Prince Edward Island is playing host to nearly 300 representatives of Canada's energy sector at the Annual Energy and Mines Conference to be held on Prince Edward Island September 13-14.
The Honourable Don MacKinnon, Minister of Development, who is co-hosting this year's conference along with federal Natural Resources Minister Ralph Goodale, observed that many benefits arise from hosting such a conference. "Not only do representatives of the federal, provincial, and territorial governments get to meet and exchange ideas but they also get a chance to meet with industry representatives to discuss potential business opportunities. This is a great chance to promote our province, and we're pleased to be hosting this year's event," Minister MacKinnon said.
Topics to be covered during the conference include current issues in the energy and mines sector such as strategic directions for the industry in the new Millennium, the challenges of climate change, market access and competitiveness.
Wayne MacQuarrie, CEO of the PEI Energy Corporation, said the conference will also give the province the opportunity to showcase provincial energy assets such as the Atlantic Wind Test Site in North Cape, the only national research and development facility for wind energy." Given the increasing pressure to generate environmentally sound energy, we feel that there's an opportunity to generate further research opportunities through the site," MacQuarrie said.
MacQuarrie also stressed the need to develop a federal/provincial Offshore Oil & Gas Accord. " Both Newfoundland and Nova Scotia currently have such agreements which have set the framework for exploration and investment to take place. Prince Edward Island, along with New Brunswick and Quebec, are looking to negotiate similar arrangements with the federal government so that offshore exploration and investment can take place here," MacQuarrie said.
Minister MacKinnon also pointed out that the province will use the conference as an opportunity to press its case for access to the Sable Natural Gas project. "Over the next few days, we will lobby the federal government on what we feel are the merits of our case with respect to securing access to natural gas through construction of a pipeline lateral. We feel that the benefits of such a project to Island businesses and consumers will help usher in a new era of sustained economic growth," said Minister MacKinnon.
For more information, contact Wayne MacQuarrie, CEO of the PEI Energy Corporation at (902) 894-0289.