www.thesuburban.com
Economic Development Canada
announced Sept. 13 that it will give
$516,000 to the Laval Technopole
International Business Centre.
“It’s important to support Quebec’s
economic growth by encouraging exports
and helping businesses that want to sell
their products abroad,” said federal cabinet minister Denis Lebel.
In an interview, Export Development
Canada senior advisors Rémi Labarre and
Linda Mayer told The Suburban that the
money isn’t a contribution to the organization.
“Rather, it is for the portion of services
that help companies,” said Labarre.
“Laval Technopole has made a very strong
contribution to the economic growth of
the Laval region.”
“Canada’s economy is heavily dependent on exports,” he explained, “and small-
and medium-sized companies (SMEs)
face many challenges in developing markets abroad.”
“This could involve currency fluctuations, transport challenges, customs
issues as well as foreign rules and regulations of all kinds of norms that the agri-food sector confronts.”
“That’s where Laval Technopole come
in,” he continued. “They organize outside
seminars and training aimed at getting
companies ready to export and plan how
they will confront those sorts of challenges.”
Mayer added that Laval’s International
Business Centre also organizes missions
abroad, to help local companies make
inroads in international markets.
“They also help Laval companies develop business plans for going abroad,” she
said.
“Let’s say that you’re going into China,
for example,” offered Labarre. “There is a
completely different culture there to
learn about, as well as how to approach
people and how to conduct a business
meeting with Chinese counterparts.”
During the past three years, Labarre
noted, Laval Technopole’s International
Business Centre has already helped 155
Laval SMEs gain a foothold abroad.
“It works together with Canada’s international trade department to put companies in touch with prospective clients
through Canada’s worldwide network of
embassies and consulates.”