WD's Framework for Trade and Investment 2009-2010

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) recognizes that the West's interests are best served as part of a coordinated national trade agenda, with many trade and investment partners working together to improve international competitiveness and strengthen trade and economic corridors of importance to the West. To deliver on its Trade & Investment priority in 2009/10, WD will focus its efforts on the following planned activities:

1. Enhance Western Canada's participation in global markets
2. Raise Western Canada's visibility as a competitive investment location
3. Enhance value-added opportunities connected to Western Canada's gateways and corridors

WD's planned Trade & Investment activities for 2009/10 complement the priorities and activities set out in the Global Commerce Strategy (GCS). The GCS is the Government of Canada's plan for helping Canadian companies meet the demands of an increasingly complex and competitive global economy, and builds even greater prosperity for the future. WD's priority markets and industry sectors for its international activities align with those set out in the GCS, the Government of Canada's Science and Technology Strategy, and WD's innovation priorities.

WD plays a niche role in the trade and investment sphere by working directly with not-for-profits and indirectly with small- and medium- enterprises (SMEs) to support pan-western initiatives in the advanced technology and value-added manufacturing sectors that offer the greatest potential to expand the economy of Western Canada.

WD's Priority Markets	WD's Priority Sectors
North America: United States & Mexico Asia-Pacific Latin America	Information and Communication Technologies (e.g. Gaming, New Media and Wireless) Life Sciences (e.g. Ag-biotechnology, Medical Devices, Nutraceuticals and Pharmaceuticals) Emerging Technologies (e.g. Environmental, Nanotechnology and Ocean Technologies) Manufacturing (e.g. Aerospace, Defense and Security, Machinery and Equipment, and Value-added Processing)

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2009/10 Planned Activities

1. Enhance Western Canada's Participation in Global Markets

WD encourages SMEs to export and to tap into global value chains to improve their global competitiveness and to grow and diversify, and delivers, directly or through other organizations, skills development and export readiness services to SMEs to assist them in pursuing global market opportunities in the future. WD will work diligently to:

• Enhance the international market penetration of western Canadian technologies, services, value-added products by SMEs. To achieve this, WD will:
  • Participate in select incoming/outgoing export missions, especially focused on the United States and Mexico.
  • Support international market development opportunities that emerge for SMEs in connection with the 2010 Olympics.
  • Strengthen western Canadian SME's ability to access global value chains (GVCs) and government procurement opportunities.
• Increase the export capabilities of SMEs.

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2. Raise Western Canada's Visibility as a Competitive Investment Location

WD will enhance the capacity of western Canadian SMEs, research commercialization entities, communities, and specific sectors to attract and retain foreign investment, and will also market the technology capabilities of Western Canada to foreign markets. To do this, WD will:

• Participate in projects that may attract foreign direct investment to Western Canada, especially in connection to the 2010 Games.
• Support pilot projects that demonstrate western Canadian technology as a means to encourage further investment.
• Pursue projects that enhance the investment attraction potential of large-scale science and technology projects supported by WD.
• Work with federal partners to support community investment attraction initiatives.

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3. Enhance Value-added Opportunities Connected to Western Canada's Gateways and Corridors

WD will support international business development and investment attraction opportunities related to Western Canada's gateways and corridors to spur economic growth with the improved flow of goods, services and people across our borders. To do this, WD will:

• Support projects that will enhance the ability of western Canadian SMEs to participate in markets in Asia-Pacific.
• Market the capabilities of western Canadian gateways, corridors and in-land ports.

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4. Other

The department will also undertake a number of initiatives that underpin all of its trade and investment activities, including:

• Targeted research and analysis to better understand trade and investment policy issues impacting Western Canada;
• Increasing knowledge and awareness of western Canadian issues to improve ability to advocate for the West in the development of federal trade and investment policies and initiatives;
• Strengthening partnerships and outreach opportunities with other federal departments, the provinces and industry associations to ensure an effective, efficient, and coordinated approach to support trade and investment activities in Western Canada.