2025 CGA President’s Award for Excellence
Recognizing significant leadership by a person, group or organization in dealing with and/or addressing major events or incidents, unique or special circumstances/situations – those deemed out of the ordinary, that an organization has encountered.
Patrick Bain,
ATCO Gas and Pipelines
Yellowhead Mainline Project
Patrick Bain is highly deserving of the CGA President’s Award for Excellence for his leadership of the Yellowhead Pipeline Project, one of the most significant natural gas infrastructure projects currently underway in Canada and the largest capital investment in ATCO’s history. At $2.9 billion, the project represents a transformative undertaking for both ATCO and Alberta’s energy future, requiring the organization to rethink traditional approaches to engineering, procurement, organizational design, and project execution. Entrusted with leading this unprecedented effort, Patrick has guided the project from concept to execution while building a high-performing team capable of delivering a project of national significance.
What makes Patrick’s leadership exceptional is his ability to successfully navigate complexity at every level. He has brought together employees, contractors, consultants, regulators, landowners, Indigenous communities, and executive leadership around a shared vision, creating alignment and confidence on a project unlike anything ATCO has undertaken before. Under his leadership, the Yellowhead team has grown from just a handful of employees to nearly 300 people while maintaining a strong culture focused on safety, accountability, collaboration, and excellence. Three years into the project, it remains on track to meet key milestones and construction objectives.
The Yellowhead Pipeline is more than a major infrastructure project; it is a strategic investment in Alberta’s long-term energy future. Patrick’s leadership has been instrumental in transforming a complex vision into a well-positioned, execution-ready project that will deliver lasting value to customers, communities, and the industry. His ability to lead through uncertainty, challenge conventional thinking, and inspire trust among those around him embodies the very qualities the President’s Award was created to recognize.