Georgia companies need only look across a border, not an ocean, to find their top international trade partner.
Canada and Georgia trade $9.6 billion in goods annually, with more than 325,000 jobs in the state tied to trade with our nation’s northern neighbor.
The thriving relationship was outlined Wednesday during a World Trade Center Savannah workshop, “Canada: Strategic partner, ongoing trade opportunities,” which took place at the group’s office building on Hutchinson Island.
“Canadians are your best customers,” Canadian Consul General Stephen Brereton said to more than a dozen Savannah businessmen and economic development leaders.
Canadians purchase 18 percent of Georgia’s exports, and the outflow of goods has grown at an 8.49 percent annual clip over the last 13 years, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
And hundreds of Canada-based companies are invested in Georgia, including DIRTT Environmental Solutions, which produces modular, movable walls used in office buildings in a manufacturing facility in West Chatham.
Brereton acknowledged efforts to expand trade not only between Canada and Georgia but also Canada and the United States.
The Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement, established in 1988 and later expanded to include Mexico, becoming the North American Free Trade Agreement, eliminated many of the trade restrictions between the neighboring countries.
Brereton characterized the relationship between the U.S. and Canada as the “envy of the world” during his remarks Wednesday.
“It’s because we share such important values, such as democracy, freedom, human rights, individual enterprise and fairness. That’s important in a business context,” he said.
The relationship between Georgia and Canada has flourished in recent years in part because of the Southeastern United States-Canadian Provinces Alliance, better known as SEUS-PC. The alliance is a partnership between Georgia and five other southeastern states and seven Canadian provinces.
The alliance centers around an annual conference in which government and business leaders meet for an economic forum dedicated to increasing trade, promoting bilateral investments and stimulating technical and scientific exchanges.
The first SEUS-PC conference was in Savannah in 2008. This year’s event is scheduled for July in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a conference representative encouraged Wednesday’s workshop attendees to participate in this summer’s conference.
The conference underscores the strong business ties between the U.S. and Canada, acknowledged Todd Gerken, director of the U.S. Commercial Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“It is obvious the demand between eastern Canada and the southeastern United States is growing and growing,” he said. “I see great opportunities between our two countries.”
GEORGIA-CANADA TRADE FACTS
• 326,600 Georgia jobs are tied to trade with Canada.
• 8,900 Georgians are employed by Canadian-owned businesses.
• $9.6 billion worth of goods are traded annually between Canada and Georgia.
• 18 percent of Georgia’s exports are to Canada.
• 8.49 percent annual growth in exports to Canada over last 13 years.
Source: Consulate General of Canada; Georgia Department of Economic Development