Our openness to foreign trade and capital, our high quality infrastructure and our access to opportunities across the North American marketplace, makes Ontario a prime location to establish your business. And there's more:

1. As a high-quality, low-cost location, we're a near shore advantage for high-value outsourcing.
   Comparison of start-up and 10-year operating costs for a shared services centre
   U.S. cost average = 100 baseline

   Ontario 90.9 United States 100.0 United Kingdom 101.9 France 108.7 Italy 116.2 Netherlands 118.3 Germany 126.9 Japan 178.8

   NOTES: Exchange rate updated to US$1.00 = CA$1.20
   Source: KPMG The Competitive Alternatives 2010; Ontario Ministry of Economic Development (7/2010)
2. Advanced telecommunications.
   Our fibre-based digital systems provide seamless voice, video and broadband connections with major U.S. and international carriers, supporting smooth cross-border operations.
3. Competitive tax rates.
   By 2013, our marginal tax rate on new business investment will be cut in half, making Ontario one of the most competitive jurisdictions in the industrialized world for new investment.
4. An educated workforce.
   63% of Ontario workers have completed post-secondary education, compared with the U.S. average of 40% and an OECD average of 36%.
5. Specialized talent for Business Process Outsourcing
   • Finance and accounting: Toronto is Canada's financial services capital. Ontario has 33,000 Chartered Accountants, 19,000 Certified General Accountants and 24,000 Certified Management Accountants. Toronto has the 2nd largest Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) society in North America, after New York.
   • Business: Our university business schools are among the world's best. MBA programs at the Queen's University School of Business, the Richard Ivey School of Business, the Rotman School of Management and the Schulich School of Business are ranked among the best in the world by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and BusinessWeek.
     Ontario colleges offer Bachelor of Applied Business degrees in Financial Services, Human Resources, International Accounting and E-Business Supply Chain Management.
   • ICT: Ontario has a worldwide reputation for software development, application maintenance and e-business. Our universities and colleges produce top quality software development and computer networking graduates. In the field, 75% of Ontario's ICT workers have completed post-secondary education, compared to 59% in the U.S.
6. A dedicated workforce.
   Employee job tenure in Ontario averages nine years; more than twice the U.S. average. The result? Lower recruitment and training costs and higher customer satisfaction.
7. Multilingual.
   More than 100 languages are spoken in Ontario, making it easy to communicate with your clients and customers around the world.

Get the details about these competitive advantages:

• A diversified and growing economy
• A skilled workforce
• An environment of innovation
• Proximity to market
• Competitive business costs
• Quality of life