The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service

How the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Can Help

Helping with Trade and Investment Missions Abroad

The Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) can provide extensive help in ensuring the success of trade and investment missions to foreign markets. Our posts abroad have a comprehensive network of contacts in the local business community and government. They can provide valuable advice when the mission is still in the planning stages. For instance, they can help to confirm your research about targeting markets and specific sectors. They can comment on the extent to which individual firms will benefit from participation on a trade mission.

In addition to identifying appropriate contacts, the Trade Commissioner will be pleased to provide a detailed briefing to mission members on market prospects at the start of a mission and to debrief them on next steps at the conclusion. The Trade Commissioner will also assume overall responsibility, on your behalf, for logistics associated with the mission, although, in most cases, the actual work will be assigned to an experienced and qualified third party. This can include arranging local transportation, booking meetings and arranging translation and hospitality events. The Trade Commissioner will personally intervene when appropriate and as needed to facilitate high-level meetings. He/she will, of course, also provide ongoing support to participating companies by delivering the full range of TCS services, including follow-up assistance.

Other Services in Canada

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, both at headquarters in Ottawa and through experienced staff located in major cities across Canada, can provide the following assistance in support of trade missions:

ADVICE ON MARKET PROSPECTS-Both the geographic bureaux and the Market Research Centre at DFAIT can provide information on prospects for exports of Canadian goods and services in a wide array of markets. The Market Research Centre produces nearly 300 market studies annually. Further information on these and other services provided by TCS is available on the internet at www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca.

ADVICE ON PLANNING VISITS AND MISSIONS-The relevant geographic bureau can quickly provide guidance on the best time to plan a mission as well as some of the dates to avoid (including possible conflicts) in addition to advice on broader political, economic or security concerns. Experienced Trade Commissioners at International Trade Centres across Canada can also provide additional advice to businesses participating on missions and to Mission Organizers about businesses within their region which might be effective participants.