Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
March 31, 2015
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development:
Province's Participation in the Arctic Technology Conference a Success
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to share the enthusiasm I experienced last week during my participation in the Arctic Technology Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Arctic Technology Conference, which is known as ATC, Mr. Speaker, is a gathering of global business and academic leaders. The conference provides an unparalleled opportunity for Newfoundland and Labrador's best to come together with the industry's finest to share ideas, current research and cutting-edge technology.
Mr. Speaker, with a mature offshore supply and service industry with over 600 companies, all in support of an industry that is operating successfully in the Arctic-like conditions - ATC provided the organizations involved with a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate the fundamental role our province will play in future Arctic activity.
Our government has long recognized Newfoundland and Labrador's extensive Arctic-related capabilities and expertise.
Newfoundland and Labrador's strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and waters colder than anywhere else south of the Arctic Circle, make our province the ultimate proving ground for developing cutting-edge solutions to operational challenges in the Arctic.
Our strong ocean technology cluster was represented well in Copenhagen, Mr. Speaker. A total of 19 companies were represented, including: Oceanic Consulting, GRI Simulations, C-Core, Canatec, Intecsea, Memorial University, Subsea 7, Fugro and Provincial Aerospace.
Mr. Speaker, we are quite proud of the delegates that participated in this important conference, and even prouder that Newfoundland and Labrador will host this conference in St. John's next year.
As the ideal staging ground for Arctic-related activities, Newfoundland and Labrador is the path to the Arctic and hosting ATC in 2016 will further establish this position in the international community.
The conference will provide an international platform for Newfoundland and Labrador's ocean technology sector and bring greater awareness to the province's research and development in emerging technologies, as well as bring attention to local leading-edge companies operating in the sector and our extraordinary marine infrastructure.
The world's most comprehensive Arctic event, Mr. Speaker, we anticipate that ATC will draw over 1,000 delegates and approximately 100 exhibitors from around the world.
I look forward to welcoming delegates to our province so they can see first-hand the world-class capabilities we have right here in Newfoundland and Labrador and the extensive potential we have in the ocean technology sector.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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2015 03 31 1:50 p.m.