Geoscience Forum expected to be bigger
Number of registrants up from last year
Karen K. Ho
Northern News Services
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
This year's Yellowknife Geoscience Forum is expected to have a record number of attendees.
NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines executive director Tom Hoefer speaking at the winter meeting of the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region held at the Explorer Hotel earlier this month. Hoefer said this year's Yellowknife Geoscience Forum expects more than 750 people, breaking last year's record of 721. - Karen K. Ho/NNSL photo
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NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines executive director Tom Hoefer told Yellowknifer that by Nov. 21, his organization already had 750 registrants for the four-day event, surpassing last year's 721.
"We are still expecting more last-minute registrations," he stated by e-mail on the weekend. "We are getting very excited over this year's forum as it is going to be bigger than last year's!"
This year's delegates come from across the territory, Nunavut and many other cities around the country, including Fredricton, Ottawa and Vancouver.
Yellowknife businesses registered to attend include Advanced Medical Solutions, Det'on Cho Logistics, Pioneer Supply House and Sub-Arctic Surveys Ltd.
Hoefer said more than 125 presenters will speak on themes including geoscience, diamonds, petroleum in Canada's North, community engagement, mining, environmental monitoring, wildlife, infrastructure and innovation.
This year's forum also includes three workshops and 95 exhibitors at the trade show located inside the Multiplex's Ed Jeske arena. The Capitol Theatre will also serve as a venue.
A public lecture, held yesterday at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre was titled: Lost Beneath the Ice: The Search for Franklin's Lost Ships and the Discovery of HMS Erebus. Jonathan Moore from Parks Canada was set to lead the talk.
Hoefer, who recently spoke on a mining panel for the winter meeting of the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region at the Explorer Hotel earlier this month, said the timing of this year's forum and the record attendance were definitely something to celebrate.
"These are perhaps the most challenging times for our industry, with an overly long period of depressed prices and reductions in investment," he stated by e-mail. "We are very encouraged that we have been able to help boost attendance this year, and part of the increase is due to increased community participation and also increased presenters."
