The University College of the North’s Linkages conference was held in Thompson at the end of February.

On City Beat last Thursday, Ian Graham, the Communications Officer for the City of Thompson addressed a major topic of discussion for attendees.

“They heard about how there is a lot of untapped potential in the North, whether that’s in resources or in workers. People need to work together and get support from other levels of government to help unlock that potential by doing things like training residents to fill the jobs that the economy relies on.”  

Graham said it’s also important to make certain northern communities have the services and amenities that they need to attract people to work and stay here.

While Thompson is first-and-foremost considered a mining town, it is also a northern hub for services like education and health care.

There is also a push to develop and promote the north, including Thompson,  as a tourism destination.