APEC Business Advisory Council Gathers in Toronto, Canada to Discuss Business Innovation and Cooperation in the Asia Pacific

TORONTO, ON – The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is pleased to support the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario in welcoming the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) to Toronto, Ontario, Canada for its five-day meeting on trade and economic co-operation and connectivity in the APEC region.

This is the third ABAC meeting in 2017 (ABAC III 2017), and the last before its members present their annual recommendations to APEC leaders in Vietnam in November. The meeting will be held at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto from July 24-28, the first ABAC meeting in Canada since 2006.

The Council is a private-sector body comprising 21 member economies that advises APEC on business sector priorities and concerns in the Asia Pacific. Members include CEOs, presidents, and senior executives of leading corporations from the Asia Pacific. Canada’s ABAC Member representative is Ms. Suzanne M. Benoît, President of Aéro Montréal.

The work of ABAC in 2017 is focused on four key priorities:

-           Deepening regional economic integration

-           Achieving sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth

-           Enhancing MSMEs’ competitiveness, encouraging innovation in the digital era

-           Ensuring food security and promoting sustainable and climate smart agriculture

In addition to promulgating this work, ABAC III 2017 includes the APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership Symposium (ABACx) on July 25, a one-day parallel program hosted by the ABAC Canada Secretariat, APF Canada. ABACx will provide the opportunity to share Canada’s expertise in supporting innovation, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs with the broader APEC community in order to contribute to poverty reduction and development objectives. The afternoon will bring ABAC members to OneEleven, Toronto's latest innovation hub.

The meeting is hosted and sponsored by the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, and supported by APF Canada with sponsorship from Kensington Capital Partners, Bombardier, Sun Life Financial, OMERS Ventures, EventMobi, Export Development Canada, and The Economist.

Click here for the full ABAC III 2017 Press Kit and accreditation information.

Quotes:

Stewart Beck, President and CEO of APF Canada

“The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is pleased to support ABAC as it sets its sights on developing inclusive trade policies that ensure that members of the APEC region share the benefits of globalization and technological progress. The ABAC meeting in Toronto will also provide Canada with a tremendous opportunity to not only promote Canadian values and business practices in the APEC region, but to showcase Canada as a global centre of innovation and as an attractive destination for international investment.”

François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of International Trade, Government of Canada

“Canada’s progressive approach to international trade aims to make sure that growth and prosperity generated by the global trading system is sustainable, inclusive and widely accessible. Working together through APEC is vital to ensuring that future economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region benefits the citizens of all our nations.”

Michael Chan, Minister of International Trade, Government of Ontario

“Globalization continues to reshape how the world does business, and Asia continues to be an important and high-growth economic region. Our government is proud to work with the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada to actively engage and deepen our business relationship in this key international market, as well as to promote Ontario as a premier trade and investment destination that will create jobs to benefit both jurisdictions economically.”

-30-

Learn More:

ABAC International: ABAConline.org/

Government of Canada: www.international.gc.ca/international

Government of Ontario

English: Ontario.ca/MIT French: Ontario.ca/COMMERCE

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada: www.asiapacific.ca


Media contacts:

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Michael Roberts, Communications Manager | Media Accreditation
michael.roberts@asiapacific.ca
604-630-1527

Government of Canada

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca

Le Service des relations avec les médias
Affaires mondiales Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca

Government of Ontario

Kwok Wong
Ministry of International Trade Communications Branch
647-504-2774
Kwok.Wong@ontario.ca