This week we present a special edition of the Insights podcast. Don and David recorded a conversation with Michelle Robichaud, President, Atlantica Centre for Energy live at the Canada's Ocean Supercluster event in Saint John. Held on May 14th, the Supercluster folks are pitching Ambition2035, a plan to grow the output associated with Canada's ocean economy from $40 billion in 2019 to $220 billion by 2035. Almost half this growth is expected to come from the energy sector. Robichaud walks us through the various opportunities from oil and gas and offshore wind to tidal energy and green hydrogen. Want a primer on ocean-related energy opportunities in Atlantic Canada? This is well worth an hour of your time.

On this week’s Insights podcast, Don and David talk with the Honourable Margaret Johnson, Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries in New Brunswick about agriculture, food production and the opportunities for growth in the province and region. Agriculture and food production (excluding fish and seafood), is the second most important export industry in New Brunswick supporting nearly 17,000 jobs and $1.9 billion in export revenue. The sector has been growing rapidly in recent years and Minister Johnson tells us why and what is being done to exploit future growth opportunities.

This week's Insights Podcast features a revealing interview with oil & gas veteran, Phil Knoll who has held senior roles with major companies like AltaGas and Duke Energy as well as Maritime & Northeast Pipelines and Corridor Resources (now Headwater Exploration) in the region. Knoll was CEO of Corridor Resources when the Gallant Government in New Brunswick imposed a moratorium on shale gas exploration. Headwater Exploration is the only company still producing natural gas in Atlantic Canada from its field near Sussex. He talks about shale gas exploration and its safety records over decades in terms of environmental impact. He also provides an estimate of the size of gas reserves in New Brunswick which would be sufficient to supply the current needs in the region for the next century. Currently Atlantic Canada imports hundreds of millions of imported natural resources, money that could benefit the region if the gas from the region was developed. Knoll also points out that natural gas will be needed for the foreseeable future in the transition to green energy in order to ensure sufficient baseload to meet peak demand, especially during the heating season. This is a conversation that everyone should listen to in order to better understand the transition to a green economy.