TAFT TRAVELS TO CANADA FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TRIP
COLUMBUS (March 6, 2006) – Governor Bob Taft today announced that he will embark upon a two-day mission to Canada March 7 and 8. Equipped with newly enacted tax reforms for businesses investing in Ohio, the Governor will visit Toronto and Montreal to strengthen Ohio’s existing business and investment relationships in Canada and build new ones. In 2005, Ohio exported nearly $17 billion in goods to Canada, making them Ohio’s largest trading partner.
“Ohio’s newly reformed tax code gives us a powerful advantage and opportunity to more effectively market Ohio as a great place to do business,” said Taft. “In Canada, we will promote Ohio exports and encourage research and development collaborations that will benefit our state with jobs and prosperity for years to come, making certain that our Canadian partners know that Ohio Mean Business.”
During his trip Taft will meet with several Canadian businesses with Ohio ties to identify investment opportunities, give a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce, promote Ohio exports, encourage research collaborations and tout Ohio as a tourism destination. Highlights of the trip include:
Tuesday, March 7 Wednesday, March 8
Meet with Dofasco Inc. Meet with ProtecPac
(Copperweld/Shelby, Marion) (Sidney)
Meet with Unilock Inc Meet with Heroux-Devtek Inc
(Rittman, West Jefferson) (McSwain Manufacturing/Cincinnati)
Trillium Health Care Products Inc. American Chamber of Commerce in Canada
(St. Bernard/Cincinnati) (Brief Remarks)
Travel and Tourism Event
The Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism will host a reception to showcase Ohio’s travel opportunities in Appalachia to travel writers, group tour organizers and the Ontario Minister of Tourism. Amish quilters, dulcimer players, woodworkers, stained-glass makers and painters will display their work and interact with attendees, and Ohio food and wine will be featured. Canadian visitors to Ohio in 2004 accounted for a total of $114 million in tourism spending in Ohio, and Ohio is among the top 15 states in the U.S. visited by Canadians. Attached is a list of Ohio artists participating in the event.
“I am particularly pleased to participate in our tourism event Tuesday evening,” said Taft. “Ohio has a rich Appalachian culture, offering fine artisan products such as quilts and wood projects which will be featured at this event.”
The Ohio Business Development Trip to Canada follows other successful international business trips and is Taft’s second visit to Canada. The Governor’s previous missions – to Mexico, Europe, South America, Canada and Japan (twice) – have resulted in more than $ 834 million in projected new business and investment and 2,400 new jobs.
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For media inquiries, contact: Holly Pendell, ODOD, at 614.644.1931 or Mark Rickel, Governor’s Office, at 614.644.0957.
Ohio Division of Travel and Tourism
Appalachia Travel Reception Participants
NAME TRADE CITY
Lydieann Miller Quilting Berlin
Rosie Miller Quilting Berlin
Toni Sager Dulcimer Player Waverly
Gary Sager Dulcimer Player Waverly
Mike Gatherwright Wood Carver Manchester
Beulah Gatherwright Basket Weaver Manchester
Linda Regula Painter Zanesville
Sandy Russell Tile Maker Athens
Peggy Sibila Flower and Clay Dover
John Sibila Frame Maker Dover
Brian Bolinger Patterned Wood Mansfield
Lori Bolinger Patterned Wood Mansfield