Organizations Assisting Exporters

Canadian Trade Commissioner Service

http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/

The Trade Commissioner Service of Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade helps companies that have researched and selected their target markets. Services include: assessing target market potential; list of qualified contacts; advice on timing and organizing your trip; face-to-face briefing by a commercial officer; information on local market organizations or companies; troubleshooting if you have a market access problem. The web site provides access to various international market reports and sources of export promotion finance.

Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC)

http://www.ccc.ca/

CCC is a crown corporation established in 1946 to assist Canadian business selling to other countries; act as an international trade facilitator; act as prime contractor; offer a wide range of contracting services.

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Ontario Export Inc.

www.ontarioexports.com

Ontario Exports Inc. is the lead trade agency of the government of Ontario, It helps Ontario firms begin to export or expand markets and can assist foreign buyers to find Ontario suppliers for their purchasing requirements.

International Trade Centres

http://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/home.jsp

ITCs provide a "one-stop" trade service to Canadian firms that are export ready or currently involved in international business. ITC staff can provide you with export planning advice, market studies, export counseling, information about export development programs, trade fairs and missions.

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Preparing an Export Plan

Team Canada Inc.

http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/

Step by step guide that helps you develop your export plan.

Foreign Market Reports

Canadian Trade Commissioner Service

http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/menu-e.asp

Industry Canada - Strategis

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrkti/engdoc/homepage.html

Strategis is Industry Canada's web site that provides direct access to valuable business and consumer information resources, time saving interactive tools, and a growing number of on-line and electronic commerce services. The site allows you to identify new markets, find business partners, form alliances, locate emerging technologies or processes, and assess various risk factors.

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Sources of Financial Assistance for Exporters

Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC)

http://www.ccc.ca/work.htm

CCC's Progress Payment Program provides pre-shipment financing, through participating financial institutions, for small to medium sized companies in contracts backed by CCC.

Export Development Corporation (EDC)

http://www.edc.ca/

Insurance services (including accounts receivable, contract cancellation, letter of credit); coverage for contract bonds; political risk insurance; export trade and project financing; line of credit (supplier credit financing and buyer credit financing); equity investments (investment in a foreign company, project, joint venture and Canadian exporter).

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

http://www.bdc.ca

Working capital for exporters; innovation loans; venture loans; term loans; productivity improvement loans; foreign buyer financing; term loan to implement e-commerce. BDC has strategic alliances with major financial organizations to serve the financial need of the small to medium sized companies.

Northstar Trade Finance

http://www.northstar.ca

Financing export sales transactions of between $100,000 and $5 million with repayment terms of one to five years. Support is available in two distinctive products: Term Finance and Floor Plan Finance.

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Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca

CIDA's programs include:

Industrial Cooperation Program (CIDA-INC) is a shared-cost program to support private sector firms seeking to expand into developing countries.

Renaissance Eastern Europe Program for businesses interested in obtaining funding for projects in Central and Eastern Europe.

Development Information Program (DIP) supports Canadian applicants working in the print, broadcast and electronic media and other communications vehicles.

Royal Bank

http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/commercial/international/index.html

Well organized with information on elements of an export contract, shipment and payment mechanisms.

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Government and Industry Assisted Programs for Exporters

Program for Export Market Development (PEMD)

http://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/eng/funding/global-opportunities-associations/home.jsp

PEMD objective is to increase export sales of Canadian goods and services by sharing the costs of activities that companies normally could not or would not undertake alone, thereby reducing risks involved in entering a foreign market. It is comprised of four major elements: Market Development Strategies (MDS), New-to-Exporting Companies, Capital Projects Bidding and Trade Association Activities. PEMD is managed by the Export Programs Division (TCE) of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), and jointly administered with Industry Canada (IC), through the regional International Trade Centres.

New Exporters to Border States (NEBS) & Exporters to the USA (EXTUS) Program

http://www.entreprisescanada.ca/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=CBSC_ON%2Fdisplay&lang=en&cid=1085667965708&c=Services

NEBS, the New Exporters to Border States program, is a key export education tool that targets Canadian companies not yet exporting to the United States (U.S.). NEBS introduces the essentials of exporting, including practical export information and first-hand exposure to markets in U.S. border states.

EXTUS (formerly NEBS Plus) is the program that serves Canadian companies already exporting to the U.S. border states. The focus of EXTUS is to expand the markets of successful exporters to other regions of the United States.

NEBS and EXTUS are co-operative programs that, through the efforts of their Team Canada partners, support the government's initiatives to increase the number of active exporters to the United States. Key partners include: the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), its Canadian Consulates General in the U.S., International Trade Centres (ITCs), regional development agencies, provinces, other government departments, and various other trade organizations.

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Agri-Food Industry Market Strategies

http://www.agr.gc.ca/mar_e.phtml

AIMS is an interdepartmental initiative to encourage Canadian agri-food industries to increase exports by the development and implementation of market responsive strategies.

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca

CIDA's programs include:

Industrial Cooperation Program (CIDA-INC) is a shared-cost program to support private sector firms seeking to expand into developing countries.

Renaissance Eastern Europe Program for businesses interested in obtaining funding for projects in Central and Eastern Europe.

Development Information Program (DIP) supports Canadian applicants working in the print, broadcast and electronic media and other communications vehicles.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca

As a member of Trade Team Canada, CMHC's Export Team is the housing industry's export partner - providing both strategic advice and practical support. CMHC carries out a series of roles designed to open doors for the Canadian housing industry in foreign markets, and to strengthen and develop Canada’s competitive edge in housing exports.

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Trade Directories and Databases

Canadian Company Capability (Strategis - Industry Canada)

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_coinf/ccc/engdoc/homepage.html

Industry Canada’s online database with over 35,000 Canadian companies and 200,000 products and services. You can register online in the database.

Canadian Trade Index

http://www.ctidirectory.com/

Published by the Alliance of Manufacturers and Exporters Canada. It provides detailed information regarding over 32,000 Canadian companies, including 30,000 Manufacturers, 11,500 Active Exporters, 7,000 Distributors of products in Canada, and 3,700 Service companies for manufactured products.

Other Directories

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca

Provides a comprehensive list of Canadian and international trade directories.

Customs Rules, Tariff Numbers and Trade Statistics

Canada Customs and Revenue Agency

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/menu-e.html

Virtual Customs Office site that provides small businesses with good assistance in finding out about Customs related export matters.

Industry Canada - Strategis

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrkti/tdst/engdoc/tr_homep.html

A good source of customs-based international trade statistics.

US Customs Service

http://www.cbp.gov/

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Manufacturers’ Representative Associations

The Manufacturers Representatives Educational Research Foundation (MRERF)

http://www.mrerf.org

MRERF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing public awareness of the value of the independent multiple-line selling organization and to providing professional education for the representative community. You can search for potential reps graduated from the MRERF course in the USA using their search engine.

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Health Industry Representatives Association (HIRA)

http://www.hira.org/

The Health Industry Representatives Association focuses on promoting the manufacturers’ rep function within the health care industry. Its members are independent sales agencies located across the USA who offer manufacturers a professional, highly qualified sales force. Additionally, allied members are manufacturers who support the continuing use of independent sales agencies to market their products.

Justsell.com

http://www.justsell.com

Link to several manufacturers’ trade associations.

Brokerage Management Council (BMC)

http://www.bmcsales.com/

The BMC is a sharegroup of Premiere Foodservice Brokers across the United States. This site is of interest to any organization that deals with Foodservice: Manufacturers, Distributors, End-Users, and Suppliers.

Association of Independent Manufacturers Representatives (AIM/R)

http://www.aimr.net/

The Association of Independent Manufacturers Representatives (AIM/R) is a trade association of independent sales representatives in the plumbing, heating, cooling, piping industry. AIM/R members are the top agencies in the industry.

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Business Support Organizations

Industry Canada - Strategis

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/

Alliance of Manufactures and Exporters Canada

http://www.palantir.ca

Canada's leading business network, providing aggressive, effective advocacy to government at all levels; delivering timely, relevant information, programs and support of superior quality and value; providing opportunities for education, learning and professional growth; promoting the development and implementation of advanced technology.

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)

http://www.wd.gc.ca/

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) is committed to helping Western Canadian small and medium-sized businesses grow and create jobs. The site however contains useful information and links for most business across the country.

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Trade Promotion Events

Tradeshow Week Online

http://www.tradeshowweek.com/

Another good site for searching North American trade shows.

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Online Export Magazines

CanadExport

http://www.international.gc.ca/canadexport/index.aspx

Newsletter by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

ATS - Advantage

http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1196888128319&lang=eng

By Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Provides some leads and a calendar of events.

Export Wise Magazine

http://www.edc.ca/english/publications_export_wise.htm

A magazine by the Export Development Corporation providing interesting articles on international trade and investment financing and insurance.

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Training

Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)

http://www.fitt.ca

FITT - Canada’s centre for international trade training - is a national, not-for-profit, professional organization, founded in 1992 by industry and government to develop and deliver international trade training programs and services, establish country-wide standards and certification, and generally ensure continuing professional development in the practice of international trade. FITT programs are delivered across Canada through community colleges, universities and private organizations.