Mayor Sam Adams

Portland will be the host city for the 2011 Pacific Northwest Economic Region summit, and is expected to welcome 600 industry and government leaders from across the region.  PNWER is "a regional U.S.-Canadian forum dedicated to encouraging global economic competitiveness and preserving our world-class natural environment." http://www.pnwer.org 

PNWER's members include Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alberta, and the Yukon.  The 29-year-old organization looks to facilitate regional cooperation, lobby Ottawa and Washington, and to bring together private sector interest from across the region.  Specific issues to be discussed in at the Portland summit include global competitiveness, renewable energy resources, transportation, trade, agriculture and foresty, innovation and nanoscience.

Next year's summit will be held July 16-20 in Calgary, Alberta, and will provide Portland with an opportunity to frame the following year's summit and issue a broad invitation to attend.  In addition to providing a forum for discussing pressing issues in the Northwest, the PNWER summit is also a chance to promote tourism both for the host city and across the region.