• Canada–U.S. trade supported 7.1 million U.S. jobs
• Total Canada–U.S. merchandise trade: $535 billion
• 90,250 Connecticut jobs are supported by Canada–U.S. trade
• Canada is Connecticut’s largest foreign export market
• Canadians made more than 128,600 visits to Connecticut, spending $40 million
• Connecticut residents made 218,300 visits to Canada, spending $104 million

A Close Relationship

Canada is Connecticut’s most valuable international market and has maintained its position as the state’s number one trading partner since 1995. While the state sent 13% of its worldwide goods to Canada, both partners benefitted from bilateral exchange totaling $5 billion in 2007.

Partners in flight

Connecticut and Canada share a close relationship in the trade and manufacture of airplanes. In 2007, the state supplied Canada with $107 million in aircraft engines and parts and $75 million in aircraft parts, except engines. In return, the Canadian aerospace industry, which comprises over 400 firms, manufactured and supplied the state with $527 million in complete aircraft. In total, the partners exchanged $924 million in components and finished goods from the transportation sector, pointing to the high degree of integration shared by manufacturers on both sides of the border.

An energy partnership

In 2007, Connecticut looked north to Canada to meet residential sector energy consumption. The state bought $606 million in energy supplies, more than double the amount from the previous year. State imports of petroleum and coal products — totaling $568 million — originated from eastern Canada’s provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick. To meet residential demand, the state converts its leading import commodity to electricity, fuel oil for home heating, and other consumer needs.

Canada–Connecticut Success Stories

Norseland Inc., headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, has formed a strategic alliance with Woolwich Dairy Inc., Canada’s leading goat-cheese manufacturer. Effective July 1, 2008, Norseland will handle sales, marketing and distribution in the United States for all Woolwich cheese products. Woolwich currently is constructing its first U.S. plant in Wisconsin.

L-1 Identity Solutions Inc., which makes identification equipment, recently announced that it plans to buy Canada’s Bioscrypt Inc. in a stock-for-stock transaction worth $44.4 million. Based in Ontario, Canada, Bioscrypt makes fingerprint verification and identification systems for use in commercial and industrial applications. The company has more than 400 customers and more than 260,000 of its access-control units have been installed. The acquisition will add new technological capabilities to L-1’s portfolio, including three-dimensional facial recognition. After the acquisition, Bioscrypt will become an L-1 subsidiary and operate from its current location in Ontario.

Based in Farmington, Connecticut, Otis Elevator Company, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (also based in Connecticut) was awarded a $26 million contract to provide elevators and escalators at The Bow, a 59-story office building in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The 1.7 million ft² (157,930 m²) building will be home to EnCana, North America’s second largest natural gas producer, and will rise 774 ft (236 m) above street level, making it Canada’s tallest tower outside of Toronto. The elevator system perfected by the Otis Elevator Company incorporates gearless permanent magnet motors, reducing energy usage by up to 50% compared to conventional systems. Otis Elevator Company is the world’s largest manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products including elevators, escalators and moving walkways.

Headquartered in East Hartford, Connecticut, Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp., and the North American division of MTU Aero Engines (also based in Connecticut) have agreed to work together on a group of Pratt & Whitney engines. The agreement gives MTU about a 15% stake in future engine programs with Pratt & Whitney and Pratt & Whitney Canada. Under the agreement, MTU will help design and manufacture Pratt & Whitney Canada’s 10,000-pound thrust class engine, the 15,000 to 17,000 pound thrust class geared turbofan engine for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet and the 23,000 pound thrust class geared turbofan engine for the Bombardier CSeries. MTU also will also provide research and development investment for each of the programs, Pratt & Whitney said.

June 2008

Tourism

• 128,600 Connecticut visits by Canadians, $40 million spent
• 218,300 Connecticut visits to Canada, $104 million spent

Jobs

• Connecticut jobs supported by Canada–U.S. trade: 90,250

Merchandise Trade

• Exports to Canada: $1.7 billion
• Imports from Canada: $3.3 billion
• Bilateral trade: $5 billion
• Largest export market: Canada

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Merchandise trade and tourism figures are from Statistics Canada, converted at the rate of US$1.00=C$1.0749. Merchandise trade is based on total exports and imports for the year 2007. Job numbers are based on 2005 data from a 2006 study commissioned by the Canadian Embassy. Canada’s export ranking is from the World Institute for Strategic Economic Research (WISER). All figures are in U.S. dollars. Figures may not add up due to rounding.