Canadian Chamber launches Canada-U.S. Engagement Initiative 

[OTTAWA] — [February 1, 2024] — The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s President and CEO Perrin Beatty today announced the launch of a new Canada-U.S. Engagement Plan aimed at providing Canadian businesses opportunities to increase ties with U.S. counterparts and policymakers.  

On Monday, Mr. Beatty met with the Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and communicated with the Hon. Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development. They discussed the importance of Canada’s trade relationship with the United States and agreed that an increased U.S. presence by Canadian business and other stakeholders will help strengthen the relationship between our two countries. The Prime Minister recently tasked Minister Champagne and Minister Ng to be co-leads on a renewed Team Canada engagement strategy to advance Canada’s interests in and with the United States. 

The United States is our closest neighbour, our largest trading partner, and our most important ally, which is why we strongly support Minister Champagne and Minister Ng’s desire to mobilize Canadian businesses and other groups to increase Canadian engagement with our U.S. counterparts. The Canadian Chamber and its pan-Canadian network of 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 businesses of all sizes, is ready and willing to support these efforts. All parties in government and our business community need to come together on this.

Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

As part of its plan, the Canadian Chamber will lead four business missions to the U.S. in 2024, focused on key areas of the Canadian economy where there are significant opportunities for growth and synergy with the U.S. economy: life sciences, Canada-U.S. trade, artificial intelligence and critical minerals. The Canadian Chamber will execute these missions in collaboration with several on-the-ground U.S. partners.  

Canada and the United States share one of the largest trading relationships in the world, underpinned by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Canada-U.S. trade in goods and services was over $1.2 trillion in 2022, representing two thirds of Canada’s total global trade.  

Canadians and Americans alike understand the closeness of our bilateral ties, but too often we take it for granted. In these times of global turmoil, it’s critical that Canada reassert the deep, strategic and economic significance of the Canada-U.S. relationship, which is vital to the success of both nations. We can’t afford to sit back—the security and prosperity of our economies depend on it.

Perrin Beatty, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

About the Canadian Chamber of Commerce — The Future of Business Success

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is Canada’s largest and most activated business network — representing over 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 business of all sizes, from all sectors of the economy and from every part of the country — to create the conditions for our collective success. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the undisputed champion and catalyst for the future of business success. From working with government on economy-friendly policy to providing services that inform commerce and enable trade, we give each of our members more of what they need to succeed: insight into markets, competitors and trends, influence over the decisions and policies that drive business success and impact on business and economic performance.   

Contact 
Karl Oczkowski 
Senior Director, Corporate Communications and PR 
Canadian Chamber of Commerce 
613.238.4000 (2231) 
koczkowski@chamber.ca