Surrey Board of Trade

 Junior Team Canada visits Ecuador and Panama

In August 2009, sixteen youth from across the country were selected to participate in Junior Team Canada’s (JTC) economic and development mission to Ecuador and Panama. The team set out to accomplish three main goals:

1. Build capacity through interviewing and working with young entrepreneurs, aboriginal people, and various government officials with emphasis on the CSR initiatives of Aecon Construction and Canadian mining companies: Kinross Aurelian and Corriente.
2. Advancing the government of Canada’s ‘Americas Strategy’ as outlined by Prime Minster Harper’s speech in August, 2007.
3. Represent individual sponsors mandates through creating networks and developing market research.

During the mission, the team accomplished the following tasks:
• Researching and visiting corporate social responsibility initiatives in Ecuador and Panama
• Researching business opportunities for Canadians, respective to Panama and Ecuador
• Engaging post secondary institutions to create partnerships
• Public outreach and engagement and building government relations
• Creating video reports for Canadian initiatives: Quiport as well as Canadian Mining Companies – Kinross Aurelian and Corriente

In addition to the mandate, one of the main focuses of this delegation was to determine how corporate social responsibility could be seen as an “export” item for Canadians. JTC found that by using corporate social responsibility as a primary business model, Canadian companies have found great success in acquiring foreign contracts, and have developed stronger relationships with their host countries.

JTC delegates Denny Hollick and Kassandra Linklater had the privilege to act as Ambassadors for the City of Surrey, British Columbia and for the Surrey Board of Trade. In partnership with our sponsors, they discovered how Surrey could capitalize on South America markets and what were the tangible market opportunities for not only our sponsors but for the local business community as well.

Findings have discovered that several great opportunities exist in the Panama markets for Canadians whereas high risk investments exist in Ecuador.

The report that follows will outline in detail the findings. Also included are the working agendas prepared by the Canadian Embassies in Ecuador and Panama; this will give a scope of the activities that we participated in. Also included is a list of contacts for each respective countries, who are eager to foster future relationships with Canadian officials from the business, education and government sectors.

Please check out the report 

Andean Region Holds Promise

 A commentary by Peter Hall, Export Development Canada

May 20, 2009

When it comes to Canadian exports, the Andean region – Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela – is not likely top-of-mind. But Canadian exporters and investors have been very active in the region in recent years, and there is much potential for growth well into the future.

Last year, Canada exported $2.1 billion worth of goods to the region. What is more, 2008 growth was about double Canada’s average, at an impressive 19%. This was no flash in the pan, either – growth has maintained a solid, double-digit pace in each of the last four years....

Read more about this, and keep up with Peter's weekly commentary at the EDC website: www.edc.ca/weeklycommentary.