Plug may be pulled on petroleum show
Event expected to be back in 2016 with alternative energy represented
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 23, 2014
INUVIK
The Inuvik Petroleum Show is likely to be cancelled for 2015.
That's the recommendation presented to council at a committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 20 by Jackie Challis, the manager of economic development for the town.
It would be the first time it has been postponed or cancelled since its inception in 2000.
Several sponsors, including the Inuvialuit Development Corporation, a primary sponsor, have pulled out of funding the show, saying it's not viable in its current format, Challis told the council.
"It's getting harder for people to justify travelling to it," she said.
The decision by the IDC could also have a ripple effect on other parts of the petroleum show, including travel costs, since Canadian North is an associated business, Challis said, although there's been no official word from the airline yet.
The Inuvialuit Development Corporation provides a $20,000 grant to the show yearly, along with many in-kind donations.
The idea is to use the hiatus to reinvent the show in a different format that's not so heavily focused on the conventional oil and gas industry, said Mayor Floyd Roland. Instead, the current plan is to focus more heavily on alternative energy sources to attract a different demographic and sponsors.
The show at one time was considered a priority destination for people in the energy business, but there's been a general consensus that it's been on the decline for a few years, particularly the trade show component.
Still, the conference attracted around 400 delegates last June, said Challis, showing Inuvik is still a popular destination for the industry and retains an excellent reputation as a well-organized and informative conference.
The report sent a few shock waves through the council chamber and generated a lively discussion.
"I thought we were just going to scale the conference back in 2015 and cancel the trade show," said Coun. Terry Halifax, who argued against the plan to postpone.
He said the show organizers are running the risk that people who would normally attend the petroleum show won't find other options and lose interest in Inuvik.
"I don't want us to lose our place in line," he said.
Others, such as Coun. Derek Lindsay, were emphatic that the cost of the show not come out of tax revenue.
"The taxpayers can't afford to pay for this themselves," he said. "It should not be a burden."
Coun. Kurt Wainman weighed into the discussion as well.
"Letting this die is not a good thing," he said.
Wainman added that "many people in this room" would stand to lose a lot of money and jobs would have to be slashed if the show doesn't return.
Roland indicated that it was unlikely the decision would mean any job losses for town staff, since the existing employees would be assigned to be working on the revamped 2016 show.
Several councillors asked whether the territorial Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment might be willing to foot the bill for the show.
The department is already a primary sponsor of the petroleum show.
A decision on the postponement was to be voted on at the Oct. 22 regular council meeting.
