Home » Gov. Beshear to lead trade mission to Canada next week

Gov. Beshear to lead trade mission to Canada next week

More than a dozen small businesses to participate

FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 22, 2015) — More than a dozen Kentucky small businesses will connect with key liaisons in the international marketplace next week.

kentucky_seal_resized2Gov. Steve Beshear will lead a Kentucky Export Initiative (KEI) trade mission to Canada starting Monday. The companies, which represent a variety of industries throughout the Commonwealth, will be personally matched with Canadian businesses and distribution networks. These meetings will allow the companies to form partnerships and begin selling products to Kentucky’s largest trade partner.

“The trade mission will help Kentucky companies establish relationships and lay the groundwork for potential deals that will help them take their products and services global,” said Beshear. “Not only is this a great opportunity for these small businesses, but the trade mission also will allow the state to highlight the many advantages Kentucky has to offer.”

The KEI delegation, which will return to Kentucky May 30, will make stops in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto.

Canada is home to one of the world’s largest economies. The commonwealth exported more than $7.6 billion in products and services to Canada last year. Top exports include motor vehicles, auto parts and aerospace products.

Earlier this week, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development announced that Kentucky’s exports for the first three months of 2015 were 11 percent higher compared to the same time last year. Nationally, exports were down 5 percent during that time.