Prince George Wins Bid to Host Minerals North in 2017

WireService.ca Media Release (05/29/2015) Prince George, BC – The announcement was made during a banquet at the 2015 Minerals North Conference in Mackenzie last night. Minerals North focuses on respectful and informed discussion about the benefits and impacts of responsible mineral exploration and development.

“This event will provide an opportunity for residents and businesses in the region to learn more about opportunities the mining and exploration sector presents for northern BC,” says Lyn Hall, Mayor of Prince George. “Local and regional businesses will use the conference to establish new contacts and working relationships. The event will also provide a venue for mineral industry participants to learn about the community and issues and concerns that are important to residents of the region.”

This will be the third time that Prince George has hosted the Minerals North Conference, after having submitted successful bids in 2002 and 2010. The 2010 conference was attended by over 450 people and featured 30 presenters on a variety of mining-related topics. The tradeshow included over 100 booths with over 200 exhibitors and a sold-out workshop on Aboriginal engagement. The total economic impact of the 2010 Minerals North Conference on Prince George was pegged at over $575-thousand.

“We are looking forward to working with our partners to ensure this event is a valuable resource for local and regional businesses and are excited about the positive economic impact it will have locally,” says Heather Oland, CEO at Initiatives Prince George. “Prince George is a fantastic location for this conference because as the service and supply centre for the region, Prince George provides about 20% of northern BC’s employment in the mining sector, with a similar percentage for the number of businesses involved in mining.”

“We have been actively working with stakeholders on a community wide approach to meetings and conventions and are proud to have been named the official host city for the 2017 Minerals North Conference,” says Erica Hummel, CEO at Tourism Prince George. “Prince George has what it takes to host major meetings and conventions: modern and well-equipped facilities; urban sophistication that includes a variety of accommodations, restaurants, attractions and shopping options; a proud hosting history; and a proven track record of hosting major events. We are looking forward to showing delegates our thriving, diverse, and modern community as well as our Northern Hospitality.”

The annual Minerals North Conference is a community-based event planned and hosted by a local organizing committee. The next steps will be to choose a Chair for the committee, who will be responsible for selecting committee members to fill a variety of planning roles based on their expertise, as well as their enthusiasm and capacity for volunteer work.

Minerals North 2017 will be held at the Prince George Civic Centre from April 25-27, 2017. The cost of funding the conference will be covered through sponsorship. For more information about Minerals North, visit mineralsnorth.ca.

About Initiatives Prince George:

Initiatives Prince George (IPG) is the municipally owned not-for-profit economic development corporation for the City of Prince George. Together with regional partners, IPG works toward ensuring the continued strength of the local economy by facilitating the retention and expansion of existing businesses, attracting businesses to expand and diversify the economy, advocating for increased workforce capacity, and marketing the City of Prince George to attract new businesses and residents.

About Tourism Prince George:

Tourism Prince George (TPG) is a not-for-profit society created in January 2010 that is governed by tourism industry stakeholders through an appointed Board of Directors. A stakeholder model has been adopted by the Tourism Prince George Board of Directors meaning that all tourism businesses and organizations in the Prince George region are automatically stakeholders without paying a membership fee.

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Media Contacts:

Michael Kellett
Corporate Communications Specialist City of Prince George
Direct: 250.614.7882
Email: mkellet@princegeorge.ca

Sarah Kirk
Manager, Administration Initiatives Prince George
Direct: 250.649.3203
Email: barcellos@initiativespg.com

Michael Stanyer
Marketing and Communications Coordinator Tourism Prince George
Direct: 250.649.3209
Email: stanyer@tourismpg.com

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