Mission Statement

WESTCAN

Vancouver and Calgary, Canada

April 18-21, 2005

Mission Description

The International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service in Vancouver and Calgary is organizing a multiple industry trade mission in Western Canada (WESTCAN) in Vancouver, April 18-19; and Calgary

April 20-21, 2005.   In each city, the participating U.S. companies will benefit from briefings by local experts on the Canadian/provincial market, a networking reception, and pre-arranged, pre-screened one-on-one meetings with potential agents/distributors in their respective industries.

Commercial Setting

British Columbia (B.C.):   B.C. has a GDP of more than US $120 billion.   B.C. imported over US $13 billion of U.S. goods in 2003. The expanding variety and volume of B.C. imports provide business opportunities for United States firms in virtually all sectors.   Its proximity to the western United States allows for a competitive advantage in terms of   transportation and support.

Close to US $4 billion will be spent on projects both directly and indirectly related to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, which will be held in Vancouver and Whistler.   These projects include Olympic athletic facilities and villages; expansion of the Vancouver airport, The port of Vancouver and the Vancouver exhibition center; rapid transit rail service from the airport to the downtown core; and various transportation projects in the greater Vancouver area.

The 2010 Olympics are increasing the level of economic activity across the British Columbian economy, positively affecting all sectors and industries.   There is currently a boom in the residential/commercial construction industry, and multiple opportunities can be found in the following sectors: motor vehicles and parts and accessories, aircraft and aircraft parts, computer equipment, electronic parts, mining/construction equipment, scientific equipment, fish and food products, and petroleum and gas industry equipment and supplies.

British Columbia is also a major gateway for business development into the Asia-Pacific region.   Many Asian firms and governments have representatives in Vancouver to source products from the North American market.   

Prairie Provinces

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the Prairie Provinces of Canada.   With total GDP in excess of US$ $250 billion, this natural resource-based economy has led Canada in growth over the last two decades, and is projected to continue the trend through 2010.   Leading the way is Alberta, with a GDP of US $175 billion; it is home to the corporate headquarters of the country’s oil and gas industry.   The Prairie Provinces buy 77% of their imported goods from the United States. In 2003, this amount reached US $22 billion.   Opportunities abound for American companies in the oil and gas machinery, pipeline, mining and food processing sectors.

The major industries in Alberta are oil and gas, pipelining, mining, ranching and food processing.   Major projects in Alberta, as announced in September 2004 total US $94.1 billion.   In 2003, investment in that province reached US $42.2 billion.   Saskatchewan has a thriving gas industry, and relies heavily on it’s agricultural and food-processing sectors.   Manitoba has a large and fast growing food-processing sector, with mining and hydroelectric power being staples of its economy.   Both Alberta and Manitoba are considered major distribution centers for Canada’s West.  

Mission Goals

The goal of this mission is to assist U.S. companies to gain market exposure in the western Canadian market and to find agents, distributors, representatives or strategic alliance partners in their respective industry sectors.   The mission will also educate U.S. companies about a number of issues regarding exporting to Canada.

Mission Scenario

U.S. firms will take part in formal matchmaking sessions with British Columbia and Alberta companies (with possible contacts in Saskatchewan or Manitoba via video or teleconference).   The participating firms will also be given opportunities to interact with local company representatives at networking events.   The one-on-one sessions will be held in hotel meeting rooms reserved for that purpose.   The precise schedule will depend on the availability of local business representatives and the specific goals and objectives of the mission participants.

Timetable

WESTCAN will take place from April 18 to April 21.   The participants will arrive according to their own schedules, but will be in Vancouver by the evening of April 17 in order to begin the program the next morning. WESTCAN will start on April 18 with a breakfast briefing “Doing Business in Canada/B.C.” at the Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Hotel. The briefing will include presentations on legal and tax issues; North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) certificates and shipping/customs issues; and an overview of the B.C. economy and opportunities related to the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics.   Following the briefing, the participants will have one-on-one meetings, with an evening networking reception at the Consul General’s residence.   Additional one-on-one meetings will also be held on April 19, with the trade mission participants flying on to Calgary that evening.

The U.S. firms will attend a breakfast briefing in Calgary on April 20 at a local hotel, including an overview of the opportunities in Alberta and the other Prairie Provinces.   They will then have one-on-one appointments during the day, with an evening networking reception.   The participants will have additional one-on-one appointments on April 21.

The U.S. Export Assistance Centers of the Rocky Mountain Hub (Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona), will recruit U.S. firms for WESTCAN.   The event will be listed on CS Canada’s home page, http://www.buyusa.com/CS Canada, ITA’s home page and in the Federal Register. The target number of companies for this mission is 6-8, with a cut-off date of March 15, 2005.   Applications after that deadline will only be considered if space and scheduling constraints permit.

Criteria for participation are as follows:

• Provision of adequate information about the company’s products and/or services and communication of the company’s primary objectives to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners.
• Relevance of the company’s business line to the mission goals.
• Market potential for the company’s products and/or services.
• Timely and adequate provision of the company’s product/service information and literature, to communicate the company’s objectives and enable the scheduling of effective appointments.
• Timely receipt of the company’s completed application, completed Participation Agreement, and the participation fee.
• The company’s products and/or services must be manufactured or produced in the United States.   If the company’s products and/or services are manufactured or produced outside the United States, the product/service must be marketed under the name of a U.S. firm with the U.S. content representing at least 51 percent of the value of the finished goods or services.

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

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