Harnessing Investment in the North American Arctic: Challenges and Opportunities
13 February – 15 February 2018
Toronto, ON Canada
Harnessing Investment in the North American Arctic:
Challenges and Opportunities
13 February – 15 February 2018
Toronto, ON Canada
The global geopolitics and economics of the Arctic is undergoing intense transformation. Despite global attention to the opening of a new blue ocean and the possibilities of a host of new resource development, up to now, infrastructure from roads, to housing, ports, SAR, fibre optic cable and other necessary components of a vibrant economy have been unevenly developed throughout the Arctic at best if not lacking in its entirety. The successful growth of the emerging North American economy requires insightful pan- Arctic thinking. It also requires new theoretical and applied economic approaches toward harnessing and carrying out investment in the region. Central to that success is the active and informed role of northern stakeholders, northern decision-makers, northern rights holders, and northern business leaders in determining the future of the region.
It is with this foundation that Arctic 360 in collaboration with the Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary History, the Munk School of Global Affairs, Trinity College, University of Toronto and the Wilson Center’s Polar Initiative, D.C. will host the opportunity for leading minds and players in the financial sector to discuss ways forward for successful Arctic investment and development.
Day One – 13 February
14:00 – 17:45 Indigenous and Northern Affairs in collaboration with Arctic 360 Pre-Conference Workshop: Indigenous and Northern Affairs Round Table: Arctic Infrastructure Investment and the new Arctic Policy Framework. Sponsored by Foglers
Venue: Foglers, 77 King St W #3000
18:00 RBC sponsored Pre-Conference Dinner and Fireside Chat (Invitation Only)
Venue: The Faculty Club, 41 Willcocks St, Toronto
Keynote Address: Honourable David Zimmer, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, ON
Fireside Chat with Danielle Bochove, Business Journalist, Bloomberg News and Hugh Short, CEO, Pt. Capital
Day Two – 14 February
08:00 Doors Open (Sponsored by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History)
Venue: Seeley Hall, Trinity College, 6 Hoskin Avenue
08:00- 08:45 Continental Breakfast
08:45 Opening Remarks:
Jessica Shadian, Director, Arctic 360 and Distinguished Senior Fellow, Bill Graham Centre for Contemporary International History, University of Toronto
Mike Sfraga, Director, Polar Initiative, Wilson Center, DC.
Alice Rogoff, Publisher, ArcticToday, Chairman of Board, Arctic Circle
Mayo Moran, Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Trinity College
09:15 – 10:45 Panel I: Setting the stage: Challenges and Opportunities for an emerging North American Arctic Economy
Chair: Doug Turnbull, Vice-Chairman & Country Head Canada, DBRS
Madeleine Redfern Mayor of Iqaluit, Nunavut
Mead Treadwell, President, Pt. Capital
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45 Panel II: Paying for Infrastructure: Public/Private Partnerships and Attracting Global Capital
What models are needed for Public/Private partnerships to work best for the North American Arctic? What can we learn from models used in developing countries and emerging markets elsewhere in the world?
Chair: Janet King, President, CanNor
Catherine Deluz, Senior Vice President, Global Infrastructure Finance Moody’s
Mark Romoff, President and CEO, The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships
Doug Turnbull, Vice-Chairman & Country Head Canada, DBRS
Hugh Short, CEO, Pt. Capital
12:45 – 14:15 Lunch
Keynote: Stephen Van Dine, Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs Organization, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
14:30 – 16:00 Panel III: Indigenous Corporations and Northern Investment: Carving out a new path for public/private investment
What role do indigenous corporations and financial institutions play in public/private partnerships? What more can be done to help attract necessary additional capital? What are the greatest challenges? Possible solutions?
Chair: David Sharpe, CEO, Bridging Finance
Clint Davis, Partner and Managing Director, Acasta Capital Indigenous
Harry Flaherty, President and CEO, Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, Iqaluit
Scott Northey, COO, Nunavut Resource Corporation
16:00- 17:30 Panel IV: The Role of Financial Institutions: Finding new tools to attract venture capital, private equity, pension plans
What role can and should financial institutions play in helping to shape the conversation and in contributing to creating effective economic models for Arctic investment? What kind of strategies should governments use to better attract capital for infrastructure investment? Can recycling capital play a role in helping to offset this imbalance?
Chair: John Stackhouse, Senior Vice-President, RBC
Glenn Campbell, Assistant Deputy Minister, Infrastructure Canada
Mike Woollatt, CEO, The Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association
Gregory Smith, President and CEO, InstarAGF
Jacques Demers, Chairman & Managing Partner, AGAWA Partners Inc.
Darrell Beaulieu, CEO, Denendeh Investments Incorporated
17:30 Wrap-Up
17:30 – 19:30 DBRS Sponsored Arctic 360 Kick-Off Reception
Venue: Rowell Room, University Of Toronto Faculty Of Law, 78 Queen's Park
Introduction to Minister Bennett: Honourable Bill Graham, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada
Keynote: Yvonne Jones, Honourable Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
Dr. Jessica Shadian, Director Arctic 360: Inauguration of Arctic 360
Dr. Mike Sfraga, Director, Polar Initiative, Wilson Center, D.C.
Day Three – 15 February
08:00 Doors Open
Venue: Seeley Hall, Trinity College, 6 Hoskin Avenue
08:00-08:45 Continental Breakfast
08:45 Opening Remarks
Randall Hansen, Director, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto
Honourable Bill Graham, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Canada
09:30 – 11:00 Panel II: Green Technology and the Emerging Arctic Mining Economy
How can the Arctic win the rush for Colbalt, gold, nickel, rare earth’s and other minerals that are driving the future of renewable energies? What are the challenges inhibiting the North American Arctic mining industry to become a global leader? What advantages does the region have to attract global investment in Arctic mining and how can the region best promote those advantages at the global level?
Chair: Adam Chamberlain, Partner, Gowling WLG
Robin E. Goad, President and CEO, Fortune Minerals
James D. Nasso, Chairman, Agnico Eagle Mines LTD
Brendan Bell, Former CEO, Dominion Diamonds
Darrell Beaulieu, CEO, Denendeh Investments Incorporated
11:00- 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:45 Panel III: Arctic Infrastructure - Conventional
What strategies are possible to harness private investment for Arctic infrastructure (e.g. multi-use, user pay)? What role should the Federal Government play in helping to attract capital? What role should
state/provincial/territorial governments play in PPPs? What can government (Federal and state/provincial/territorial) do better to help attract private investment for infrastructure? What can we learn from recent infrastructure projects in the North American Arctic (e.g. broadband in Alaska, Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk all-weather road)?
Chair: Mead Treadwell, President, PT Capital
Tim Stelzig, GCI, Federal Regulatory Attorney
Stephen Lindley, Vice President responsible for Aboriginal &. Northern Affairs, SNC-Lavalin Inc.
William Hjelholt, Vice President, Freight Rail, HDR
Stanley Anablak, President, Kitimeot Inuit Association
Dominic Beau, Vice President of Project Finance, Guggenheim Partners
12:45- 14:00 Lunch
Keynote: Brendan Bell, Former CEO, Dominion Diamonds: ‘Closing the Gap: Addressing Canada’s Northern Infrastructure Deficit’
14:00 – 15:30 Panel III: Arctic Infrastructure – Non-Conventional
What role can the tech industry play in helping to attract capital investment for telecommunications infrastructure in the North American Arctic? What should be the role of emerging and future technologies in replacing conventional infrastructure investment in the North (e.g. Solar Ship, Project Loon)? Are they best understood as a compliment to conventional infrastructure or the future face of infrastructure?
Chair: Clint Davis, Partner and Managing Director, Acasta Capital Indigenous
Jay Godsall, President, Solar Ship
Elie Mouzon, Chief Strategy Officer, Intelex Technologies
Madeleine Redfern, Mayor Iqaluit
Jacques Demers, Chairman & Managing Partner, AGAWA Partners Inc.
15:30 – 16:00 Wrap Up