INUVIK
Duane Smith, president of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, noted the mood at the opening of the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies conference and tradeshow last week.

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Wally Schumann delivers the opening keynote address at the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies conference and tradeshow in Inuvik Tuesday, June 13. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"Everybody's very quiet," he said during opening introductions Tuesday, June 13. "Maybe we should have had the drum dancers or something open in the morning just to get everybody lively and the blood stirring."

Though it didn't seem like people had had their coffee yet, Smith said he hoped the discussions among guests were livelier once things got underway.

He talked about the importance of large investments in the region and how one big project can open up businesses and opportunities for more.

"We've been working very closely with the GNWT to develop a study in regards to how we can develop some of the vast resources that we're sitting on within the region, because it doesn't make sense to us to be trucking the fuel 3,500 kilometres . when we're sitting on so many vast resources in our own backyards," said Smith, referring to LNG opportunities and partnering with higher levels of government.

"In order to be successful, we know we have to work with each other as well as have large investments on occasion."

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Wally Schumann read from a prepared speech for his keynote address.

"For decades, Inuvik has been the energy hub of the Northwest Territories," he said. "Most importantly, it is a resilient community that has stood strong in the face of challenges presented by the commodity markets, and the decisions of the federal government. For thousands of years Northerners have understood the need to adapt to the changing world around us, and this conference reflects that."

He talked about the GNWT making significant advances in renewable energy technology, such as the diesel-solar-battery project in Colville Lake, Canada's first high penetration solar photo-voltair technology integrated with a new diesel electric plant and energy storage system.

In the first year of its operation, solar generation provided 19 per cent of the community's energy needs, displacing 37,100 litres of diesel fuel.

"Within the bundle of projects for off grid-diesel communities, we are investing in feasibility level work to plan and build a two to four megawatt wind project here in the community of Inuvik near the airport," said Schumann. "This project could save 1.3 million litres of diesel fuel annually and reduce community consumption in our largest diesel community by 20 per cent."

He also talked about the GNWT investigating a wind initiative in Sachs Harbour, as well as advancing an oil and gas strategy to attract development back to the territory.

"We must confirm our right to negotiate on the potential that exists off our Arctic coastline and to ensure the future of economic development in the petroleum-rich regions of our territory," said Schumann.

The conference involved two days of meetings and a tradeshow. The tradeshow was sparse this year, with most of the arena empty.

Roberta Bondar, Canada's first female astronaut, gave the closing address Wednesday, June 14, focused on climate change.

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