Advancements that are happening in numerous sectors in the Estevan area will be the focus of the city’s first-ever Innovation Conference and Trade Show on Oct. 26 and 27.
The Innovation Council of the City of Estevan, which was founded late last year, will host the convention through a partnership with Sask. INC (Innovation Network Community). The speeches for the conference will happen at the Estevan Exhibition building, while the trade show will be set up on the concourse of Affinity Place.
In a report to city council for the June 28 meeting, city manager Jeff Ward said the Innovation Conference and Trade Show will highlight the innovation occurring in Estevan and area, and the changes applicable to rural and small urban centers. There are further plans to include the community through a science fair for students and a pitch competition.
Committee chair and City Councillor Rebecca Foord said the idea for the conference started when committee members were in a meeting and trying to set goals for the year. The people from SaskINC suggested the conference, and everybody was on board.
If restrictions related to COVID-19 are imposed again, and the convention can’t be held in October, then it will be pushed back to next year.
The convention has a number of high-profile speakers confirmed already. The keynote address will be delivered by Jeff Sandquist, a former Estevan resident who is now the corporate vice-president of developer relations (global) for Microsoft.
“He was one of the first people that we thought of. It was … a no-brainer,” Foord told the Mercury. “And then we just started going through the list of who else in this area would we need or want as a speaker.”
Sandquist has been working with the committee and has put the innovation council in touch with people from Microsoft even prior to the conference.
He was on board to speak immediately.
But there will also be a variety of other speakers. Under the theme of The Future is Energy, people will hear from former Estevan resident, Kirstin Marcia, who is the president and CEO of Deep Earth Energy Production, which is trying to bring geothermal power to the southeast; Josh Gustafson, the president and CEO of Covenant Energy, which wants to build a renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel facility; and Beth Valiaho, the vice-president of strategy and stakeholder relations at the International CCS Knowledge Centre in Regina.
Under the theme of The Future is Agriculture, the speaker will be Derrick Big Eagle, CEO and president of Evolution Growers. Steve Halabura, the CEO of Buffalo Potash, will speak under the theme of The Future is Mining.
For The Future is Technology: A Panel Discussion with Rural Founders, speakers will include Steven Hansen from Stream Tech, Jessica McNaughton of Memory KPR, and Jeff Taylor from South East Business Start Up.
The Southeast College will highlight its partnership to use technology in training and education under the Future is Education.
And Foord, Mayor Roy Ludwig and Doug Griffiths from 13 Ways will discuss The Future is Here: The Story of Estevan in another panel discussion.
There will be a fee for tickets, and they are looking for sponsors. The City of Estevan has committed to be a platinum sponsor for $20,000.
Deanna Tarnes, the publisher and sales manager for the Estevan Mercury, designed the logo for the event.
Foord said the trade show is something people can look forward to.
“It’s basically anybody who has anything to showcase what they’ve innovated, built or are building, or have a patent on,” said Foord.
The trade show tickets will be affordable for anyone who wants to attend.
Ward said the Innovation Council’s goals for 2021 included: foundation of a tech incubator, hosting the innovation conference and tradeshow, creating an education strategy with the South East Cornerstone Public School Division and Southeast College, and submission to the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) for consideration of an ICF annual award.
Committee members include Foord, Ward, Ludwig, City of Estevan information-technology employee James Lainton, Sask. INC representatives Susan Letsche and Derek Brenner, Jacqueline Betker from the Southeast College, Tim Keating and Derek Regal.
Meetings are held once every few weeks.
“We have a great team of people,” said Foord. “Everybody knows their role and what they’re supposed to be doing and where they’re at. So it’s been really good.”
Initial meetings involved getting to know each other, but now they’re running like a well-oiled machine.
Estevan is keen on innovation, Foord said, and this conference will offer a deeper look into what is happening.
“We have oilfield companies that have created things that have completely changed the oilfield, and people don’t talk about it, or we have the things going on at SaskPower with our carbon capture, or we have … so many agriculture things that are going on, and nobody talks about it. It’s really good,” said Foord.
“I’m very excited about it, and I just get more excited every day, because we’re really working on trying to showcase how innovation looks in our community.”
Between the innovation council, the convention, the rural tech hub and other concepts, there are a lot of big things happening for innovation in Estevan, and this will showcase what Estevan has to offer, she said.
“We’re a community of technology, we’re a community of the future, because we’re creating a lot of really great, brilliant things in this area,” said Foord.
The hope is to fill the exhibition hall, and if necessary, they could use the Wylie-Mitchell building.
