U.S. Consul General Mr. Jim Dickmeyer met with Mayor Linda Jeffrey and other civic and business leaders yesterday for a roundtable discussion on strengthening Brampton-U.S. business relationships.
Talks ranged from longer-term and strategic alliance opportunities in the Health and Life Sciences and Advanced Manufacturing sectors, to more current opportunities related to Brampton’s strong local economy and infrastructure, tourism and film, and the Canada-U.S. trade corridor.
Brampton has long-standing business and trade ties with the U.S. that continue to this day. These existing connections, combined with compatible business practice and culture, and close geographic proximity, make the U.S. a clear strategic market to promote Brampton and Brampton businesses for international economic development.
Quotes
“Brampton is home to some of Canada’s top manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and high tech businesses including U.S. companies Coca Cola, Ford, and Canon. I hope that we will continue expanding our mutually beneficial bilateral economic relationship following a productive roundtable, highly informative visits and meetings that I had in Brampton. There are certainly opportunities for a wider economic partnership and we should embrace them now”.
– Jim Dickmeyer, U.S. Consul General
“Today’s meeting was an historic first step on the path to strengthening and expanding our trade and partnership opportunities with the U.S. We had the opportunity to show Mr. Dickmeyer, firsthand, what our strengths are and to let him know that Brampton is open for business and eager to grow our economic relationships.”
“I am confident that today’s meeting will lead to closer connections with the U.S. Government and businesses and that it will reap increased economic and trade activity for Brampton.”
– Linda Jeffrey, Mayor, City of Brampton
Roundtable ParticipantsJim Dickmeyer, Consul General of the United States of AmericaLinda Jeffrey, Mayor, City of BramptonFrank Dale, Chair, Region of PeelJeff Bowman, City Councillor and Chair, Brampton Economic Development CommitteeMartin Medeiros, Regional CouncillorDavid Szwarc, CAO, Region of PeelJaipaul Massey-Singh, Chair, Brampton Board of Trade, and roundtable moderatorRepresentatives from U.S.-based Brampton businesses
Brampton-U.S. Economic HighlightsMore than 700 Brampton companies export to 95 countries around the world, and 53 per cent of these companies export to the U.S., making it the highest indicated place of export.According to the 2013 Employment Census, more than 150 Brampton companies indicated they have a head office within the U.S.American TV production expenditures in Brampton have grown more than 1,200 per cent from 2012 to 2014, which saw $260,000 spent in the city.