Events

The CDDA is proud to announce our Bring it to the Surface Speaker, Clint Gore will be speaking at the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention May 25-27, 2025 in Quebec City.  At the Eastern Safety Meeting on December 4, 2024, in North Bay, Ontario, Clint Gore introduced himself to CDDA members as a new representative of the Bring it to the Surface initiative, the CDDA industry-wide initiative that aims to raise awareness, inspire action, and share valuable resources for mental health and wellness. At our safety meeting, Clint shared his personal journey as a lifelong seeker who has turned struggles into strengths by confronting anxiety, depression, and addiction. After hitting rock bottom at the age of 35, he experienced a profound awakening that compelled him to face his fears and rebuild his life from scratch. Through this transformative journey, he established healthy routines, embraced mindfulness, and discovered a newfound sense of self-worth that changed everything. Clint’s impactful story resonated deeply with the attendees of the meeting, leaving attendees motivated to prioritize mental health and wellness in their conversations with employees, family, and friends. At the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention, Clint will share his insights as a mindset and wellness […]

Join us for the Technical Presentation The Future of Drilling with Jody Conrad, KRUX Analytics at the CDDA AGM and Convention May 25-27, 2025. This presentation will take place May 26, 2025. In her presentation, Jody will discuss how the drilling industry can embrace the dynamic shift in industry workers, and how a diverse workforce, when supported by the right tools, can be a strength rather than a challenge. Jody Conrad, CEO of Krux Analytics, has seen firsthand how technology is the key to solving this workforce gap. By leveraging data-driven solutions, companies can capture, standardize, and share knowledge in ways that empower both industry experts and those newcomers. Technology fosters collaboration, bringing teams together, and ensuring industry expertise isn’t lost, but continuing to evolve. A problem solver to her core, Jody Conrad brings her unique combination of technical expertise, operational knowledge, and managerial accounting to Krux. She has extensive experience in equipment design, manufacturing, operational reporting, and system implementation. All this in combination with her 15+ years of drilling experience, have her perfectly poised to execute for Krux’s customers. Jody earned her Executive master’s in business administration from Queen’s, her Bachelor’s Degree in Technology from Memorial University, and her Diploma in […]

At the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention in Quebec City, May 25-27, 2025, Benjamin St Onge from Axis Mining Technology will present Innovation(s) in Drillhole Surveying Technology. His presentation will focus on the design and deployment of new drillhole surveying technology, with focus on workflow integration, cost savings and with safety in mind. New gyro hardware of increasing power and decreasing size is enabling more powerful measurement on drill sites, with electronics designed into in hardware packages that are increasingly more workflow integrated - improving safety & productivity alongside measurement quality. The new integrated design(s) eliminates and/or decreases exposure to typical hazards associated with driller operated surveying technologies and also, strengthen the software-enabled workflows that improve the quality of onsite measurements and enable better progress & quality tracking by geology teams. Ben St Onge is a registered professional geoscience in the province of Ontario as well as a health and safety practitioner. He has over 15 yrs of experience in mineral exploration and diamond drilling, which pertain to operation and consulting on of a variety deviation and geophysical downhole instruments and application within Canada and the Americas. This includes developing safe and effective deployment procedures of new downhole instruments and […]

Black Diamond Drilling Tools Canada Inc. known as “BDDRILL” is a privately owned Canadian Company which services the Mineral Exploration, Mining, Water well and Geo-technical sectors of the Drilling Industry. Black Diamond’s vision is to help its customers create value using world-class drilling equipment and tools. BDDrill’s rock drilling and pneumatic tools are driven by innovation and the latest technology. BDDrill can Supply a complete range of Mining Equipment including: Down-the-Hole Hammers and Bits (DTH) Reverse Circulation Hammers and Bits Rotary Drilling Tools Top Hammer Drilling Tools Casing Systems BDDrill’s Canadian office & warehouse are located at 1899 Lasalle Blvd, Unit 6, in Sudbury.

IMDEX will present their Booth as an Official Platinum Sponsor of Our 80th CDDA AGM and Convention. At IMDEX, they create technology that efficiently and sustainably unlocks the Earth’s value.  Across all stages of the mining chain, the more reliable your data, the better the output. They offer increased accuracy, enhanced speed, and productivity gains from exploration to production. Their integrated range of drilling optimization products, cloud-connected, rock knowledge sensors, directional core drilling, and data and analytics improves the process of identifying and extracting mineral resources. By providing knowledge of the rocks and a greater understanding of your resources, you can mine with confidence and precision with IMDEX. We thank IMDEX for their generous contribution to the CDDA 80th AGM and Convention and encourage all of our members and visitors to check out their website and learn more about their services at https://www.imdex.com/.

At the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention in Quebec City, May 25-27, 2025, Gilbert Huard from Forage Orbit Garant Drilling will present New Drilling Technology. Gilbert Huard brings a wealth of experience as a presenter and will deliver an insightful presentation at this event, highlighting innovative advancements in drilling technology. Gilbert is the Operations Manager for Surface and Underground at Orbit Garant Drilling. With over 25 years of experience in the diamond drilling industry, Gilbert has held various roles, including Director of Sales and Business Development, and has a strong background in leadership and management. Orbit Garant Drilling is an Official Platinum Sponsor of the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention. Celebrating 40 years of service, Orbit Garant Drilling is one of Canada’s largest drilling companies, providing both underground and surface drilling services in Canada and internationally. Registration is still open for the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention! Don’t miss your chance to attend this exciting event and catch this insightful presentation on cutting-edge drilling technology. 👉 Sign up today: https://www.cdda.ca/convention-registration/

Forage Fusion Drilling will have a Mini Tradeshow Booth at the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention. Headquartered in Hawkesbury, ON, Canada, Forage Fusion Drilling Ltd. is a leader in the diamond drilling industry, specializing in providing comprehensive drilling solutions across North America, Africa, Europe soon expanding in Asia to meet the increasing demand for our specialized services, supported by strong strategic partnerships. They are committed to delivering high-performance diamond drilling services for mineral exploration, geotechnical work, and development projects. Their services include core drilling, directional drilling, large-diameter drilling and Sampling, all tailored to meet the specific needs of their clients in the mining, exploration and Geotechnical/Environmental sector. They specialize in barge and heli-portable drilling, ensuring their clients can monitor their projects in real-time from their digital platform, including health, safety, and environmental (HSE) aspects. Forage Fusion Drilling is known for its operational excellence and ability to handle complex drilling projects. Their recent projects include a multi-year drilling operation in James Bay, where they have drilled over 300,000 meters, with 100,000 of those meters drilled on barge and ice, and ongoing exploratory drilling in Botswana, contributing significantly to their reputation as a reliable drilling partner.

We are pleased to announce that the theme for this year’s Annual Safety Awards Gala taking place May 26, 2025 at 7:00 pm will be Golden Globes. Join us for a red carpet evening as we celebrate industry excellence in style. Guests are encouraged to dress formally for this special occasion. The evening will feature a live DJ and a photo booth to capture the memories. Awards to be presented include: Lifetime Member Award – Steven Boesche, Contractor Safety Appreciation Award, Manufacturer Safety Appreciation Award, Supplier Safety Appreciation Award and Bring it to the Surface Ambassador Award – our newest recognition. Winners of these awards to be announced at the event. CDDA is honoured to recognize Steve as our newest lifetime member for his outstanding legacy and lifelong commitment to the industry. Born and raised in the Toronto Beaches, Steve is a seasoned technologist with a specialization in hydraulics, pneumatics, and controls engineering. He graduated from Centennial College in 1980 with a degree in Fluid Power Technology. His career began at FESTO in Toronto, but his passion for the north led him to North Bay, where he joined Longyear Canada in 1981. Over the next 24 years, he held various […]

Chris Drenth Engineering Director – Performance Tooling will present a review of highlights from recent technical papers, co-authored with a third-party expert as technical committee submissions; and a sneak-peak at something coming soon at Boart Longyear May 27, 2025 at the 80th CDDA AGM and Convention in Quebec City. With a record of accomplishments in innovative product development and engineering leadership, Chris has led a global engineering team focused on Boart Longyear’s ‘Performance Tooling’ offering for exploration & production drilling for 30 years now. Prior to joining Boart Longyear Canada in 1995, Chris had worked for Miller Technology and Redpath Consulting at North Bay Ontario. Chris has spent most of his career with Boart Longyear addressing a variety of engineering roles, including five years at the corporate offices in Salt Lake City, and seven years at the regional offices in Mississauga, before returning to the North Bay offices in 2020. Chris is a board member and chair of the Safety & Technical committee for the CDDA (Canadian Diamond Drilling Association), and also serves as a board member and vice-chair of the Innovation committee for the OMA (Ontario Mining Association). Chris received an Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University […]

Boart Longyear will present on their booth at the 80th CDDA AGM & Convention, taking place May 27, 2025, in Quebec City! Boart Longyear is the world’s leading provider of drilling services, drilling equipment, and performance tooling for mining and drilling companies, featuring 95 years of Canadian operations since 1930. They conduct Their business through three divisions: Drilling Services, Drilling Products, and Veracio, creating value for customers through a portfolio of technologically advanced & innovative drilling products & services. The Global Drilling Services division operates for a diverse mining customer base with drilling methods including diamond coring exploration, reverse circulation, large diameter rotary, mine dewatering, water supply drilling, pump services, production, and sonic drilling services. The Global Products division offers sophisticated research and development and holds hundreds of patented designs to manufacture, market, and service reliable drill rigs, innovative drill string products, rugged performance tooling, durable drilling consumables, and quality parts for customers worldwide. Veracio, a wholly owned Boart Longyear subsidiary, offers mining clients a range of solutions that improve, automate, and digitally transform their orebody sciences by championing a modern approach through a diverse product portfolio by fusing science and technology together with digital accessibility. Veracio leverages AI and advanced analytics […]