Now Accepting Abstracts for PNREC 2025!

This year PNREC is using a website called Fourwaves for abstract submission and registration. Click the button below to submit the abstract for your presentation and register for the conference.

Submit Abstract or Register

PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL ECONOMIC CONFERENCE 2025

The 59th annual PNREC in Bellingham will focus on the next decade – where will we be in 2035 as the regional economy adapts to a changing climate and the wide bands of uncertainty created by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence? We look forward to receiving your proposals in response to our upcoming call for papers and presentations.

Dates:

May 19-21, 2025

Location:

Four Points Sheraton in Bellingham

714 Lakeway Dr.

Bellingham, WA 98229

Proposed and planned sessions (so far):

Economic impacts of climate change on health
Monetary policy in the US and Canada
Economics of meeting PNW electricity grid requirements
- Including energy demand with data centers, EVs, building electrification, etc.
Multiple presentations on changes in commuting patterns (with hybrid work, evolving habits with mass transit, and more)
Labor market data – updates and explanations
Economics of dam removal in the PNW
Future of nuclear power in the PNW

View Conference Details

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER

Conference Chair

Dr. Hart Hodges, Center for Economic and Business Research

Western Washington University

Featured Keynote Speakers:

Sylvain Leduc, Executive Vice President and Director of Economic Research

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

Dr. Leduc did his undergraduate work at McGill University in Montreal and earned his PhD in economics at the University of Rochester. He has worked much of his career in the Federal Reserve System, and also did a stint as Deputy Governor for the Bank of Canada, before landing in San Francisco, where he has been overseeing research for over six years.

Robert McLeman, Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies

Wilfred Laurier University

Robert McLeman is Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada. A former diplomat, Dr. McLeman is an internationally recognized expert on environmental migration. He researches the relationship between drought, migration, and population change in rural areas.

Tony Stillo, Director of Canada Economics

Oxford Economics

Tony Stillo is the Director of Canada Economics at Oxford Economics. He leads the team responsible for preparing the macroeconomic forecast for Canada using Oxford Economics' Global Economic Model, reporting on key data releases, as well as producing and presenting research on key issues affecting the Canadian economy. Prior to joining Oxford Economics in 2018, Tony spent much of his career at the Ontario Ministry of Finance where he most recently led a team responsible for economic modelling, forecasting and impact analysis.

About Our Organization

More Info

The Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference is a non-profit organization established to promote research and education on the economy of the Northwest states and western Canada.

The PNREC Board of Directors is comprised of economists and regional analysts from the states of Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta (with occasional participation from Alaska and northern California). They represent a cross section of professionals from academia, business, government, and consulting organizations in both countries.