The Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service office in Toronto is organizing a two-day Kitchen and Bath Trade Mission to provide U.S. small and medium sized, export-ready, companies with a cost effective and highly efficient means to promote their products and services in the Canadian construction market. In addition to meeting, one-on-one, with pre-qualified potential trade partners in Canada, participating firms will receive broad market exposure and valuable market insights from market research and focused industry briefings. Participants will also have an opportunity to attend more than 150 top level workshops and seminars, as well as special networking events with prospective Canadian firms at Construct Canada 2000, Homebuilders & Renovator Expo and the 1st annual Kitchen and Bath Show, Canada's premier trade exhibition for products, technologies and services for the commercial and residential construction industries. The three shows in one will take place on November 29 to December 1 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

For a fee of only US$800, the Commercial Service office in Toronto will provide individual participants with:

According to the Canadian Construction Association, total Canadian construction expenditures, which include both residential and non-residential construction, were estimated at CDN$100 billion (US$68 billion) in 1998. Residential and non-residential construction expenditures are virtually equal, representing 49.3 percent and 50.7 percent of total expenditures and account for 12 percent of Canada's total GDP. According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), spending on home renovation increased 5.5 percent to a record C$23.8 billion (US$15.9 billion) in 1999 and is expected to reach C$25 billion (US$16.6 billion) in 2000, a 6.9 percent increase over 1999. Canada's home renovation market offers significant export opportunities to U.S. exporters of home building products, do-it-yourself products, home furnishings and accessories in 2000. Strong real estate activity powered by high consumer confidence, the lowest unemployment figures in 24 years, moderate interest rates and continued economic growth make this an ideal time to explore export opportunities in Canada. The province of Ontario is the center of Canada’s construction industry, representing 32 percent of the country's total construction expenditures, followed by Quebec (19 percent), Alberta (19 percent), and British Columbia (17 percent).

The Province of Ontario is the economic powerhouse of Canada. In 1999, the Province of Ontario accounted for 41.5 percent of Canada's GDP, 53.2 percent of Canada's total manufacturing shipments, and 40 percent of Canada's population. Ontario is expected to grow faster than any of the G-7 countries in the next four years with a projected GDP growth of 4.6 percent in 2000 and 3.1 percent GDP growth in 2001. The Ontario economy today is in better shape than at any time since the late 1980's. Unemployment has declined to 6.4 percent, while the economy has generated more than 540,000 jobs in the past four years. Ontario’s well-established construction industry provides U.S. firms with an excellent opportunity to establish new business partnerships in the Canadian market.

Given Canada’s close proximity to the U.S. market, NAFTA's total elimination of tariffs and duties on almost all U.S.-origin exports to Canada, familiar business practices and high receptivity to U.S. goods and services, U.S. Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are extremely well positioned to capitalize on Canada’s growth and first-rate business climate.

The goal of the Kitchen and Bath Trade Mission is to assist U.S. small and medium-sized firms with their trade development in Canada by providing them professional business counseling and a cost-effective, low-risk, and hassle-free means to establish and develop valuable long-term business contacts in Canada, our number one export market.

The Kitchen and Bath Trade Mission is a two-day trade mission to Toronto, Canada on November 29-30. For a fee of US$800, participating U.S. firms will benefit from a full range of business facilitation services and logistical support provided by the Commercial Service in Toronto.

Participants will arrive in Toronto on their own and be accommodated at a designated hotel arranged at a discounted rate by the Commercial Service office in Toronto. The mission program will begin with a breakfast briefing. Following the briefing, mission members will participate in pre-arranged, one-on-one, business meetings with pre-qualified prospective trade partners. The meetings will take place in a conference room where each mission member will have a meeting area with table and chairs, also suitable for exhibiting table-top and/or pop-up displays. These meetings will take place over a one and one half days period (November 29-30) and may include off-site meetings as appropriate. Mission members will also receive free admission to Construct Canada, Homebuilder & Renovator Expo and the 1st annual Kitchen and Bath Show and will have an opportunity to network with exhibitors and visitors to the trade show. The Commercial Service office in Toronto may also have a Business Information Office (BIO) on the Kitchen and Bath trade show floor where mission member’s literature and small product samples could be displayed. Staging of a BIO will depend on the outcome of negotiations with the show organizer. The Commercial Service office in Toronto will also provide mission members with logistical support throughout the mission and will provide follow-up support to help mission members realize their trade objectives in the Canadian market.

Recruitment for the Kitchen and Bath Trade Mission will begin immediately and should be concluded by October 27, 2000. Applications received after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

• Recruitment Start: Immediately
• Registration Ends: October 27, 2000
• Mission Members Arrive: November 28, 2000
• Trade Mission Program Begins: November 29, 2000
• Trade Mission Ends: November 30, 2000
• Construct Canada; Homebuilder &

Renovator Expo; and the Kitchen and

• Construct Canada; Homebuilder &

Renovator Expo; and the Kitchen and

Bath Show End: December 1, 2000

• Follow-up: As long as required

Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Rita Patlan

Project Manager

U.S. Commercial Service, Toronto

480 University Avenue, Suite 602

Toronto, ON M5G 1V2

Tel: 416/595-5412, ext. 223

Fax: 416/595-5419

E-mail: rita.patlan@mail.doc.gov