Tools

Selling The U.S. To Canadian Businesses

Story Published: Oct 10, 2012 at 3:38 PM EDT

Story Updated: Oct 10, 2012 at 6:54 PM EDT

If you own a Canadian business and are looking to expand into the American market, local economic developers say the U.S. market is no further away than right across the river.

"They're going to need, on occasion, branch offices. They're going to need services that have access to the U.S. physically as well as electronically and we're the natural place for them to start," said Tom Plastino of the St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency.
 
In the 25 years since the signing of a free trade agreement between the United States and Canada, there have been jobs both created and lost on both sides of the border.

But, cross-border trade brought about by the North American Free Trade Agreement is being credited with increasing productivity and competitiveness for Canadian businesses looking to invest in the U.S. market.

"NAFTA has worked very well.  It went very well at the very beginning. It has plateaued maybe but I think there's opportunities for businesses on both sides of the border to take advantage of selling," said Debbie Walker, Ontario Ministry of Economic Development.                                                  
 
Roughly 40 Canadian business professionals met in Ogdensburg for a seminar on helping advance cross-border business that could translate into new opportunities for them and potential new jobs for St. Lawrence County.
 
By using a soft-sell approach to potential Canadian businesses which may be considering expanding into the U.S. market, local officials say they hope they are planting a seed that will someday pay off.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
, Watertown, NY

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