The Team Canada Atlantic delegation declared success at last night's closing ceremony for the first mission to Washington, D.C., which wrapped up yesterday.
"Many great partnerships and strategic alliances have been established in this new market for Team Canada Atlantic," said the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). "It is important that the relationships that have developed from meeting hundreds of Washington companies continue to be fostered - this will clearly enhance the export capacity of Atlantic Canada. Trade is a crucial component of the Atlantic economy."
Atlantic businesses participating in the Washington mission held in total, more than 200 business meetings with industry contacts, including potential trading partners, agents, and distributors.
The mission focused on developing opportunities for enhanced export business for Atlantic businesses in the areas of information and communications technology, biotechnology, agri-foods, consumer products, and building and construction.
The private sector delegates are tremendously encouraged by their experiences in the Greater Washington area over the past few days.
"We are already working with several U.S. groups and this region has proven to be a highly successful market for us," said Colin Deacon, CEO of Spell Read P.A.T. Learning Systems Inc., based in Charlottetown. "The meetings that I have had in Washington this week have given us the chance to accelerate our success. That may be attributed to the fact that key U.S. groups have already heard about us through the partnerships we have established in the States."
The Washington mission was the eighth Team Canada Atlantic venture to the United States. Since 1999, when the first mission to Boston was organized, Team Canada Atlantic missions have resulted in more than $20 million in short-term and $80 million in long-term sales for participating Atlantic firms.
"It's hard to believe that it was only five years ago I was in Newfoundland and Labrador discussing the concept of forming Team Canada Atlantic and the idea of traveling to the United States on Atlantic Canadian trade missions," said Premier Pat Binns, the person responsible for spearheading what we now know today as Team Canada Atlantic. "We have certainly come a long way since our first mission. This province is becoming widely known for its high quality, unique products and services. As a direct result of these missions, Island businesses are able to employ more people and generate revenues they wouldn't have been able to create on their own."
Team Canada Atlantic partners include: Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade/Canadian Consulates, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Industry Canada and the four Atlantic provinces.
For more information on the Team Canada Atlantic Trade Mission to Washington, D.C., visit:
www.teamcanadaatlantic.com
For photos, visit ACOA's Photo Album:
www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/mediaroom/photo/photo.shtml#washington