Some of the province’s leading experts on the state of northern BC and the province’s rural areas will be attending a three-day conference at UNBC later this month. Academics, provincial business leaders, and public figures will discuss and debate the place of rural regions in the province’s past, present, and future.

The opening and closing plenary sessions will be open to the public and feature well-known leaders on the issues confronting northern BC and the non-metropolitan regions of the province:

David Baxter of the Urban Futures Institute will present his latest findings that illustrate the significant contribution of northern regions to generating the province’s export wealth.

7:30pm, Canfor Theatre

The closing panel discussion will explore the heartland-hinterland debate in BC

Dave Barrett, former BC Premier and current Member of Parliament

Jock Finlayson, Executive Director (Policy) of the BC Business Council

Tim McEwan, Executive Director of the BC Progress Board

David Mitchell, former BC MLA and WAC Bennett biographer

12:45pm, Canfor Theatre

Tickets to both the opening and closing plenary discussions are available for $10 at the UNBC and CNC Bookstores, Books and Company, and at the door.

In addition to the plenary discussions, about 150 people are expected to attend more than 30 sessions that will make up the academic conference. Sessions will cover various topics, including the future of forestry, community identity, First Nations, economic development and diversification, and ethnicity.  

Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622