Over the last few days our Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce delegation has been holding meetings first in Kolkata, followed by the city of Hyderabad, the capital of the southern Indian state of Telangana.
I was honoured to give keynote addresses and take questions from members from the Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Telangana Chamber of Commerce & Industry. and the Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries
Our networking sessions brought together business and government representatives to share best practices on ways industry and the public-sector can work together to improve economic conditions. Our schedule included meetings with state cabinet ministers, similar to our provincial ministers, from the state governments of West Bengal and Telangana. The heightened involvement by India’s state leaders is a reminder that all governments have an important role in helping to attract and retain foreign-direct investment.
I am encouraged that Premier Wynne continues to undertake an ambitious schedule of international investment missions, including most recent missions to Asia and the Middle East. Last year, I joined Premier Wynne for the 2016 Ontario Business Mission to India. Also in attendance were Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure and Michael Chan, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade. Working together, we made our pitch to attract new economic development opportunities to Ontario’s communities, like Mississauga.
I further welcome news that the Trudeau government will work to improve the coordination of foreign-direct investment and retention strategies with municipal and provincial governments, by allocating $218 million to establish the new Invest in Canada Hub agency.
I serve on the board of directors for the new regional economic development agency – Toronto Global. Toronto Global will champion the economic interests of the 29 municipalities throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
Toronto Global will help Mississauga press ahead with our international business attraction, retention and investment efforts. The Trudeau and Wynne governments have put real funding into Toronto Global to get it up and running. Toronto Global will be an important partner to the new Invest in Canada Hub.
Without question there is strength in numbers when all governments pull together with the single goal to unleash economic development opportunities.