The wildly successful Northern Ontario Mining Showcase will be enlarging its presence at one of Canada’s premier natural resources show.
The City of Temiskaming Shores-led industry road show is receiving $412,000 from FedNor to almost triple the size of its footprint at the 2023 Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum’s (CIM) Convention and Expo in Montreal, April 30 to May 3.
Anthony Rota, MP for Nipissing–Timiskaming, and Temiskaming Shores Mayor Carman Kidd delivered the funding news on Aug. 31.
In a webcast, Rota said this region offers one of the world’s largest concentration of service and supply companies catering to the mining industry, a $100-billion contributor to the Canadian economy, that only figures to grow over the decade.
“Northern Ontario is primed to capitalize on the rising global demand for critical minerals and materials that will power the transition to clean energy and advanced manufacturing.”
This regional pavilion has been fixture at the annual Prospective and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) in Toronto since 2010. The Showcase took its present form as a company meet-and-greet networking and trade show event in 2014. It’s since become the largest regional pavilion at PDAC.
Next year’s CIM show - which alternates annually between Montreal and Vancouver - will be the third year for the Showcase. Previously, there were 24 exhibitors from northern Ontario. The upcoming Showcase will provide room for 60.
The pavilion offers a unique opportunity for those engaged in northern Ontario’s mining industry to get global exposure in displaying the latest equipment, tools, services, training and education, clean technology, safety gear and apparel.
Rota said he’s always been impressed by the expertise and wares on display at the PDAC event in Toronto.
“It really gives you a good idea of what we’re capable of in northern Ontario.”
In heaping praise on retiring Mayor Carman Kidd and the organizing team, Rota said the Showcase has been a “proven economic driver” over the years, creating more than 750 jobs while generating more than $85 million in direct economic benefits to the region every year.
“The success is real,” added Kidd.
Many participating northern Ontario companies having reaped the benefits through the opportunity to highlight their products and services to “tens of thousands” of prospective clients at these industry events, he said, which ultimately leads to more sales, exports and job growth.
With the current boom in exploration and the hunt on for critical minerals, Kidd said the mining industry is driving northern Ontario’s economy right now.
He hopes the next mayor and council will see the value of the Showcase and continues its support.
Kidd extended credit to Showcase organizer Marla Tremblay and her team who “do a great job” of organizing the event.
“It’s grown from a matter of six or eight exhibitors up to well over 100 exhibitors now.”
When contacted, Tremblay said they haven’t yet decided on a date when registration for the CIM event will begin, but suggests it might start after PDAC registration. She advises followers to check the Northern Ontario Mining Showcase LinkedIn page for updates. Past exhibitors will be notified by email.
Same as with PDAC, Tremblay said the CIM Showcase event will provide exhibitor kiosks, information desk, coffee station and lounge seating. The criteria for mining supply and service companies to exhibit at the Showcase is that they must have operations based in northern Ontario.