Businesses in the Yukon need to learn to speak with one powerful voice.
In my experience in the Yukon, this has not always been the case. The upcoming Yukon Chamber of Commerce Opportunities North Conference (Oct. 6-8) is an excellent chance for businesses to come together and give voice to pushing the boundaries of what business can achieve in the Yukon.
Opportunities North is part of a rotating series of conferences that finds its way to Whitehorse every third year. In the intervening years it is hosted in Edmonton and Yellowknife.
I invite all businesses with a desire for a brighter economic future in Yukon to join us for an important dialogue - how can we push the boundaries so businesses can do more to set their own bright future in Canada’s North?
We have assembled expert panels, keynote speakers and other resources to help frame the challenges and opportunities that face us in many areas: energy, transportation, tourism, innovation, political partnerships, labour markets and more. We want to challenge our audiences to think broadly about our future - and what we all can do to make it brighter.
In the Yukon and across the north businesses must attract capital to support projects, and to do that we have to have the vision to create and articulate great projects.
Capital is being realized in several sectors, for instance the resource industries are attracting millions of dollars through the stock markets and several companies have Chinese investors. How can we increase the level of investment, so key projects can become part of our sustainable future - producing jobs and a strong economy? These are some of the questions we want to explore at Opportunities North ‘14.
Let’s look at our tourism sector. They have pushed some boundaries by leading the establishment of some of the world’s premier outdoor adventure operations that attract river enthusiasts, hikers, fishermen and hunters alike to our pristine wilderness. They come for the promise of vast wide open spaces and leave touched by the quality of the people they have met and the true spirit of adventure that permeates our land.
With the development of Carcross area both as an adventure centre (think world renowned mountain biking trails) and a centre for perhaps one of the most forward thinking exclusive eco-resorts on the planet (the Millhaven Bay project) we have some inspirational projects on the drawing board, but more are needed.
We need to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in the Yukon and the belief in the “possible.” The recent announcement of a $3.6 million addition to tourism marketing over the next two years will be a great help! Let’s be incredibly inventive in how this is spent so it reaches new potential visitors with a compelling “Yukon” message.
I believe our future lies where we choose to plot it so I challenge our business community to come together to plot the course. I invite you to join us at Opportunities North and help us to define what is possible, and how it can be achieved.
For full details on the Opportunities North 2014 agenda, speakers, as well as discounted pricing for chamber of commerce member businesses, visit: www.opportunitiesnorth.com or contact the Yukon Chamber of Commerce at 867-667-2000 or office@yukonchamber.com.
Rich Thompson
Chair, Yukon Chamber
of Commerce