Today’s Foreign Trade Zone Point Win is Good News for our Sustainable Island Economy

Nanaimo, BC

Statement by Sheila Malcolmson, Nanaimo —Ladysmith’s Member of Parliament:

“The Foreign Trade Zone Point, announced today to help Vancouver Island businesses export goods, will provide streamlined access to government programs to improve trade. The Foreign Trade Zone Point should ‘provide one-window access to government programs and services that can help local firms boost their exports to create more jobs’, I said to federal Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains in a support letter a year ago.

Vancouver Island is strategically positioned to export local goods using our diversity of transportation infrastructure. Connections to global supply chains in Nanaimo —Ladysmith, the riding I serve, include a regional airport, a rail freight line, a federal port, and a university. With better promotion and coordination that VIEA’s Foreign Trade Zone Point offers, Vancouver Island can increase export volumes and attract investment.

Vancouver Island is fortunate to have the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance, our sustainable economic development champion, working for and with island businesses. Huge thanks to all the VIEA partners that worked for years to make this happen! I’m excited and grateful to work with our Vancouver Island economic development partners to increase jobs, investment and new innovation opportunities to turn this great idea into tangible results for our region.”

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Minister News Release, September 2018