Press release
Economic mission to Brazil: the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal supports Québec SMEs that want to penetrate the Brazilian market
Montréal, April 5, 2012 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and its team of international trade experts, the World Trade Centre Montréal, are pleased to join the economic mission to Brazil led by the Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade, Sam Hamad, which more than 50 businesses will participate in. The Board of Trade is helping organize this mission, which will take place April 9 to 13, visiting São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
“Brazil is a key player in international trade, and we are pleased to support businesses from Montréal and Québec in their efforts to export to this market,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “Québec businesses that are seeking growth markets are naturally drawn to BRIC countries, and Brazil stands out from among the three others for the unique advantages it offers our businesses, specifically a business culture that is closer to our own and a very practical time difference.”
“Brazil has many qualities that make it a very interesting market: a middle class of over 100 million people that continues to grow, strong consumer confidence and moderate inflation, which help offer a promising future for the retail sector,” Mr. Leblanc said. “Consumption currently represents around 61% of Brazilian GDP, and this share will only continue to grow in the coming years.”
“Last May the President of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) forecast that the share of private and public investment for infrastructure and industrial projects would reach 23% of GDP by 2015, or around US$2000 billion,” Michel Leblanc said. “All of these major projects that Brazil will get off the ground in the coming years represent new opportunities for Québec businesses. There are a whole host of opportunities in the sectors of transportation infrastructure, high technology and energy, and the mission getting under way today could open the door to potential agreements between Québec small businesses and Brazilian prime contractors.”
The Board of Trade is contributing to this mission organized and financed by the Ministère du Développement économique, de l’Innovation et de l’Exportation in cooperation with its Export-Québec unit and the Bureau du Québec à São Paulo.
Through its team of experts at the World Trade Centre Montréal, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal provides international trade services to the greater business community, with the support of Canada Economic Development.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
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