The City of Estevan has announced it will host the second biennial Trade, Transportation and Technology Conference for the Central North American Trade Corridor Association (CNATCA).
The conference will happen at the Southeast College’s Estevan campus on April 26. Representatives from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota and other jurisdictions are expected to attend.
Dwight Fitz Bramble, the city’s economic development officer, said the theme for this year is Launching out into New Horizons.
“We feel that the technology that’s available to us now, and continues to emerge, basically is changing our lives completely, whether you’re just a regular individual or a normal citizen, or whether you’re a business person or a government official … the technology affects us and it is drastically changing our lives,” Bramble said.
Presentations from experts will cover such topics as new and emerging technology for smart cities; distance learning technology; an Estevan story for e-commerce; social media; automated trucking; risky business on cyber security awareness; non-traditional products and services for agriculture; robotics and artificial intelligence; and augmented reality and how it represents technology for the next generation.
The presentations will be from experts, and Bramble said some will use the technology they’re discussing to enhance their presentations. He cited augmented reality as an example.
“The gentleman who is presenting on that topic has a marketing company in Bismarck, North Dakota, that uses and promotes augmented reality. So he’s going to use a demonstration on that type of technology,” said Bramble.
Speakers will be from both sides of the border. Jennifer Pettitt, who owns the Jenny Joans women’s clothing store in Estevan, will discuss her experiences with e-commerce.
The speakers have been lined up, and will be announced as the event approaches, once the itinerary has been finalized.
Bramble said the city wants to use the conference as an opportunity to promote Estevan as a community that can ultimately be a centre of excellence for technology.
Estevan is typically known for its variety of industries, but the landscape is changing, he said.
“We are trying to promote alternatives to mining coal and oil production,” said Bramble.
The Southeast College’s Estevan campus, the surrounding infrastructure with highways, the railroad and the Estevan Regional Airport, and other amenities are all beneficial for the community, he said.
Bramble said the seminar allows the city to promote Estevan to people from out of town, while creating exposure for the community.
The conference will be open to the public. Bramble hopes to see some Indigenous people in attendance, as well as some students from the Estevan Comprehensive School and the college.
It is expected to start at 9 a.m. and wrap up at 3 p.m. Displays will exhibit technology related to the topics. Bramble hopes to have representatives from provincial and federal governments in attendance.
“We expect a variety of attendees who would really reflect the diversity of Estevan and the surrounding area,” said Bramble.
The CNATCA is an international organization committed to improving the economic vitality of central North America, by promoting it as a key trade route for trade and transportation through the use of technology such as automated trucking and drones.
