Export sales provide impetus for growth.

• Author: Wareing, Andrew
• Position: Economic expansion sought in Northern Ontario

They call themselves Team Northern Ontario and their aim is to make Northern Ontario more than a name on a map.

"The time is ripe for exports from Canada," says Jay Aspin, export development officer with the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce. "Exports have tripled in Canada over the last few years. Of course, we have always had a huge trading partner to the south. But with the lower Canadian dollar, exports have expanded in leaps and bounds.

"The economy in general has expanded. We should be no exception," he says. "What we are talking about is the movement of goods and services out of the country to the United States and overseas. The types of goods we're talking about is varied, but I have 90 clients I'm working with now. We export everything from mining equipment to lumber to recreational equipment such as canoes and kayaks. There are many other things from software for business systems to agricultural products to engineering services."

One company already making a splash on the international scene is McIntosh Engineering, a mining engineering consulting company with offices in North Bay, Sudbury and Arizona. With more than 70 employees, the company's talent pool represent a full range of engineering disciplines and associated project management. The company has major mining projects in Canada and abroad.

McIntosh Engineering recently received an Award of Merit in the Market Expansion - Service category at the 2001 Ontario Global Traders Northern Region Awards.

"Despite a period of depressed metal prices, McIntosh Engineering has maintained their employee levels and increased their customer base throughout the mining industry," says Bob Rappolt, president, Canadian operations, McIntosh Engineering Ltd. "In recent years this has included efforts to develop strategic export relationships with an eye to achieving export sales that make up 50 per cent of our total revenue. Receiving the Award of Merit recognizes our efforts."

Aspin started in March 2001 as the export development officer with the North Bay chamber through a three-year program with funding through FedNor. Since then he has gained other allies in a "Northern Ontario Trade Network," including Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.

"We have four now and there are as many as...