Did you know?

Canada...

• is the most trade-reliant country of the G-8 countries;
• exported $516 billion in goods and services in 2005, a record high, representing over 38 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product; and
• that every $1 billion in exports sustains or creates 11,000 jobs for Canadians.

China...

• is Canada’s second largest overall trading partner;
• was Canada’s 4th largest market for exports ($7.1B), and our 2nd largest supplier of imports ($29.5B) in 2005;
• is currently the world’s 4th largest economy, but some experts expect it to be the second largest by 2016, and the largest by 2041; and
• that the Asia-Pacific region represents approximately 45 per cent of global trade and 55 per cent of world income.

On Canada’s West Coast...

• almost 75 per cent (by value) of Canada’s exports to Asian countries were shipped through British Columbia’s customs ports;
• the location of our ports reduces the sailing time to Asian markets by about two days over all other ports in the Western Hemisphere;
• more than half of all containers entering the Lower Mainland of British Columbia are bound for central Canada; and
• that, by 2020, container cargo coming through British Columbia ports is projected to grow by up to 300 per cent (from 1.8 million containers to up to 7 million containers). This will have an associated increase in trade value of over 50 per cent (from $35 billion to $75 billion) and a growth in direct jobs of 178 per cent (from 18,000 to 50,000 jobs).