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SME Times News Bureau | 11 Mar, 2020
India and Canadian province Calgary in Alberta, Canada, have just begun to scratch the surface of their significant promising economic potential, said Mayor Naheed Nenshi, the third term Mayor of ‘Indian ethnicity’ at an industry roundtable in New Delhi.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi was speaking at the roundtable hosted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to kick-off a weeklong ‘exploration mission’ that will take him and a nine-member delegation to three cities – Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai – between March 1st to 7th 2020.

Mayor Nenshi is accompanied by the University of Calgary President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ed McCauley and Mount Royal University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Tim Rahilly, along with senior officials from Calgary Economic Development.

“India has grown in recent years as a destination and trade partner for Calgary’s goods and services, and we’ve only just begun to scratch the surface of our economic potential in this market,” said Mayor NaheedNenshi.

“This mission is part of our strategy to develop a partnership that will advance investment interest, attract key tech talent, grow the roster of filmmakers and studios coming to Calgary to take advantage of our landscapes and film center, and cultivate links between our respective educational institutions.”

In addition to Nenshi, McCauley, and Rahilly, the delegation includes City Councillor George Chahal, IshaSehgal from Bow Valley College, Calgary Economic Development represented by Luke Azevedo, Commissioner of Film, Television & Creative Industries; Patrick Mattern, Vice-President Business Development; and Nancy Knowlton, Chief of Staff.

Trade between India and Canada has steadily increased for the last two decades, and in 2018, imports from India were the Canadian market’s fastest-growing (non-US) source at a 30% increase from the previous year.

Bilateral trade between India and Canada was worth US$7.23 billion in 2017-18. India’s exports to Canada during this period were US$ 2.51 billion and imports from Canada were US$ 4.72 billion.
Post-Secondary Institutions (PSIs), are a prominent part of the delegation which is explained by the fact that in 2018 alone India was the largest source of international students for Canada’s universities, colleges, and schools.

“The University of Calgary has identified India as a high priority country with compelling opportunities to benefit both of our communities through international partnerships and collaboration,” said Dr. McCauley.” I look forward to meeting with business, government and educational leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the areas of mutual interest, and to strengthen existing ties with our research and academic collaborators in the region.”

"This is an excellent opportunity for a team of local leaders to tell the Calgary story — a vibrant place to learn, work and live," said Dr. Rahilly. "We are proud of the learning environment MRU offers future international students and the support we can provide to potential investors in our local economy."

The mission has been built through a partnership between Calgary Economic Development (CED) with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The two organizations will continue partnering to connect stakeholders in both markets to pursue the common agenda of growth.

In Delhi, Mayor will be meeting Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Shri Manish Sisodia to seek partnership around the agenda of global skill development. He will also be interacting with Invest India, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Industry and Commerce among others.