Around the North

Nominations are still open for the 24th Annual Northern Ontario Business Awards in Thunder Bay. The awards are a celebration of competency and community to honour Northern residents who have demonstrated determination, leadership and creativity.

By officially entering into a definitive arrangement agreement, Apollo Gold Corporation (TSX:APG) and Linear Gold Corp. (TSX:LRR) are one step closer to completing a merger first announced in early March.

The value of building permits across Canada slid 0.5 per cent from January to February to hit $5.7 billion, with Ontario seeing the sharpest decline, according to Statistics Canada. Nationally, the total marks a 56.

Jinchuan Group Ltd., China's largest producer of nickel, cobalt and platinum, has put in a $150-million bid for Crowflight Minerals Inc., (TSX-CML) a Toronto-based junior mining firm with operations in Manitoba and exploration properties in Sudbury.

Sudbury's leading mining minds in research and business gathered March 30 to honour 10 Laurentian University students for their leadership and excellence in engineering.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Stan Beardy has declared a state of emergency for winter road communities due to the shorter season. It has created "extreme shortfalls" of necessary supplies, Beardy said.

Northern Ontario Business will present Peter Hall, Vice-President and Chief Economist of the Export Development Bank of Canada on April 30 in Sudbury in the cross-country speaking tour named Let's Talk Exports.

Tickets can now be purchased for the 2010 Influential Women of Northern Ontario Awards. The awards, presented by Northern Ontario Business, honour women who have contributed to economic wealth and growth in Northern Ontario.

Tickets are now available for the inaugural 40 Under Forty Awards, to take place in North Bay at the Best Western, April 15.

Stephen Davies has been appointed the new chief operating officer of Crowflight Minerals, which holds a trio of platinum group mineral projects in the Sudbury Basin and the Bucko Lake Nickel Mine near Wabowden, Man.