May 6, 2009

New North Foundation Planning Begins

 

Dawson Creek was the site of the first consultation designed to give shape to the New North concept. About sixty delegates to the North Central Municipal Association annual convention provided input on the concept, which is proposed as a new knowledge portal that will connect northern communities and industries to researchers.

“Mobilizing research in the direct service of northern communities is key to developing the region as a knowledge-based, resource economy connected to the world,” said UNBC President Charles Jago.

 

Click to view a workshop summary

 

 

Jago Proposes "New North Foundation" at Summit

More focused investment in research and innovation will help to ensure that northern communities have competitive economies in the future. This was a message delivered at the Northern Economic Summit by UNBC President Dr. Charles Jago, speaking on a panel about productivity.
“Northern BC has been an economic powerhouse for the province, but we must re-tool to be a knowledge-based resource economy connected to the world,” said Dr. Jago. “This includes redirecting R&D investments toward those regions where much of Canada’s wealth is produced.” Currently, northern BC receives less than 2% of the research funding invested in the province.

Beyond attracting more research investment, Dr. Jago announced a proposal for a New North Foundation at UNBC that would connect researchers to areas of critical importance to the regional economy.

Click to view the release.