Home > News > Two Canadian Events Go...

Two Canadian Events Go Hybrid in 2022

Feb 24, 2022


As an organization producing in person events in Canada, Canadian Trade-Ex knows first-hand that everyone is looking forward to getting back to normal as much and as soon as possible.
The company has had to postpone two consecutive large events for two years but plans are already underway to re-establish the in-person version for the 2022 events in Timmins and in Thunder Bay.
A decision was made in Fall of 2021 to host the Canadian Mining Expo known as the BIG Event in Timmins on June 8-9 and the Central Canada Resource Expo known as CEN CAN Expo in Thunder Bay September 14-15 as hybrid events for 2022. This means while they plan to host the in-person events they are also hosting key components live virtually.
“There are several reasons why we have chosen to host a hybrid event,” stated company President, Glenn Dredhart. He goes on to mention the main purpose for hosting a hybrid event is to expand on attendance. By adding a virtual component to a physical event, it allows you to reach and engage a much larger audience for your brand, while maintaining the engagement power and human connection of an in-person event.
The Virtual components of the event allow the organizers and attendees the opportunity of inviting a global audience that may not be able to travel due to restrictions. The Timmins event saw over 13 countries represented in 2019 for the event and organizers know that 2022 may look a little different.
Dredhart says “the last Timmins event was held in 2019 and after working hard on preparing for the 2020 event the rug was pulled from underneath us by the Covid pandemic and unfortunately it happened just 45 days prior to having the event. This was a huge hit for our company as it takes one year and many full time staff members to prepare for and market the event that couldn’t take place.
In 2020, Canadian Trade-Ex had to pivot quickly and successfully produced two virtual conference events to help keep their clients connected to the mining operations in which they cater to.
Canadian Trade Ex has a long history of connecting the right people with the right partners. It’s what they do. They’re proud of their three-decade track record of trade shows that connect buyers with sellers, job seekers with job-providers, and indigenous stakeholders with resource developers. They are proud of their achievements over the years by raising over $150,000.00 in charity through the event in Timmins alone. The company has promoted the mining industry in Northern Ontario for the past 30 plus years.

Virtual Booth Pic
Screen shot taken from Mining the Northwest Virtual Expo

   
Recently Canadian Trade-Ex invested heavily in developing their own virtual platform called Virtex – the web-based virtual trade show system was developed and used for the Mining the Abitibi Virtual Conference & Expo (Timmins) in June 2021 and the Mining the Northwest Virtual Expo (Thunder Bay) in November/December 2021.
“Timmins, a city in the heart of all the mining and exploration excitement was host to Mining the Abitibi, a Northeastern Ontario and Northwestern Quebec virtual event. Timmins is seeing the biggest economic boom in more than half a century and Canadian Trade-Ex is glad to be a part of it.”
“We think it’s just the beginning. After the successful virtual event in June we were asked to duplicate what was produced in the Northeast of Ontario for the Northwest and we were obliged to do so,” said Glenn Dredhart.
Most people in the Mining Industry know It’s an exciting time in northwestern Ontario. Multiple new mines are expected to open in the next few years and that means a major boost to that region’s economy.
The event hosted stakeholders from a broad cross-section of the economy. “We had an incredible three days of events stated John Mason”, Project Manager--Mining Services P.Geo., D.Sc. for the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) which were co-hosts of the virtual event.
With the introduction of a cutting-edge virtual exhibit platform that revolutionizes the way traditional trade show exhibitors and manufacturers, can showcase their equipment comes a learning curve or an adoption to new technology.

Mine expo picture
In Person photo taken from Canadian Mining Expo

Mining The Abitibi and Mining the Northwest virtual events were milestone events that showcased what northern Ontario’s mining industry has to offer.  
After a year of remote everything, event managers and marketers have become familiar with virtual events (also known as online events) and their unique advantages. For all the benefits of virtual events, there is still greater value to hosting in-person events—including connections through person-to-person contact and driving deeper engagement. By establishing and creating a virtual platform it has allowed us and our clients the ability to learn and navigate the online capabilities.
A hybrid event combines in-person and virtual elements in a way that unlocks a live dialogue between and among presenters and attendees—whether they join in person or online.
Both Northern Ontario events will take place online and in person. The Virtex platform will bridge the online and in-person experiences thus allowing attendees to communicate with each other and the exhibitors. This will offer the exhibitor the best of two worlds. As we plan with optimism for a post-pandemic future it would be crazy to give up the tangible benefits of online events and not add them to the mix of in person events.
Hybrid offers a new status quo, one that applies the lessons we’ve learned combining the best of in-person and virtual to create connected events. These are events that deliver greater value to all who are involved.

For more information you can contact: Toll Free in Canada at 1-866-754-9334, Direct 1-705-264-2251  or email: info@canadiantradex.com

Northern Mining Report Issue Link.

Front Cover Mining Report



Tags: All Articles