A new paper released through the Canada West Foundation’s Going for Gold project examines western Canada’s current trade relationship with Asia-Pacific and explains how these markets offer tremendous opportunities for economic growth and prosperity in the West, now, and in the years to come.
Through the Gateway: Unlocking Western Canada’s Potential for Economic Diversification by Expanding Trade with Asia-Pacific by author Michael Holden, Senior Economist provides the background and the numbers that show the importance of this region to western Canada’s economic prosperity. With Asia-Pacific being home to over half the world’s population and exports from the four western provinces to the region accounting for two-thirds of Canada’s total exports (totalling 9.6 Billion in 2009,) Asia-Pacific is second most important, only to the U.S.
“The research shows the importance of Asia-Pacific, not only to western Canada’s economic prosperity, but for Canada.” Canada West Foundation’s President and CEO, Dr. Roger Gibbins explains. “Considerable opportunities exist for western Canada if we take advantage of them and successfully reduce the barriers to trade and investment.”
The report describes two ways in which trade with Asia-Pacific countries promote economic diversification in western Canada 1) export market diversification and 2) export product diversification.
This publication was released at the Through the Gateway event, which was sponsored by the Vancouver Board of Trade on February 22, 2011.
All in attendance received a summary copy of the report. To download the summary report, click here.
To download the full report of Through the Gateway: Unlocking Western Canada’s Potential for Economic Diversification by Expanding Trade with Asia-Pacific, click here.
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