Around the North

Thunder Bay is the place to be in October for all things value-added. The Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre and the Valhalla Inn are hosting a two-day forum, Growing Forest Value: Opportunities in Northern Ontario, Oct. 15-16.

Financial meltdowns in the U.S. tend to make lenders and investors jittery about spending money on anything. And junior mineral exploration companies in Northern Ontario are feeling the pinch.

The province is hitting the notes for a budding music business in Timmins through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)'s Young Entrepreneur program.

Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. has brought more experience into the fold by appointing Mark Tessier as the vice-president of operations for the company's namesake region.

A new mineral resource estimate has emerged for Queenston Mining Inc.'s Kirkland Lake-area Upper Beaver gold-copper property. The total indicated mineral resource sits at 1,373,500 tonnes at a capped grade of 8.

With the Oct. 14 federal election date looming, NDP leader Jack Layton has targeted Northern Ontario with a plan to pull out of the softwood lumber deal with the U.S. and re-jig FedNor.

The new academic year has got off to a roaring start for Northern College, with higher enrolment figures across the board. The school's Haileybury campus in particular has been its fastest-growing campus, with 27.5 per cent increase over 2007.

The Financial Times reports Xstrata was opening its mining assets to be taken over by multiple suitors. The newspaper reports Vale (formerly CVRD), Xstrata's cross-town rival in Sudbury, might have the inside track.

Genesis Genomics Inc. has been shortlisted as one of the 2008 winners of the annual Canada’s top 10 investment prospects.

Manitoba based Vale Inco have ratified a three year contract with the United Steelworkers with a three year deal including cost of living allowance that will be 13.7 per cent for the 1,300 workers at the complex.