September 1, 2011: Study unveils expanded numbers, $5.6B in annual revenues

NorthernLife.ca

The mining supply and service sector in northern Ontario is more of an economic powerhouse than previously suspected, according to a new study showing 500 companies generate $5.6 billion in annual sales and employ 23,000.

This exceeds all previous totals for revenue, numbers and staffing as used by government and industry advocates alike, which had presumed related employment levels to be no higher than 15,000 across the north.

… "It is bigger than we thought, and it means this sector wields more influence than we expected," Dick DeStefano, executive director of the Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA), said.

Full story

Read the executive summary of the Northern Ontario Mining Supply and Services Study (PDF-536KB) [Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader^®].

August 25, 2011: Canada's State of Trade: Trade and Investment Update 2011

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) recently released its annual Canada's State of Trade: Trade and Investment Update – 2011. The report points to some interesting trends:

• Canadian merchandise exports to the world grew by 22% in 2010, the same rate as overall world merchandise exports.
• Canadian exports of services grew by 15%, almost double the world rate of 8%.
• During the recent global economic downturn, Canadian medium-sized exporters (those with 100-499 employees) increased the value of their exports by 7% between 2008 and 2009, continuing a decade-long trend. In contrast, large firms (>500 employees) and small firms (<100 employees) decreased the value of their exports by 36% and 34% respectively.

Of particular interest to Ontario exporters, the report projects Canada's top 20 merchandise export markets in 2040. Turkey, Russia, South Africa, Poland, Israel and Ireland are expected to rise in the ranks to be among Canada's top 20 merchandise export markets in 2040. If you are thinking about exporting your company's product or service to these markets, contact our team of trade specialists.

• Read the full report.
• For data on Ontario's trade relationships with countries worldwide, see the Ontario Trade Fact Sheets.

August 11, 2011: New market intelligence: Brazil

Brazil: Opportunities for the World Cup 2014, the Olympic Games 2016 and Beyond provides Ontario exporters with detailed information on emerging opportunities in Brazil across a number of sectors related to infrastructure projects including transport, security, ICT, engineering and architectural services. This 86-page report produced by the International Trade Branch outlines some of the key infrastructure investments projected over the next five years in Brazil and advises experienced Ontario exporters on how to partner to bid on these projects.

Ontario companies can request a copy of the report by emailing Maureen Angus, International Marketing Consultant, South America at maureen.angus@ontario.ca.

July 28, 2011: Get help to get export ready

Receive up to $5,000 to conduct an export readiness assessment and up to $50,000 to cover 50% of eligible costs associated with hiring an Export Manager through the Ontario Exporters Fund.

To be eligible, your Ontario SMEs must have between five and 500 employees, have been a registered company (federally or provincially) for a minimum of two years and operate in one of these sectors:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Aerospace
• Building Products and Construction
• Clean Technology (including renewable energy and environmental technologies)
• Exportable Professional Services (e.g., Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning)
• ICT including Digital Media
• Life Sciences

The Ontario Exporters Fund has been established by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce with support and funding from the Ontario government.

July 14, 2011: Available Now - The International Trade Branch Calendar of International Trade Programs (2011-2012)

The International Trade Branch has programs for new and experienced exporters in most industry sectors and in all of the world’s major markets.

Browse our calendar of programs and events for opportunities to:

• Get the tools you need to expand your business across the border during New Exporters to Border States (NEBS) seminars and missions.
  
  
• Understand the requirements of U.S. Customs and Border Protection through our U.S. Customs documentation seminars.
  
  
• Learn how to conduct market research and develop an export plan at our First Steps in Exporting seminars.
  
  
• Exhibit as part of the Ontario Pavilion at major industry trade shows across the US and around the world.
  
  
• Meet with potential international partners and buyers during Ontario trade missions.

Consult our calendar online or email us at trade.officer@ontario.ca and we’ll mail you a printed copy.

We look forward to talking to you about how we can help your business expand internationally.

July, 2011: Strong ties between Ontario and India Ontario exporters with a "significant competitive advantage": CIBC report.

Spicing Up the Ontario-India Economic Relationship, a report developed by CIBC economists, was released on June 24 at the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum. The event was organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Ontario's Ministry of Economic Development and Trade as part of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend and Awards.

The report suggests that the Indian market is fertile ground for Ontario exporters, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, education, film, tourism, financial services, mining and agriculture. The following excerpt captures the economists' enthusiasm for the opportunities the Indian market presents.

"…the strong cultural, family and commercial ties between Ontario and India provide the province with a significant competitive advantage over other jurisdictions. With close to 600,000 people of Indian origin in Ontario, and trade volume rising by more than 39% over the past five years, the trade and investment opportunities have already caught the eye of many Canadian organizations …

Simply put, Ontario has many of the resources and capabilities that India is looking for to continue its rapid economic growth. India's requirements for infrastructure investment offer a significant potential for both large and smaller Ontario engineering, architectural, and design firms – many of whom have amassed invaluable experience in markets like the Middle East that can easily be put to work in India. The province's world class experience with green infrastructure, green building, water and wastewater management offers significant scope for collaboration in the coming years."

Read the full report.

June, 2011: Ontario Aerospace News

Ontario is at the Paris Air Show, June 20-26, 2011. Learn more about the 18 companies exhibiting at the show in Ontario's Paris Air Show Exhibitor Directory (PDF-641KB) [Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader^®]. Or, read real world examples of Ontario-based aerospace companies that are successfully exporting their products and services around the world.