“Partnerships are the breakthrough,” stated Elder Ella Arcand in the morning blessing for the Alberta Chamber of Resources’ Breaking Down the Barriers: Collaboration in Procurement Exploring Meaningful Business Partnerships Workshop on June 4, 2024.

In 1990, the Mining Engineering program at the University of Alberta (UofA) was targeted for closure due to low enrollment and cost reduction targets at the University. At the same time other Mining Engineering programs across North America were in decline and unstable. The mining industry members of ACR recognized both the future potential of the mining sector and the criticality of a strong mining program.