Chris Varcoe

Chris Varcoe is a business columnist at the Calgary Herald who focuses on how decisions in politics and energy ripple through financial markets and the broader business climate. His work centres on Alberta’s oil and gas economy, connecting commodity prices, corporate investment and government policy in a way that explains the stakes for companies and industries. He writes in a column format, using recurring episodes of market volatility and major project announcements to frame longer-running economic trends.

At the intersection of Alberta politics and business

Varcoe positions his coverage at the intersection of Alberta politics and business, examining how policy choices affect investment and the energy sector. He writes about government support for major oil pipelines, weighing the risks and rewards of public financial backing for large infrastructure projects. In columns on big oil and gas projects, he discusses what it will take to get them built, including regulatory hurdles and political decisions that determine whether multi‑billion‑dollar proposals move ahead. He often uses long‑term charts of Alberta oil production to show how output has climbed over the past decade, grounding political debates in real production data and industry performance.

His work frequently highlights how uncertainty from political or regulatory changes can influence business investment plans. When he reports on research from business organizations, he focuses on how shifting expectations and policy signals make companies more cautious or more willing to spend capital. Across these columns, the through‑line is that political decisions are treated as key variables in business strategy, rather than background noise.

Oil prices, energy projects and market volatility

Varcoe consistently tracks oil price movements and their causes, explaining how global events translate into shocks for local producers and markets. He has written about periods when “the market is fearful,” linking a global trade war and increased OPEC production to sharp declines in oil prices and drops in stock markets. In other pieces he analyzes sudden slumps in oil prices, using episodes such as a March downturn to underscore how volatile crude can be and how stress in sectors like banking can feed into energy markets. His columns also cover efforts by political leaders to influence prices, including attempts by a U.S. president to talk down oil costs during conflict in the Middle East.

Alongside price coverage, Varcoe reports on major energy projects and what they signal about the state of the sector. He has written about a new multi‑billion‑dollar energy development and used Calgary’s skyline to illustrate how large projects shape the city’s economic story over time. In pieces on Canadian oil producers, he covers companies hiking spending plans when crude prices are expected to stay high, tying investment cycles directly to commodity trends. Across these columns, he links the day‑to‑day volatility of oil markets with longer‑term decisions on capital projects, employment and corporate strategy.

Investment, growth and the wider economy

Varcoe writes about broader economic conditions, with a focus on how turbulence and uncertainty affect growth prospects. He covers forecasts that Alberta will see solid economic growth despite volatility, explaining how strong underlying fundamentals can coexist with external shocks. In his columns on business investment, he highlights research showing that uncertainty can make firms delay or rethink spending, connecting economic theory to the behaviour of real companies. His coverage of producers increasing capital budgets when prices are favourable shows how expectations around future demand and stability translate into concrete investment decisions.

These pieces build a picture of an economy navigating cycles of confidence and caution, rather than a simple boom‑and‑bust narrative. Varcoe’s focus on investment intentions, growth forecasts and sector‑specific conditions helps readers see how macroeconomic signals play out in boardrooms and budgets, especially in energy‑exposed industries.

Columnist analysis and multimedia work

Varcoe works as a columnist rather than a straight‑news reporter, and his stories reflect that analytical stance. Many of his headlines include quoted phrases from executives or experts, signalling that he builds his pieces around market sentiment and informed commentary. He brings political and business experience to this work, having held senior responsibilities in politics coverage alongside his business role. His columns often fold historical context into current debates, as in his examination of government backing for pipelines where he draws lessons from past projects to assess contemporary proposals.

Beyond print, Varcoe co‑hosts the “Inside Alberta” podcast with another Calgary Herald columnist, where they discuss current developments in business and politics around the province. This multimedia work extends his analysis beyond the page, giving him a platform to unpack complex policy and market issues in conversation. Taken together, his columns and podcast appearances mark him out as a journalist who explains how Alberta’s energy‑driven economy, political decisions and financial markets interact, rather than treating them as separate beats.