Secure communities, competitive industries, and economic growth depend on reliable energy.
On June 4 in Edmonton, Energy for a Secure Future will convene municipal leaders and energy experts for the Municipal Energy Dialogue 2026, a focused discussion on Canada’s plans to grow energy exports, domestic electricity supply, and data-centre capacity, and how communities can turn these opportunities into economic growth. The event is held in partnership with Resource Works.
Held on the margins of FCM, this dialogue examines how municipal leadership shapes Canada’s ability to deliver reliable energy at home and abroad.
Confirmed Speakers
Danny Breen was first elected to the St. John’s City Council in the Fall of 2009 and was re-elected by acclamation in 2013, representing Ward 1, in the east end of St. John’s. He was first elected as Mayor of the City of St. John’s in 2017 and acclaimed as Mayor for a second term in 2021.
Crystal Smith is the Senior Fellow, Energy and Partnerships at Energy for a Secure Future (ESF), where she was a founding member of the Advisory Council during her tenure as Chief Councillor of the Haisla Nation. She is also a member of the federal government’s Major Projects Office, Indigenous Advisory Council.
She has chaired the First Nations Natural Gas Alliance, advancing Indigenous participation in BC’s LNG industry to create employment and lasting benefits for Indigenous communities.
Heather Exner-Pirot is the Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a Special Advisor to
the Business Council of Canada, and a Research Advisor to the Indigenous Resource Network.
She has twenty years of experience in Indigenous and Arctic economic
development and governance. She has published on Indigenous economic and resource development, energy security and politics, Arctic
human security, regional Arctic governance, and First
Nations equity.
Gerald Aalbers is serving his third term as Mayor of Lloydminster, having been re-elected by acclamation in November 2024. He and his family have called Lloydminster home since 2005. Over the years, his career has spanned multiple industries, including agriculture, environmental services, and several years in the oil and gas sector.
Mr. Aalbers also represents Saskatchewan as chair of the Saskatchewan City Mayor’s caucus and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) board of directors.
Randy Goulden was first elected to Yorkton City Council in 1997 and was re-elected in the next five elections. She has served on all council committees and commissions and has been very active within municipal government provincially (SUMA), and nationally through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
Formerly, Ms. Goulden was the FCM Western Economic Solutions Taskforce chairperson. She has also been a champion of the tourism industry in Saskatchewan for over twenty years.
James Furney was elected as Mayor of Port McNeill, BC in 2022.
He is one of the founding signatories of the Alliance of Resource Communities— a coalition of Canadian municipalities advocating for sustainable, balanced, and economically viable resource development. It represents towns and regions that depend on forestry, mining, and energy industries to sustain local economies and support national growth.
Stay tuned for more updates!
Energy for a Secure Future is seeking partners to SPONSOR THE EVENT. If your organization is interested in empowering communities to engage with energy development, sharing expertise, and engaging with like-minded stakeholders, please get in touch with us to explore partnership opportunities.
