Vermont Business MagazineGovernorPeter Shumlin is in Montreal pitching Vermont as an ideal for place for Canadian companies to do business in the US, meeting today with leaders of the Quebec government and business community to discuss increased opportunities for investment, trade, and job growth on both sides of the border. The Governor and Quebec Premier Phillipe Couillard were also on hand to witness the signing of a new partnership agreement between the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Quebec (FCCQ) and the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Vermont Quebec Enterprise Initiative (VQEI).
Tom Torti, President of the LCRCC, signs the agreement as Governor Shumlin looks on. Courtesy photo.
This agreement between the two business groups specifically identifies sectors for collaboration, including information technology; value-added agriculture; advanced manufacturing; research and development; innovation; energy, environmental, and green technologies; and biosciences.
Increasing economic opportunities between Vermont and Quebec has been a priority for the Governor. In May, the Governor and legislative leaders announced $100,000 to further economic ties between Vermont and Quebec and attract Quebec companies to set up locations in Vermont. Last week, the Governor announced that the state is innegotiations with a Canadian Companylooking to establish a new facility in the U.S.
While in Montreal, the Governor also plans to give the keynote address at the New England Canadian Business Council/American Chamber of Commerce in Canada luncheon, highlighting Vermont’s long-standing business relationship with Quebec as well as some of the resources available to companies seeking to expand to Vermont. The Governor’s remarks will be supplemented by a panel talking further about doing business in Vermont.
“Partnering with Vermont and Quebec economic development organizations and taking advantage of opportunities like the ones today to talk about Vermont as a great place to do business is what we need to do to continue to grow jobs and economic opportunities on both sides of the border,” Shumlin said. “I am pleased that the Vermont Quebec Enterprise team is pursuing new alliances to bring more jobs to Vermont.”
The Vermont-Quebec Enterprise Initiative is a statewide effort led by the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce that will both open Quebec markets to Vermont companies and brand Vermont as the location of choice for Quebec companies looking to expand or establish a presence in United States.
“The LCRCC is honored to lead this effort for the state and we are grateful to the Governor and legislative leaders for recognizing the close economic relationship that Quebec and Vermont share,” said Tom Torti, President of the LCRCC. “With their support, we can once again place Vermont at the forefront of US-Quebec trade relations.”