ACR’s 90th Anniversary Conference & Awards Banquet

Canada’s Resources Moment: Achieving Success in the Build Canada Era

April 9–10, 2026 | Fairmont Banff Springs

ACR’s 90th Anniversary Conference & Awards Banquet brought together leaders from across industry, government, and Indigenous communities in Banff for two days of insight, connection, and celebration.

Keynote Presentation & Address by Ian Anderson, ACR Resource Leadership Award Recipient

As part of the evening’s Awards Banquet, ACR was proud to present the Resource Leadership Legacy Award to Ian Anderson in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to Canada’s resource sector.

His remarks on leadership, relationships, and long-term impact were a highlight of the evening

In April 2026, the Alberta Chamber of Resources marked a major milestone — 90 years of convening, collaboration, and leadership across Alberta’s resource sector.

Hosted at the Fairmont Banff Springs, the event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping Canada’s resource future, while celebrating the individuals and organizations making a lasting impact.

A Timely Conversation for Canada’s Resource Sector

Download Agenda
Download Agenda

This year’s conference, “Canada’s Resources Moment: Achieving Success in the Build Canada Era,” focused on the role of the resource sector in strengthening Canada’s economic resilience.

Key themes included:

  • Growing public support for responsible resource development

  • The need for market diversification in a shifting geopolitical landscape

  • The realities of government decision-making and policy execution

  • The importance of Indigenous partnership and participation

  • The value of cross-sector collaboration and aligned advocacy

Speakers provided thoughtful, practical insights — highlighting not only what governments must do, but what the sector itself must do to move forward effectively.

Awards Banquet 

Recognizing Leadership Across the Sector

The 90th Anniversary Banquet celebrated three outstanding individuals whose leadership continues to shape Alberta’s resource sector:

  • Resource Leadership Legacy Award
    Ian Anderson

  • Indigenous Resource Leadership Award
    Steve Saddleback

  • Young Resource Leader Award
    Emily Hicks

In addition, ACR was pleased to recognize Naomi Tercier for her leadership and service as Board Chair from 2024–2026. During her tenure, Naomi played a key role in guiding the organization through an important period of transition and positioning ACR for its next chapter.

Each of these individuals represents a different dimension of leadership — from long-standing impact to emerging innovation and the advancement of meaningful partnership.

Looking Ahead: ACR’s Next Chapter

The 90th Anniversary also marked the introduction of ACR’s Strategy for Renewed Relevance & Growth.

This renewed direction focuses on:

  • Representing sector-wide principles rather than duplicating detailed policy work

  • Using ACR’s convening power to bring industry and government together

  • Strengthening ACR’s role in shaping public understanding and dialogue

  • Creating greater alignment across the resource sector

This approach reflects feedback from members and stakeholders and positions ACR to play a more distinct and impactful role in the years ahead.

Thank you to our members, partners, speakers, and attendees for being part of this milestone event and for your continued commitment to Alberta’s resource sector.

Our Partners

Thank you to our partners who continue to support us and make these events possible.

Past Awards

Resource Leader of the Year

The Resource Leader of the Year is presented to an individual, organization or project that has been significant to the sustainable development of Alberta’s natural resources.

Past Winners:

Indigenous Leader of the Year

The Indigenous Leader of the Year is presented to an individual, organization or project that has advanced the relationship between the Indigenous peoples of Alberta and the natural resource sector.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Past Winners:

Major Reclamation Award

The dedication of ACR members to the pursuit of improved reclamation techniques has led to many innovations and has provided increasing confidence to regulators and the general public about the long-term success of reclamation in Alberta. The Major Reclamation Award reflects the importance of long-term corporate commitment to reclamation. Selection for the Major Reclamation Award is made by Alberta Environment and Water in an independent process.

Past Winners:

Aboriginal Rewarding Partnership Award

The award was created by the Alberta Chamber of Resources and Alberta Aboriginal Relations to celebrate and recognize companies and their Aboriginal partners who have demonstrated excellence in innovation, best practices in Aboriginal programs, sustainability and capacity building.

Past Winners:

Environmental Award

This is given to organizations or individuals who have demonstrated sustained and stellar environmental stewardship. Selection for the Environmental Award is made by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development in an independent process.

Past Winners:

Young Resource Leader Award

Key to the positive future of our industry are the young leaders across the value chain of the natural resources industry who are advancing the technology, standards, skills, science, and communication necessary for our industries to thrive in an ever-changing environment.

Past Winners:

Technology & Innovation Leadership Award

We are immensely proud of the effort companies, communities and individuals make every day to responsibly research, innovate, develop, process, transport, market, and support our natural resources.

Past Winners:

MIAC Scholarships

Promoting the future of mining in Alberta

In addition to our annual awards, the Alberta Chamber of Resources also presents a number of scholarships to second-year mining engineering students enrolled in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering School of Mining, who have shown academic merit or extracurricular achievements. The Ian Muirhead Memorial Scholarship is presented to the student who best combines these attributes. The scholarships are sponsored by the mining companies in the Alberta Chamber of Resources.