CERAWeek may not be widely known outside the energy sector, but it should be. Now in its 44th year, this premier global gathering in Houston, Texas, brought together more than 10,000 participants from nearly 90 countries. The conference brought together the most influential figures in industry, policy, technology, finance and government.

In recent conversations, some key themes have stood out. Energy is no longer considered narrowly as a commodity, an enabler, an environmental or market issue. It’s about security and competitiveness, with an economic and social bottom line: Jurisdictions best positioned to attract investment, support industrial growth and strengthen resilience are those that deliver for the people and economies they serve at home and around the world.

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That is as true for Canada as it is anywhere else. Canada’s ability to deliver for our allies starts with our ability to deliver at home. And if we are going to meet the moment, a clear and comprehensive natural gas strategy will be necessary to attract capital with scale and urgency.

What is also clear is that the conversation has moved beyond “all of the above” to something more urgent: We will need more of the above. Demand is not waiting. Every credible pathway points to the need for more supply, more infrastructure and more capacity across the system, starting with what we can deliver here at home.

Natural gas central to Canadians’ prosperity

In that context, natural gas is not peripheral. It is central to the prosperity of Canadians.

Across our country, the natural gas delivery industry meets 40% of Canada’s energy needs through a network that serves more than 7.6 million customer locations. This is a system built for Canadian conditions, one that provides scale, storage, and reliability, and positions Canada to meet both domestic and global energy security needs.

What I have also heard this week is that pressure on the broader North American energy system is only increasing, which means we must permit and build faster to meet consumer demand. All of this is part of a much more practical conversation than the one we were having a few years ago. The question is not simply what kind of energy future we aspire to. It is whether our systems can deliver affordability, reliability and resilience while that future is being built.

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As federal Energy Minister Tim Hodgson and others have underscored, “Energy security is national security.”

His recent message is also a welcome signal of ambition: “We will win this race. We will only win it with natural gas.” That clarity is important and worth recognizing.

Natural gas is a great enabler — powering AI, supporting onshoring and delivering affordable, reliable energy. It cannot be treated simply as an export opportunity. Canada must align domestic policy to unlock existing resources and infrastructure to support affordability, economic growth and system resilience. Canada has an opportunity to approach this moment with confidence and pragmatism, supported by its abundant natural gas and critical delivery infrastructure already in place. If the conversations at CERAWeek were any guide, the decades ahead will demand more from every part of the energy system — and Canada has what it takes to deliver.

— Susanna Zagar is president & CEO of the Canadian Gas Association

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