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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Representatives from six Dutch companies were in Yellowknife on Thursday as part of a GNWT-hosted trade tour of the territory.

Dutch companies on NWT trade tour Tideway - specializing in marine and offshore consulting Fugro - specializing in mapping and scanning Boskalis - specializing in construction, dredging, towing, and salvaging Van Oord - specializing in construction and dredging Mammoet - specializing in heavy transport and lifting Shell - an oil and gas company Source: GNWT, Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce

"The purpose was really for economic identification," said Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment director Kevin Todd. "They've identified the NWT as having a lot of potential for development and they wanted to come first-hand to meet both the political leadership and economic leadership and develop a better understanding of what opportunities were here."

The companies represented in the group were Tideway, Fugro, Boskalis, Van Oord, Mammoet, and Shell.

"(Shell was) here in the '70s and '80s," Todd said. "They did quite a bit of work up in the Beaufort Delta, with dredging and such, so they do have a bit of history here. Some of the companies have done other things in the NWT."

Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce executive director Leslie Campbell said the chamber hosted a reception at the Northern Frontier Visitor's Centre on Thursday to provide members and the public a chance to talk to the representatives in an informal setting.

"It was excellent," said Campbell. "A number of members attended and had the ability to touch base with the delegation in a casual setting.

"It gave the delegation a chance to learn more about investment opportunities and businesses here locally. We just want everyone to know that we are open for business, and we need these partners, and we look forward to forging those relationships, taking them further."

The fact that all six companies were members of the Project Delta Group was a positive thing for NWT Chamber of Commerce executive director Mike Bradshaw.

The Project Delta Group is a public-private partnership of Dutch companies and research institutes based in the Netherlands, but with an eye to sustainable energy projects around the world.

"I was admiring the approach they had taken as a private sector lead on long-lead trade missions. It's a really good idea and I think it's time has come."

Bradshaw said the Arctic Council is working on a Circumpolar Business Forum, which is likely headed in a similar direction.

The delegation started the tour in Inuvik on Monday where they met with groups such as the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Inuvialuit Development Corporation, and toured the Aurora Research Institute.

They flew to Tuktoyaktuk on Tuesday since the community has been talked about as a potential location for a deep water port, and other development, now that the Inuvik-to-Tuk highway is under construction.

On Wednesday, the delegation met with the Inuvik Chamber of Commerce and visited the Inuvik Satellite Station Facility with particular interest in the GNWT's talk of a fibre optic link south.

They arrived in Yellowknife on Thursday where they met with the NWT and Yellowknife chambers of commerce, had lunch with Premier Bob McLeod and minister of Industry, Tourism, and Investment David Ramsay, and saw presentations on the local industry and doing business in the NWT.

Yellowknifer tried to contact the companies on Friday, however, most were flying home that day.

Arno Schikker, manager of Corporate Communications for Boskalis, did reply to Yellowknifer in an e-mail confirming representatives from the company had been on the trip, but declined to "disclose any further details about the visit and the meetings that took place."

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