Canada-New England Trade Should Improve, Lefebvre

CONCORD — Business leaders and politicians from Canada and New Hampshire got together yesterday to discuss how trade volume and speed can be increased between New Hampshire and Eastern Canada, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.

At the meeting it was said that the main issues impending trade are the need for better rail connections and speedier crossings. Some leaders said online communication needs to improve because they did not know what they could buy from Canada other than power and wood. It’s yet unclear how this is going to affect the trucking industry. 

Michel Lefebvre, director of the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce said he would like to see a 10 percent increase in trade over the next three years. The federation represents 60,000 businesses from banks to fishermen. 

Lefebre said exports from Quebec to New England are about $ 8 billion, but that imports are only about $4 billion.

“We can do better,” Lefebvre said.

Four years ago, New Hampshire signed a trade agreement with Eastern Canada to accelerate commerce and maintain a dialogue, but the agreement was affected by economic conditions. Now, it’s time to recommit, said George Bald, commissioner of the state Department of Resources and Economic Development.

“It is really important to think of renewing this relationship and putting a strong effort on it. We both need to understand what we need, and it will take some time,” he said.

In order to increase trade between the two regions, improvements may need to be made to infrastructure.

The adequacy of infrastructure along New Hamphire’s 58-mile border came into question at the meeting. State Rep. Peter Schmidt, questioned if the infrastructure currently in place can handle the truck and rail traffic.

Marie-Claude Francoer, a Quebec delegate responded that Quebec’s department of transportation is beginning to study that.

Read the full Union Leader story here.