2005-2006 Annual Report: Program for Export Market Development (PEMD)

Success Stories 2005-2006

Peter Barnes, President and CEO
Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association

"PEMD has been invaluable in assisting Canada's wireless industry in bringing our story of success and innovation to the international marketplace. The PEMD program has also greatly supported Canadian wireless industry SMEs with access to new markets and opportunities - opportunities that these small firms would not have been able to achieve on their own. The assistance of the PEMD program has allowed CWTA members to grow their business in key markets, sign new contracts and make lucrative business connections. At our largest PEMD-assisted event, the CTIA Wireless 2006 trade show, participating members experienced between 10 and 20 qualified leads, which have since resulted in between one to 10 contracts for each member. In fact, at least one CWTA member reported they were able to sign a contract right at the show itself!"

Lynn Johnston, President / CSTD
Canadian Society for Training and Development

"The commercial education industry in Canada is made up of a number of small businesses, making international marketing virtually impossible. Through PEMD support, many of these firms have become export-ready and have been able to exhibit their products and services in the US and abroad. The model of showcasing expertise from Canada, in a group pavilion or through group marketing print pieces, has worked very well."

Nicole Bureau-Tobin, Strategy Advisor
Association of Health Technologies Industry (AITS)

"Demand for maintaining or developing health services is experiencing near-exponential growth everywhere. Emerging and industrialized countries alike are looking for medical technologies, equipment and supplies. This industry sector is fairly young in Canada and is in large part made up of SMEs. In order to grow, these innovative companies must be able to export. That is where the PEMD program comes in. Provincial and national health technology associations work together to organize participation in trade fairs, conferences and missions, thanks to financial support from the PEMD. This absolutely vital support, combined with the work done by the trade officers in our embassies, not only fosters companies' sales and growth, but establishes the reputation of this Canadian industrial sector."

Robert Corriveau, President of CIPI and member of the Board
Canadian Photonic Consortium

"The Canadian Photonics Consortium (CPC) is a cluster of clusters whose mandate is to promote and support the Canadian industries. Since the market of high-tech companies is international, the PEMD grant is key to enable CPC to provide suitable support to the industry. With the help of PEMD, CPC has organized the gathering of many SMEs in a Canadian booth at international trade shows such as Photonics North, Laser 2005, ECOC, Photonic West and Defence Security Symposium. As example of impact, CPC led a very successful Canadian delegation to Photonics West securing a 40x10ft exhibition area under the banner "Canadian Photonics Showcase." The Canadian delegation included 3 regional clusters (Ottawa Photonics Cluster, Quebec Photonic Network and Optic Photonic Toronto Industry Cluster), the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Facility (CPFC) and 6 SME photonic companies from Ontario and Quebec. This was the first time the Canadian clusters have collaborated in a booth for such an event and all participants indicated it should be repeated in 2007. It was an excellent opportunity for the industry and clusters to get strong exposure at the show. For this event, CPC has also generated an eight-page pamphlet entitled "Northern Lights at your Service" which presented the Canadian Photonic expertise and this pamphlet was very well received by the visitors."