In 2010, Prince George Regional Forestry Exhibition Society received a $10,000 grant from Northern Development through the Marketing Initiatives program towards this $35,000 project. This has been a funding partnership of Prince George Regional Forestry Exhibition Society and Northern Development
2012-Since 1988, the Prince George Regional Forestry Exhibition Society has held a conference and tradeshow event in northern British Columbia that is focused on the forestry sector. In 2010, the society recognized the need to change and grow, to broaden the event’s focus and be more inclusive of all land-based resource industries in acknowledgement of common interests, connectivity, collaboration, cooperation and communication.
As a result, the Resource Expo Marketing Project was developed to shift the society’s focus on the forestry sector towards holding a new ‘Resources Exposition’ rather than the traditional Forest Expo that had been held in prior years. This project developed an engaging marketing plan that helped to develop the reputation that Resources Expo 2010 was the central event for resource-based businesses to connect and collaborate in central and northern British Columbia.
The Northern BC Resources Exposition provides a venue for entrepreneurs, new business ventures, established businesses, and emerging industries, such as bio and clean energy, to meet face-to-face, and to move forward with plans for the future of their related industry sectors. The exposition engages government at all levels, First Nations, forestry, mining, bio-energy, non-timber use of the forests, tourism and guiding, oil and gas, clean energy (wind, run-of-the-river) and traditional power suppliers.
"Resources Expo had a single purpose: To create the opportunity for economic development in order to secure economic, community and environmental sustainability for Northern British Columbia."
MaryAnne Archand, Co-Chair, Prince George Regional Forestry Exhibition Society"Typically the miners don't talk to the loggers, and the loggers don't talk to the oil patch. We wanted to create a venue where they could meet face-to-face, and begin to understand each other's industries, and the opportunities they offer.  These industries need each other. Skills are transferable, and services are complementary."
MaryAnne Arcand, Co-Chair, Prince George Regional Forestry Exhibition SocietyThe Northern BC Resource Exposition was launched in 2010, creating an environment where resource-based industry leaders can centrally meet, discuss common opportunities and challenges faced by each resource sector, and network with a variety of government in order to maximize continued development of northern British Columbia's resource-based economy.
By reforming Forest Expo into the new Resources Expo event, the Society is directly supporting the creation of new networks, new clusters of multi-sector development, and fosters strong connectivity between the stakeholders in all resource industries within the region. These connections are resulting in economic spin-offs, new permanent job creation, innovation, research, training, and technological advances to meet demand from emerging markets.
This event will continue to grow over the years. The successful launch of the new Northern BC Resource Expo in 2010 demonstrates that a positive future lies ahead for this event, having already brought together dozens of sponsors and hundreds of participants facilitating countless new business relationships that are an important component to supporting the development of strong and diversified resource-based industries in communities throughout central and northern British Columbia.