From Assembly Line to C-Suite: Scott Balfour of Emera

04/17/25 • 31 min

Scott Balfour has some simple career advice for his three sons: stay humble, work hard and be kind. It’s what he learned from his mother and grandmother and he maintains those “fundamental skills” have been the most important throughout his career.

Born and raised in Oakville, Ontario, Balfour spent a year working on the assembly line at the local Ford plant before returning to Laurier University to complete his degree. He went on to work in commercial banking, corporate finance and infrastructure development before pivoting to the energy sector, becoming president and CEO of Emera. The Halifax-headquartered energy company serves more than 2.5 million customers across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

At Emera, Balfour has been at the forefront of the industry's transformation, overseeing the company's shift towards more renewable energy sources and modernizing its energy mix. He has navigated the complexities of policy, regulation, and customer needs, all while maintaining a commitment to reliability, affordability, and environmental stewardship.

Listen to his full conversation – including his hopes for Canada’s future – on the Speaking of Business podcast with Goldy Hyder.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/

Listen to his full conversation – including his hopes for Canada’s future – on the Speaking of Business podcast with Goldy Hyder.

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/

Previous Episode

The energy optimist: Dean Setoguchi of Keyera

When Dean Setoguchi thinks about Canada’s energy industry, he sees a bright future, and it’s partly due to tariff threats from the United States. “I’m an optimist,” he tells Goldy Hyder on the Speaking of Business podcast. “I feel like there’s a recognition by Canadians that our national resources are our treasure, and I don’t think that recognition has been there for the past at least decade.”

The president and CEO of Keyera hopes momentum will build to get Canadian natural gas to more customers. “We have an opportunity to deliver the world’s most responsibly produced oil and natural gas in the world and we can help enrich people’s lives across the planet,” he says. “If we can get the right policy and regulatory framework, we can do great things.”

As a midstream infrastructure company, Keyera plays a vital role in processing and delivering natural gas across Canada and around the world.

Reflecting on his own career journey, Setoguchi shares how he transitioned from accounting to the oil and gas industry, embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and "enterprise-level thinking" that he learned while working with smaller companies.

He also discusses his deep ties to his hometown of Lethbridge, and the influence of his Japanese grandparents, who were interned during WWII. “I like that humble upbringing and being grounded no matter what position you are or what you do in life. At the end of the day, we’re all just people.”

Revealing conversations with influential innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders. Listen to more episodes here: thebusinesscouncil.ca/podcasts/