With approximately $1 trillion in annual bilateral investment and trade, Canada offers many profitable business and/or investment opportunities for U.S. firms, and especially for small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). The Canadian market is a great place to begin exporting given its geographic proximity to the U.S. and the many similarities in business culture between both countries. Despite these similarities on certain levels, the Canadian regulatory landscape is quite complex and can present new exporters with important challenges. There are many key considerations to be taken into account in an export venture, and the sheer volume of documentation and resources available on the topic of exporting to Canada can often be overwhelming and convoluted.
In conjunction with the U.S Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa (http://www.export.gov/canada/), Woods, LaFortune LLP and Shane Brown of Thompson Ahern International (http://www.taco.ca/en/) put on a Webinar as part of the series on the logistics of doing business in Canada on November 12, 2014. Attended by U.S. companies of varying sizes and sectors, the Webinar focused on condensing all the relevant considerations to be mindful of when exporting to Canada. As alluded to by its title “Exporting to Canada: Where Do We Begin?”, the Webinar’s main purpose was to take participants through the ABC’s of exporting to help create a successful business venture in Canada.
The presentation, which can be found under our publications section (https://www.wl-tradelaw.com/exporting-to-canadawhere-do-we-begin-webinar-slides/), identifies key trends and opportunities in the Canadian market for U.S. firms. It highlights the need for, and main components of an effective export plan, marketing strategy and market entry strategy for new exporters. It also walks through the important steps and considerations to be taken into account from Duty Deferral Programs, Carriers or Freight Forwarders and Insurance, to Customs and Tariff Classifications, to name a few. Regulatory considerations such as labelling, certifications and standards are also explored, as well as NAFTA’s role and the protections it offers to U.S. companies investing or doing business in Canada.
The team behind the Webinar is currently working on completing a checklist for new exporters, to highlight, in a single user-friendly document, all the key considerations and things that need to be thought of or addressed in an export venture to Canada. This checklist will be available shortly on our website as well as on the U.S. Commercial Services’ website.
