Canada: Land of Opportunity

(The Toronto Star – Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew)

The recession has cast our business potential in a whole new light – now we’re attracting more American suitors than ever

When you ask Darrell Gacom what he liked about his trip to Toronto last week, he’ll sound like any other tourist. He’ll tell you about clean streets, friendly people and going to the CN Tower for dinner. But here’s what really impressed the Tampa, Fla., businessman: the city’s educated workforce, the dozens of languages it speaks, the safe communities and the low corporate tax rates.

Gacom’s stop in Toronto was part of a trade mission. His company, Ott Lite, currently sells about $1 million worth of specialty light bulbs and fixtures in Canada. He figures that’s just the beginning. During his visit, he met with local firms that want to sell his products here. “There’s no real barriers to entry and no real barriers for growth, as far as I can see,” he said.

When it comes to trade, Canada has long been the quiet, sweet girl next door to the world’s economic powerhouse. No longer – these days, Canada is more like the prettiest country in the room. Long-time trading partners that were content to just gaze lovingly across the border are sending trade delegations, often with local politicians and business leaders in tow, eager to affirm existing business ties and make new connections.

“Over the course of the year, we might have half-a-dozen events. In 30 days, we’ve had three,” said Carol Wilding, president and chief executive of the Toronto Board of Trade. “Clearly there’s a trend of increasing interest for U.S. delegations to come to Toronto.” Read the complete article here.