3.29.2005 ET

(CSRwire) TORONTO, ON - EECO 2005 continues to add headline speakers to what is becoming the must attend conference of the spring in the Great Lakes Region. Toronto's mayor David Miller and Chicago's mayor Richard Daley are the latest high-level decision makers to add their names to the speakers list. Mayors Miller and Daley will appear at the EECO Forum to present their visions for sustainable urban economies and will kick off the upcoming Environment and Energy Conference taking place May 25-27 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Both mayors have shown a commitment to the environment. They are dedicated to forming vibrant and flourishing waterfronts and creating eco-friendly urban agendas in their respective communities. At the EECO Forum the mayors will announce a new initiative between Toronto and Chicago to enhance sustainability. The forum will focus on the future of the environment and energy markets in the Great Lakes Region, including Toronto, Chicago, Detroit and Durham. A review of innovative energy technologies, such as hydrogen technology and their impacts on cities, is also paramount.

EECO 2005 is also one of the most powerful economic and business summits in the Great Lakes Region, bringing together key players from the local economy to discuss issues critical to corporate competitiveness in the area. This area, which includes Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, New York, and Pennsylvania, accounts for 75% of Canada's manufacturing output, 12% of the world's GDP and over $200 billion in Canada-US trade.

The plenaries and informative sessions provide a starting point for the four key themes of the conference: Eco-Efficiency, Environment and Energy, Cities, and Canada-US Dialogue. The conference will also feature the 4th Annual GLOBE Awards for Environmental Excellence, sponsored by the GLOBE Foundation and The Globe and Mail, and presented at the EECO Gala Luncheon. These prestigious awards are presented to extraordinary Canadian companies and industry groups who have demonstrated leadership in sustainable business strategies within Canada and around the world.

To learn more about the economic and environmental issues affecting the Great Lakes Region, participate in EECO 2005. EECO is running May 25-27, 2005 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada. For more information, please visit www.eeco2005.com.

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