International Representative Spotlight: Canada

Interviewee Name and Title:

Ludovic Ortuno, Managing Director

Georgia has had representation in Canada since 1981. Exports from Georgia to Canada have grown 37% in the last 20 years, and Canada remains Georgia's leading export market.

Where is the office based: The main office is located in Montréal, Québec with a satellite office in Toronto, Ontario.

Who are the team members: Amanda Anderson works with me in trade. Julien Ouellet works on foreign direct investment (FDI).

How did you enter the world of exporting/trade and how long have you been working in this field?

Ludovic: I just celebrated my 15th year working in economic development, FDI, attraction services, territorial marketing assistance, and export assistance. I came into the world of economic development somewhat by accident, working mostly with French exporters in Canada and started working with U.S. states around that time as well, helping U.S. exporters in Canada. Right now, we help around 100 small businesses a year.

What typical services do you provide for Georgia exporters interested in your market?

L: We provide the staple services that exporters require: market reports, to get a picture of the market and target opportunities in Canada; identifying good opportunities in the form of potential partners or end users; and connecting them with business prospects interested in Georgia products and services.

What do you consider the biggest challenge(s) to exporters interested in your market? What about the greatest opportunity?

L: I think the biggest challenge is that because so many U.S. companies have their first export experience in Canada due to proximity and ease of market entry, they’ve already had some experience working with Canadian clients. They may think they have it all figured out and don’t necessarily dedicate all of their resources to the market. Our goal is to get them interested in Canada and show them that there are more opportunities to be seized. We see a lot of U.S. companies looking at markets half way around the world with high barriers to entry before fully taking advantage of the opportunities that lie just over their northern border.

On the flip side, because Georgia companies have great connections in Canada, they know that Canadians have a similar type of business culture, so it’s easy and transparent, and there’s loyalty in the relationship you can establish.

The bilateral trade between Canada and Georgia is enormous. Canada is Georgia’s number one customer. So, that’s really an advantage.

What is the trade relationship between the U.S. and your market like?

L: The U.S. and Canada share the biggest trade relationship in the world. Canada is Georgia’s number export market, and there are about 274 Canadian owned businesses installed in Georgia, employing roughly 35,000 employees. Over 76% of U.S. imports from Canada are goods used in the production of other goods, and Canada sells more to Georgia than it does to Mexico, which is a big deal, considering Mexico is also a trade partner in the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA). Georgia exports around $5 billion of goods to Canada annually, and around $2 billion in services, so the overall unilateral trade is roughly $7 billion for Georgia and Canada. It’s one of the biggest state-to-country trade relationships among all U.S. states.

Are there any trends, be it in policy, culture, or consumption habits that exporters should be aware of when considering the market?

L: In the more traditional industries, like food and beverage, there’s a lot for Georgia companies to explore, especially with organic and unique specialty food. This, as well as produce, is a trend in Canada.

There are also many similarities in the supply chains of the automotive and aerospace industries, so there are many companies in parts manufacturing that are finding good opportunities in Canada, specifically in Montréal and Toronto. Those supply chains are all well aligned. When it comes to services, given that manufacturing suppliers in Georgia are a bit more advanced than what we have in Canada, there are a lot of opportunities on the productivity and software side, improving manufacturing lines, engineering services, AI powered automation, and software services. Those are currently big trends for Georgia exporters in Canada.

What advice do you have for companies looking to start exporting to your market?

L: It’s a great market to test out a new proposition. The Canadian market is dedicated, mature, and selective, and provides a good place for Georgia companies to evaluate a new product or service. However, it’s not necessarily an easy market, and always keep in mind that it is a different country with its own regulations, both provincial and federal, and two official languages.

Tell us about a memorable time where you were able to help a Georgia company avoid or overcome a major pitfall in your market. What was the situation and what do you want other companies to learn from this?

L: There are some challenges, such as regulations faced by a few Georgia medical device companies we’ve worked with. Life sciences is a very difficult market, and we’ve been advising one company in particular in understanding the regulations. Sometimes companies don’t always know how these regulations work or that certifications and licenses are different from the U.S., so we sit down with them and help them understand what they need to do to be market ready. These are critical moments where we try to look at the situation and counsel the company.

What has been your biggest export achievement?

L: Our biggest achievement has been connecting Georgia exporters with great partners. It’s not a business of volume, but a business of quality. It always boils down to finding that great partner who will make a difference for you. We’ve been able to do that for a few companies, like Crafted Brands, and La Bastille.

Our work with Georgia exports is still quite new, but there are a few projects that we are proud of. We’ve been successful connecting Canadian wine distributors with wine exporters from Georgia. We started a great relationship just a year ago, and right now, we’re expecting to have Georgia companies on the ground building that relationship we initiated.

What made the biggest impression on you when you visited Georgia?

L: I’ve been able to visit Georgia in the past, but not as Managing Director of the Canada office. What stood out to me is that the people are so welcoming. The quality of the interactions we’ve had with the team in Atlanta has been great, and that means a lot to us. We are very eager to come down and explore Georgia more. Also, I love the Georgia peanuts!

What do you enjoy most about representing Georgia in Canada?

L: Working with GDEcD is great. Not only is it a great team and great individuals, but they have vision for what needs to be done to support exporters, and they understand why we’re here. Another good thing about representing Georgia in Canada is that the state already has a great image here. There’s a lot of appetite for Georgia in terms of FDI, developing, and finding partners. We had a campaign, where we contacted Canadian businesses with offices in Georgia, and every single one of them had something great to say about locating there. The majority think they will be growing their business in Georgia in terms of job creation and investment in the next 12 months. This is why I enjoy representing Georgia: it has great products to sell to Canadian companies and exporters who understand the value of working with the state’s international trade offices.

What do you think would most surprise Georgians to learn of the Canadian market?

L: That it’s not cold all the time! To be a bit more serious, they would be surprised at how advanced the market is in Canada in terms of trade shows, progress made in AI as a transversal skill for all our industries, and the willingness of Canadian businesses in moving toward net zero initiatives, in terms of electric vehicles and the electrification of transport and lowering emissions. Those are things that aren’t broadcasted as much to Georgia companies, and they might be surprised how ambitious these plans can be.

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Are you a Georgia business looking for help growing your international sales? Find out how Georgia’s International Trade Team can help at www.Georgia.org/Trade.