For Immediate Release
September 22, 2016

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is hosting the province’s green economy conference – Newleef – next month in St. John’s. Newleef broadly focuses on the products, services, technologies, policies, and innovations that can help grow the provincial economy, while protecting, mitigating effects to, or even enhancing the natural environment in the process.

“The green economy and the clean technology and services which drive it represent a significant path for economic diversification and growth for Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieran Hanley, NEIA’s Interim Executive Director. Hanley noted that the environmental challenges the province faces are business opportunities that can be met locally, and shared with the rest of the world. “Newleef provides programming and supports to help the province seize those opportunities.”

Since its inception in 2012, Newleef has grown from a one day single-room event into a two-day conference attracting hundreds of attendees and featuring multiple streams of presentations, panel discussions, professional development segments, and more.

“We are excited this year to welcome the participation of the Federal Government,” said Hanley. Hon. Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, is the keynote luncheon speaker. “We look forward to hearing from Minister Foote about the federal government’s new focus on the environment, clean tech, and the green economy, and what that may mean for Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The conference is being opened by a keynote address from Hon. Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture, and Rural Development. The conference also features an exclusive Q&A session with Hon. Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “We are appreciative of the support and interest from the provincial government in Newleef,” said Hanley. “We work closely with these departments and its officials on a continuous basis in the pursuit of the growth of this sector.”

A new element at this year’s conference is the introduction of a CEO’s panel. “Our CEO’S Panel is a moderated discussion with leading C-Suite Executives in Newfoundland and Labrador exploring how firms can manage forward progress in their respective industries in a challenging international economy,” said Hanley. Taking place on the second day of the conference, the panel features Paul Antle (Pluto Investment, West Mountain Environmental), Michael Hanrahan (pretroforma Laboratories), and David Mitchell (Pennecon Ltd).

“There is enormous momentum in Canada and beyond in the green economy and clean tech space,” said Hanley. “Newleef is the only event in Newfoundland and Labrador which brings together business owners, entrepreneurs, professionals, academics, decision-makers, and policy developers across the sector under the same roof.” Hanley notes that the event attracts representatives from the province’s key industries, from mining, to forestry, to oil and gas, to the fishery, to energy, and more. “We are looking forward to another successful Newleef conference.”

Newleef 2016 is taking place at the Holiday Inn on Portugal Cove Road in St. John’s, NL on October 12-13. Newleef explores business opportunities; presents the latest local research; aims to foster sector innovation; navigates environmental issues with a focus on solutions; highlights the products, services, and activities of organizations operating in the province; and builds sector capacity through the delivery of professional development seminars. More information on the conference can be found at www.newleef.ca.

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. NEIA has over 200 members. More information can be found at https://neia.org.

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