Canada's Natural Resources – Under Pressure And Transformation

In 2017, Canada's energy sector faces continued uncertainty and inertia. From taxes to transportation, Canada's natural resource industries – and their benefits to the national economy – are under threat from a dramatically changing legal, regulatory and political landscape. Foremost among those challenges are infrastructure development, carbon pricing, and waning investor confidence.

Notwithstanding recent approvals, the future for pipelines reaching tidewater – a polarizing issue in Canada – remains uncertain. The inability to transport oil and gas to market impacts the national economy, including government revenues and Canadians who rely on the sector for their jobs. Chief concerns in 2017 include regulatory process uncertainties and the necessity for a "social licence" to operate, over and above meeting legal requirements. Then there are battered commodity prices, now entering their third year.