June 6, 2019 - Toronto, Ontario
The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is boosting Canada's trade with the world's second-largest market and helping to create jobs here in Canada. Signed in October 2016, CETA entered into force in September 2017.
Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, joined Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises, to witness the signing of an administrative arrangement between Canada and the EU to facilitate trans-Atlantic cluster collaboration. Under the arrangement, Canada's five innovation superclusters will have more opportunities to form strategic business partnerships and linkages with cluster organizations and firms in the European Union.
The signing ceremony at Humber College in Toronto was held on the sidelines of an EU-Canada cluster matchmaking event. Representatives from all five of Canada's superclusters-Protein Industries, Ocean, Digital Technology, Advanced Manufacturing and SCALE.AI-are participating in the June 5 to 7 matchmaking event, designed to strengthen collaboration with European clusters.
"Canada's five superclusters are set to become major engines of growth, building on Canada's image as a global innovation centre and world leader in research and development. Today's arrangement will better enable cooperation between our superclusters and their European counterparts. It is because of CETA that we are able to pursue these great opportunities in the European market. This is a tremendous advantage that will help drive innovation and growth both here in Canada and across Europe."
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
"The EU and Canada are natural partners for clusters. Companies from both sides of the Atlantic can pool their knowledge and innovation potential to build a strong industrial foundation. We have an interest to intensify our cooperation in a more strategic and sustainable manner-not the least to fully use the opportunities offered by CETA."
- Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner responsible for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
