July 26 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index gained on Friday, driven by a rise in the energy sector as oil companies hoped to reach an agreement with the Alberta government to boost production.
* Two of Canada's biggest energy producers on Thursday said they were looking to the Alberta government to agree to a deal that would allow companies to boost their oil output in the face of curtailments in Canada's main crude-producing province. At 9:40 a.m. ET (1340 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite index .GSPTSE was up 44.73 points, or 0.27%, at 16,532.93.
* The main index is on track to end the week in the black with its 0.3% gain so far.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN climbed 0.3%, with shares of Baytex Energy BTE.TO and Gran Tierra Energy GTE.TO leading gains.
* All of the index's 11 major sectors were higher.
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.2% as gold prices firmed on Friday. GOL/
* On the TSX, 150 issues were higher, while 77 issues declined for a 1.95-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 12.42 million shares traded.
* The top percentage gainers on the TSX were CannTrust Holdings TRST.TO , which jumped 16.7% after it fired Chief Executive Officer Peter Aceto, more than two weeks after Health Canada found the marijuana producer grew cannabis in unlicensed rooms. Canfor Corp CFP.TO fell 5.9%, the most on the TSX, followed by shares of Interfor Corp IFP.TO , down 2.9%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were CannTrust, Encana Corp ECA.TO , and Yamana Gold Inc YRI.TO .
* The TSX posted 11 new 52-week highs and three new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 32 new 52-week highs and eight new lows, with total volume of 19.27 million shares.