Trade centres focus of strategy.

• Author: Wareing, Andrew
• Position: Formation of an International Trade Centre (ITC

MATTAWA - Expanding the ability of Northern Ontario businesses to export goods and services to the world is the focus of a new federal strategy.

The strategy was unveiled in May at the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) conference.

"It's important that we have more than 900,000 people to sell to, more than nine million, more than a country," said federal Secretary of State for Rural Development and FedNor Andy Mitchell in announcing the formation of an International Trade Centre (ITC) for the North. "The world needs to be our marketplace."

The ITC was unveiled as part of an overall government initiative for Northern Ontario that would see business have more access to capital, more access to a competitive business environment, improved infrastructure and a youth employment initiative. The ITC will be based in Sault Ste. Marie, but will have regional offices in the major centres - Thunder Bay, Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins.

"It will have the mandate to work with Northern Ontario businesses to make sure they have access to that world market," said Mitchell. "It will act as a pathfinder to bring together the programs available in the Government of Canada and make sure Northern Ontario has an opportunity to take part in them."

The ITC would also provide education of Northern Ontario businesses to be able to compete in the world economy and assist in building business contacts.

Mitchell said that the creation of the ITCs were the result of a Northern Ontario Citizens Engagement Forum and Youth Symposium sponsored by FedNor and held in Sault Ste. Marie in November 2002. Although there is no set target for how the ITO will increase Northern Ontario business...