The B.C. government will be advancing key priorities today as it meets with representatives from the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER).

Penticton MLA Dan Ashton, Premier Christy Clark's representative on PNWER and PNWER Canadian vice-president, welcomes Oregon senator and PNWER American vice-president Arnie Roblan, PNWER CEO Matt Morrison and other PNWER leaders to Victoria. They will be meeting with various ministers to discuss shared regional priorities, such as clean energy, liquefied natural gas (LNG), invasive species and trade in softwood lumber.

Today's visit will also serve as an opportunity for partners to discuss the upcoming July 17-21, 2016, PNWER annual summit in Calgary. The PNWER summit attracts more than 550 legislators, business leaders, academics, and government leaders from PNWER's 10 states, provinces and territories.

PNWER's goals are to promote greater regional collaboration, enhance the competitiveness of the region in domestic and international markets, leverage regional influence in Ottawa and Washington, D.C. and achieve continued economic growth, while maintaining the regions natural beauty and environment.

Quick Facts:

• Established in 1991, PNWER is the only statutory, non-partisan, non-profit, bi-national, public-private partnership in North America.
• PNWER is comprised of 10 jurisdictions: the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
• PNWER's mission is to increase the economic well-being and quality of life for all citizens of the region, identify and promote models of success, and serve as a conduit to exchange information.
• PNWER tackles regional issues through its 20 working groups, each headed by one public-sector and one private-sector chair. The working groups cover a variety of regional priorities, such as agriculture, border issues, energy and environment, natural gas, and trade and economic development.

Learn More:

For more information on PNWER, visit: http://www.pnwer.org/

To learn more about PNWER's 26th annual summit in Calgary, July 17-21, 2016, visit: http://www.pnwer.org/2016-summit.html