The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal and its team of international trade experts, the World Trade Centre Montréal, successfully carried out a trade mission to the GLOBE 2016 conference in Vancouver last week.
Organized in cooperation with Export Québec, a unit of the Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation, in partnership with the Bureau du Québec à Toronto, this trade mission helped promote the sustainable development expertise of Quebec companies to around 3,000 world leaders in clean tech. While Écotech Québec, CO2 Solutions, Filtrartech, the National Optics Institute and Rackam exhibited at the Pavillon du Québec, Enerkem, Gaz Métro, the Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec and Technoparc Montréal rounded out the delegation.
Highlights of the trade mission included the Quebec-Ontario reception with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, attended by close to 300 guests.
“Participating in GLOBE 2016 was meant to position the Quebec clean tech industry – an industry with 1,500 businesses representing 28,000 jobs – as a global leader,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade. “Revenue from the environmental industries represented $8 billion for Quebec in 2011, including $3 billion in sales outside the province, over half of it to the rest of Canada and the U.S. The signature of an agreement at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris and the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as shifting international public opinion on the environment will generate many business opportunities in the coming years, and local businesses have to be positioned to further increase their international sales.”
“The GLOBE 2016 conference gave Quebec a chance to make its mark yet again as a Canadian leader in clean tech,” said Nicole Lemieux, Head of the Bureau du Québec à Toronto. “With the most ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in Canada, revenue of over $3 billion by 2020 and a carbon market shared with California and Ontario, Quebec is showing that climate change is an important economic driver and encourages all provinces and territories to get fully involved in the fight against climate change.”
“During GLOBE 2016, we ratified a partnership framework agreement with clean tech organizations in British Columbia and Ontario,” said Denis Leclerc, President and CEO of Écotech. “This agreement, a first in Canada, will allow Quebec companies to explore business opportunities in these provinces.”
“GLOBE 2016 was a chance to share Hydro-Québec’s international business and technology orientations, to position innovation as a driver of change and important leverage for growth for Hydro-Québec and the industry, and above all, to showcase Quebec’s know-how in the field of energy,” said Jérôme Gosset, General Manager of the Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec, who took part in an expert panel on the future of electricity and network infrastructures.
“The GLOBE 2016 conference was an enriching, productive experience, and we had a chance to form quality relationships and meet political leaders who have direct influence on environmental legislation,” said Jacques-Alexandre Fortin, Vice-President of Rackam. “During the show we got in touch with some 30 stakeholders who may be useful for our marketing efforts, growth and development.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to business of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
About Export Québec
Export Québec is a unit of the Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et de l’Innovation which delivers many services to Quebec companies to help them reduce timeframes, costs and risks related to exports. Through its specialists in international trade and its network of experts abroad, Export Québec supports Quebec exporters who want to consolidate their presence outside Quebec, diversify their clientele beyond their current markets and establish an effective global business network.
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