Montreal, September 30, 2003 Today, the World Trade Centre Montréal, a branch of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, welcomes Mr. Tim Pawlenty, governor of Minnesota, as guest speaker at a breakfast meeting at Montreal city hall along with mayor Gérald Tremblay.
Exporting is no longer the luxury it was; it's now a competitive necessity. That's why the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, through its World Trade Centre Montréal service branch, organizes activities promoting the exchange of information with companies wishing to export. This breakfast meeting is designed to give those companies wishing to create commercial alliances an opportunity to evaluate their chances in the Minnesota market and to establish a business development plan corresponding to the profile of that state, declared Benoit Labonté, president of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
The trade in goods between Quebec and Minnesota has grown steadily in recent years, totaling CDN$1.42 billion in 2002, or more than double the 1998 figure, and positioning Minnesota in 21st place among Canada's trading partners. In 2002, Quebec exports to Minnesota rose to CDN$1.4 billion, representing 1.7% of Quebec's total exports.
That percentage will likely increase, moreover, since the state of Minnesota currently presents many business opportunities for Quebec companies in terms of high-tech exports, for example, as well as openings in the medical and biotechnology sectors. Quebec has an excellent reputation for research and development in the field of biotechnology and is considered a leader within the Canadian industry, continued Labonté.
The visit of the Minnesota governor and his team is an opportunity to create new commercial alliances and deals that will benefit the economies of Minnesota, Greater Montreal, and Quebec.
Greater Montreal is in direct competition with other urban centers around the world. It thus has everything to gain by becoming integrated and cultivating relationships both bilaterally and within larger trading networks with other major regions and so take its rightful place on the international stage, concluded Labonté.
The organizers of this event would like to thank Aéroports de Montréal, sponsor of the Horizons World Trade Centre Montréal series. The World Trade Centre Montréal is supported by Economic Development Canada.
The World Trade Centre Montréal is a branch of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and offers export services to the greater business community.