Canada-Ukraine Business Forum in Edmonton

A Canada Ukraine Business Forum was held June 10-14, 2010 in Edmonton, Alberta at the Chateau Louis Hotel and Conference Centre.  The business forum was organized by the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce, Canada’s Embassy in Ukraine and the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada. The conference focused on three business sectors: agriculture, energy and finance.

There were a total of 80 delegates at the forum.  Canada was represented by 53 delegates from Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Toronto.  There were 27 delegates from Ukraine representing Chernihiv, Kyiv, Lviv, Zhytomyr and Ivano Frankivsk. A particularly strong interest was evident in agriculture and alternate energy sources.

In addition to the conference forum and sessions, delegates from Ukraine participated in many arranged site visits, and one-on-one meetings that resulted in negotiations for the purchase of canola grain seed, agricultural equipment, and a possible formulation of an Alberta Beef program.  Other proposed projects included investment in a Canadian company producing bio-fuels and technology transfer regarding bio-waste.

Mykola Vyshyvaniuk, Governor of Ivano Frankivsk, signed a memorandum together with Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach at Government House to renew an existing Cooperation Agreement between Ivano Frankivsk Oblast and the Province of Alberta. Mr. Vyshyvaniuk invited the Canada-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce to host their next Canada Ukraine business forum in Ivano Frankivsk in 2011, which will also mark the 120th anniversary of the first Ukrainian immigrants to Canada.  The possibility of a trade mission by the Alberta government to coincide with the business forum in Ivano Frankivsk was also discussed.

The Canada Ukraine Chamber of Commerce will also be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chernihiv Chamber of Commerce in the near future.

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Participants in the Canada-Ukraine Business Forum in front of Government House, Edmonton