Opportunities abound in exports

With the continuing U.S. slowdown and the simultaneous rise of the economies of many developing nations, it’s becoming more and more clear that the future of Canadian business lies in exporting. Whether you produce goods or services, chances are that there are markets for your products outside Canada’s borders—if you know where they are and how to serve them economically.

Enter DFAIT, the international trade ministry dedicated to helping Canadian exporters succeed. It’s your tax dollars at work, so you might as well take advantage of the services they provide.

CanadExport is the brand uniting many information resources that link Canadian exporters (and potential exporters) to new export opportunities.  Recent articles touch on subjects as varied as construction projects in Haiti, building a brand in the agrifoods industry and how to set up an office in Mexico. It even offers podcasts on timely topics such as reducing border barriers and how best to enter the U.S. on business.

Yet another useful resource is CanadExport’s “Ask the Trade Commissioner Service.” Our trade commissioners may be Canada’s best-kept business secret—knowledgeable and hard-working business networkers stationed around the world, with the goal of helping Canadians do more business abroad.

Trade commissioners love to share their experience, market knowledge, and even their contacts. Here are some of the questions they’ve recently answered; just click on the questions to read any answers.

• Is there anything preventing my firm from bidding on Olympic contracts in the UK?
• How can I export seafood to the EU?
• Advice when picking a distributor
• Pitfall in exporting from China
• Delay visitor visas at your peril
• Trademarks: Worth your time and money?
• Funding options for market expansion
• Avoid costly border mistakes over U.S. visa issues
• Are difficult markets worth it?
• Is my foreign contact reliable?
• What are the rules for U.S. labelling when it comes to clothing?
• How do I licence my software for the Chinese market?
• Can you connect me to venture capital in Silicon Valley?
• How can I export wine and apparel products to China?
• What are Brazil’s import duties or tariffs for my products?

You can place your own question to the Trade Commissioner Service by email, or you can subscribe to CanadExport’s email bulletins.
Why wait? The world is waiting for you.