2014-15 Canada-China Business Forum Magazine | Page 18
CATEGORY TITLE
TRADE
“Smaller Canadian exporters should seriously
consider China as part of their growth strategy,”
says Hall. “Particularly given China’s influence
on emerging markets, new consumers and
supply chains in the region.” L’Heureux agrees.
“Right now we see a lot of opportunities to get
more SMEs into these emerging global supply
chains. Either directly, or indirectly,” he adds.
Certainly, China can be an intimidating
market for SMEs, acknowledges L’Heureux.
“But more often than not, what these smaller
Canadian companies need is just for someone
to help make that first connection.”
“In the next five years, China is expected
to overtake the U.S. to become the
world’s largest consumer market.”
- Denis L’Heureux
“The opportunities in China play to Canada’s
strengths,” adds L’Heureux. “And in the next
five years, China is expected to overtake the
U.S. to become the world’s largest consumer
market. Canada needs to grow its presence now.”
GROWING THE CANADIAN SME
PRESENCE IN CHINA
The Government of Canada’s GMAP strategy
also places a specific priority on helping
Canada’s small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) access markets like China. It has a
target to increase the presence of Canadian
SMEs in emerging markets from 29 per cent
to 50 per cent by 2018. Ambitious for sure,
but SMEs are the rea