Natural resource industries have been forced to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic, and so has the BC Natural Resources Forum.
The annual event typically draws hundreds of industry and government leaders to the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre for several days of networking and presentations. The 18th iteration of the event will be happening Jan. 26-28, 2021, but will be moving to an entirely-online format.
"We are excited to embrace the opportunities offered by modern technology," BC Natural Resources Forum communications manager Claire Perusse said in an email. "Our digital platform will enable participants to share knowledge, new research findings, innovative practices, and case studies. The virtual program will include live webinars, panel discussions, presentations, and interactive Q&A sessions."
Forum organizers are evaluating a number of online platforms, with the goal of finding one which will make the forum as interactive as possible, Perusse said.
"We are working on ways to encourage engaging discussion that will allow for the sharing of ideas, including networking sessions, virtual meeting rooms, interactive Q&A sessions, and, within the platform, community chat boards," she said. "Given that there will be no travel requirements for this year’s forum, there will be few limits on the number of participants we can welcome. Therefore, we are hoping to engage more participants and attract a wider range of high-profile speakers from across Canada in this discussion."
The event will feature shorter sessions, spread out over three days – a schedule better suited for the online format, she added.
Even though the event is being held online, the event will still have a Prince George connection.
"We are inviting our community to join us for a unique experience to discover innovative ways to network, collaborate and exchange ideas on building and maintaining a resilient natural resource sector amid a challenging and uncertain economic environment," Perusse said. "Prince George has a fantastic amount of event logistics and delivery talent, and we are continuing contact with the local businesses in Prince George."
For more information, go online to www.BCNaturalResourcesForum.com.
