The recently approved twelfth five year plan for China sets aggressive goals for the increase of inbound trade and outbound investment. Invest Ottawa is committed to help Ottawa companies take advantage of this positive environment. Huawei, China’s largest telecommunications company, will double the size of its Ottawa R&D facility in 2012. QNX, Plasco, Clearford, C-Com and Thermal Engineering are examples of Ottawa companies seeing increased success in China. Increasingly, the delegations coming from China are invited, such as the 10 company delegation from the China Association of Environmental Industries that visited last Fall.

January saw the official opening of the Confucius Centre at Carleton University. Invest Ottawa is working with the Canadian office of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade to increase the Ottawa participation in their events in China and attract SME investor’s to Ottawa through their “Golden Bridge” program. Cooperative investment programs are planned with DFAIT and the grouping of Canada’s eleven largest cities. Initiatives are underway with Carleton University to develop programs to attract Chinese companies considering investing in Canada. Follow up is being done to attract Chinese State Owned Businesses, extending the work begun in 2011.

Invest Ottawa encourages companies interested in the opportunities in China to contact us. Companies in the Clean Technologies and ICT sectors should ensure that you make your capabilities known to us to ensure that we keep you informed of both incoming and outgoing opportunities. Invest Ottawa is now compiling investment opportunities in the Ottawa region to support upcoming activity in China. Your input is encouraged.