Québec-USA
Proximity to the US
Québec is strategically located in close proximity to several major North American cities and has similar business practices.
In addition to being Québec’s largest trading partner by far, the US is the leading buyer of Québec goods internationally.
Almost 75% of Québec’s international exports are shipped to the United States.
Québec-US trade partnership
In 2008, the value of trade in goods between Québec and the US totalled $78.5 billion (all figures in Canadian dollars).
Transportation equipment, aluminium and other metals, paper and wood products account for most of Québec’s manufacturing exports to the US.
From state-of-the-art aircraft to renewable energy, Québec is the sixth-largest exporter to the US, outpacing the United Kingdom and South Korea.
The main destinations for Québec’s exports to the US are New York State ($6.1 billion), Vermont ($3.2 billion), Pennsylvania ($3.1 billion), Tennessee ($3.1 billion) and Illinois ($2.6 billion).
The US accounts for 62% of foreign investment in Québec. In the tourism sector, 60% of Québec’s international tourist revenues come from south of the border.
US exports to Québec
Québec is the 13th largest market for US exports, importing $27.2 billion in goods in 2008, primarily high value-added manufactured goods such as engines, equipment parts, aircraft and aviation components, medical instruments and chemicals.
Québec ranks among the top importers for several US states: 2nd place for Vermont, 6th for New Jersey, 8th for Pennsylvania and 10th for New York. Exports to Québec thus mean jobs for Americans.
Québec's new economy
Québec’s GDP is $300 billion, representing almost 20% of Canada’s economic output.
Québec’s economy has undergone profound changes over the past decade, marked by the strong showing of numerous innovative high-tech firms.
Between 1998 and 2002, Québec boosted its R&D spending by 50%, transforming Montreal into a major R&D centre in Canada.
Québec is a world leader in many markets
Québec has one of the highest densities of high-tech jobs in North America, particularly in the IT and multimedia sectors, where key players employ tens of thousands of people.
In addition, 300 industrial firms such as Bell Helicopters, Pratt and Whitney, Honeywell Aerospace and Rolls Royce employ 40,000 people in Québec, which has Canada’s largest pool of engineers. In the international arena, the Greater Montreal region is considered one of the world’s major aeronautics centres. With $12 billion in sales in 2007, Québec accounts for 62% of total aerospace industry production in Canada.
Québec is the birthplace of the CAE flight simulator, while industry giant Bombardier has created more than 15 new aircraft in Québec in as many years.
Québec is also a major life sciences centre, employing 25,000 people in the biopharmaceutical industry, mainly in R&D-intensive firms.
Finding a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, overcoming antibiotic resistance and developing human bionic devices constitute some of Québec’s most significant life science breakthroughs.
Energy
Québec occupies an area of 1,667,441 km2. It also possesses 3% of the world’s freshwater reserves and 47,110 MW of installed power generating capacity, making it the leading producer of hydroelectricity in North America and number four in the world.
As one of the greenest energy sources, hydroelectricity has been a decisive factor in Québec’s economic growth. Thanks to the spectacular results obtained from its water resource development, Québec has acquired internationally recognized expertise in the areas of electricity production, transmission and distribution.
In 2008, Québec exported $1.5 billion in electricity to the US.
Québec's strenghts
According to Mercer (2006), Québec ranks fourth in North America in terms of quality of life.
Québec has the lowest business operating costs in North America.
Québec is number one in Canada for research centres and academic research funding.
Québec government offices in the US
In recognition of the paramount importance of its relations with the US, Québec has established a network of 6 offices across America:
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