ensure worksites are safe for women.”
Fir attended and spoke at the inaugural event for the Edmonton Chapter of Canadian Women in Energy (CWiE) in October. “Groups like CWiE create opportunities for mentorship, representation and networking,” she says. “When women see other women in leadership roles or roles where their gender is traditionally underrepresented, and they have access to mentorship from women in those fields, they are more likely to see themselves in advanced careers.”
“I spoke about Alberta’s world-class energy sector and the innovative and important projects Alberta’s government is supporting,” she continues. “From the Alberta Carbon Conversion Technology Centre, developments in clean technology, to the Bitumen Beyond Combustion program.”
Alberta’s government also supports organizations that are working to encourage more women in sectors like energy. For example, it has partnered with Women Building Futures in their mission to help unemployed and underemployed women explore a future in the skilled trades by supporting their Women and the Emerging Energy Future Program, which educates women on careers in energy and how the trades are essential to Alberta’s energy future.
“I was proud to spend 19 years in Alberta’s energy sector before getting into politics,” Fir reflects. “I hope to see a future where women in Alberta’s energy industry are fully represented at all levels, from entry-level positions to leadership roles. I am prepared to do my part, and through programs across government, we are addressing the barriers women face and the support they need to have fulfilling, quality careers.”
