Press release
Quebec construction contractors head for New York
Montréal, June 11, 2008 A potential market of $95 billion: that's what has prompted the Association de la construction du Québec (ACQ) and the World Trade Centre Montréal the team of international trade experts at the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal to organize a trade mission to New York on June 11 and 12, 2008. About a dozen firms are participating in this construction-sector trade mission to forge ties with key stakeholders and eventually provide them with services or construction work.
Targeting the industrial, commercial, and institutional construction sectors, this mission will enable construction contractors and company owners to meet with general contractors, architects, and distributors who are already well established in New York. It should be noted that, unlike the rest of the construction industry, non-residential construction is booming: expenses in this sector have more than doubled since 2005, skyrocketing from US$4.1 to $8.3 billion in 2007.
In contrast to the marked slowdown in the U.S. construction industry, the city of New York has turned in a stellar performance in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue, noted Me Pierre Hamel, the association's director of legal and government affairs and head of ACQ trade missions.
This mission will enable Montréal and Quebec companies to take advantage of business opportunities in Greater New York. After a less dynamic period linked to financial turbulence, New York's non-residential construction sector is overflowing with projects of interest to our contractors. With years of solid experience in this area, our international trade team will act as a conduit between local companies and key players in this flourishing market, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Through its various mandates to promote and defend the interests of construction contractors, the ACQ represents 15,000 companies with more than 93,000 workers. Its members operate primarily in the institutional, commercial, and industrial (ICI) sectors. The ACQ is also present in the residential sector through its Qualité Habitation and Qualité Rénovation warranty plans.
Through its experts at the World Trade Centre Montréal, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal offers international trade services to the greater business community with the support of Canada Economic Development.
This mission is organized in partnership with the Ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation and the Québec Government Office in New York.
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Source:
Gisèle Bélanger, Manager, Communications and public affairs
Association de la construction du Québec
Tel.: 514 354-0609, extension 262, belangerg@prov.acq.org
Sylvie Paquette, Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, extension 4015, sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca