Montréal, October 28, 2013 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal welcomes the External Trade Development Plan presented today by the Minister of International Relations, La Francophonie and External Trade, Jean-François Lisée.
“The economic future of Quebec and its largest city depends on greater access to foreign markets for local businesses,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “We are already deriving benefit from globalization, but we could and should do better. We have had a balance of trade deficit for more than a decade. Exports account for a much smaller share of GDP than in the past. Given the scope of the challenges, we need a plan with ambitious objectives and concrete measures. Mr. Lisée has proposed an intelligent plan that meets these requirements.”
“The External Trade Development Plan features measures requested by the Board of Trade,” Michel Leblanc said. “We have often emphasized the need to simplify support services for exporters. The optimization proposed by the government will make possible better targeted and more accessible programs for exporters. Plus local businesses will be better equipped to integrate to global value chains.”
“Today’s announcement of a major investment at the Pratt & Whitney plant in Longueuil is a good example of what the private sector and government must do to better exploit foreign markets,” Mr. Leblanc said. “It has consolidated Montréal’s position as a world centre of expertise in aerospace. It is fully in line with the strategy for developing industrial clusters and strengthens the metropolitan area’s knowledge industry, in addition to creating quality jobs. By leveraging these competitive advantages, the government allows the city to capitalize on the globalization of markets.”
“The Plan also emphasizes the importance of offering companies, in particular small businesses, support from their initial efforts in developing foreign markets,” Michel Leblanc said. “Our experience through our experts from the World Trade Centre Montréal since 1984 has clearly shown that such support often makes the difference between success and failure. Trade missions, including the upcoming ones we are organizing to New York, Alberta, Mexico and the Salon BATIMAT in Paris, facilitate access to local partners and customers, in other provinces and around the world, and can crystallize business opportunities for entrepreneurs who are at an advanced stage in their efforts. The Government of Quebec can therefore count on the Board of Trade’s cooperation and expertise for increasing foreign trade.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
About the World Trade Centre Montréal
Through its team of experts at the World Trade Centre Montréal, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal provides international trade services to the greater business community since 1984, with the support of Canada Economic Development. The WTCM has the mission to support, train and advise Quebec sectoral associations, institutions and economic development organizations in their foreign market development efforts. In 2012, the Quebec Government entrusted the WTCM with the mandate to serve as the regional export promotion organization (ORPEX).
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Source :
Michelle LLambias Meunier
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4042
mllambias@ccmm.qc.ca
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