Good morning, Mr. Chair and committee members. Thank you for the invitation to be here today.
My name is Andrea Hardie, and I'm here in my capacity as the director of health and safety for Enserva, formerly the Petroleum Services Association of Canada. I'm also joined today by Mattie McMillan, policy analyst at Enserva, who is listening in and supporting over the phone line.
I would like to acknowledge that Enserva is headquartered within Treaty 7 in Calgary, Alberta, which is where I'm joining you from today. In the spirit of reconciliation and to better honour Treaty 7, we acknowledge that we gather and work on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy—the Siksika, Kainai and Piikani—the Tsuut'ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda nations and the Métis Nation region 3. Our members, their operations and the work of the association occur throughout Canada, and Enserva remains committed to playing our part in reconciliation and growing relationships and opportunities.
Enserva is a national trade association representing Canada’s energy service, supply and manufacturing sector. We are the energy sector’s innovators and solution-finders. The energy industry is a major global economic driver. In Canada, it accounted for 10.2% of nominal GDP—which equates to $219 billion—in 2019.
Enserva helps to unlock Canadian energy by making connections, accessing resources, delivering policy solutions and providing insights that accelerate the energy evolution. Our members provide the energy workforce that the world needs to thrive, with the most responsible and carefully regulated practices in the world. We make the world a better place by reducing energy poverty, empowering energy transformation and creating economic growth and jobs.
Our sector encompasses just under 500,000 workers, and our members and their teams are preparing the energy supply chain to reach our net-zero targets, provide sufficient capacity to ensure the future of energy security and get Canada’s energy where it needs to go. Enserva members are investing in Canada and equipping the next generation of workers with the tools, training and know-how to pursue a long and fulfilling career in the energy sector. Enserva is well positioned to bridge the gap between government, the private sector and the many stakeholders we serve, so we appreciate the opportunity to speak at this committee.
Our internal councils consist of leading industry experts in health and safety; human resources; environmental, social and governance, or ESG; indigenous relations; innovation; and tech, to name of few. This past September, our ESG council launched Enserva’s ESG playbook, a resource that supports our members—no matter where they are on their sustainability journey—to navigate the legal, regulatory and social norms that are rapidly changing in our sector.
Canada is leading the way in ESG best practices, and we're proud of our members’ contributions, from reducing fugitive emissions in the production of blue hydrogen and remediating soil and fill well above regulation and standards to supporting STARS air ambulance and countless other service groups across the country.
Another important initiative for Enserva members is the site rehabilitation program. This program supports the important work our sector has already been doing regarding environmental stewardship and ESG, as it helps accelerate environmental cleanup and creates jobs. With almost $1 billion going out in grants as of October 6, 2022, just in Alberta, the SRP has made an important impact in unlocking Canadian energy, creating jobs and increasing the quality of life for many Canadians. In addition, as of August 31, 2022, the Saskatchewan program has completed over 6,400 well abandonments, over 3,000 flow-line abandonments, 60 facilities and over 11,000 site remediation and reclamation activities, all while maintaining 1,400 full-time equivalent jobs in the sector.
The SRP is specifically for the energy services sector, and during a time when our sector has seen a significant labour crunch, the program has helped keep workers employed in the industry who have the technical skills to provide these services. The people who are completing the SRP work are the same people who will be doing the very technical work in Canada’s energy evolution and are partners on the road to net zero. Investment in them is an investment in our future. These efforts have also enabled business growth among indigenous partners and contractors through direct opportunities and meaningful business relationships.
Enserva hopes to see this program continue, as the SRP cleans up the environment and helps create jobs in Canada’s energy services, supply and manufacturing sector. It is a welcome investment, and we support our indigenous partners in their advocacy to extend the program.
For over 40 years, Enserva has been a strong advocate of Canada’s energy service, supply and manufacturing sector to all levels of government, to our customers and to Canadians. We are a collaborative partner on several government committees and councils across Canada. We also work together with our industry partners on policy initiatives such as regulatory modernization and harmonization.
Just this year, our members are reporting more than 2,000 employment vacancies that we must fill to ensure that both domestic and global energy needs are met. As we know, without a sustainable and diverse workforce that is ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow, our sector's ability to keep up with the global energy demand will no doubt be hindered. We share a common goal of ensuring Canada's energy sector is efficient, successful and sustainable for many years to come.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm pleased to respond to questions.