Home Trade and Investment State Trade Fact Sheets 2005 Minnesota

Minnesota

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• 103,000 Minnesota jobs are supported by Canada-U.S. trade
• Total Canada–U.S. merchandise trade: $411 billion
• Canada–U.S. trade supported 5.2 million U.S. jobs
• One-quarter of all Minnesotan exports went to Canada in 2004
• Minnesota purchased $4.9 billion worth of energy from Canada

Proximity and profit...
The shared border between Canada and Minnesota helped to establish an essential trading partnership in 2004. Over one-quarter of all Minnesotan exports were sold to Canada, making it the state’s top export destination. In fact, Minnesota exported more goods to Canada than to its next three export markets (Ireland, Japan, and the Netherlands) combined.

The power to get there...
Transportation goods dominated bilateral trade, representing Minnesota’s largest export sector to Canada and its second largest import sector from Canada. Minnesotans provided their northern partner with motor vehicles and trucks, while Canadians mostly sold aircraft and motor vehicle parts back to their southern neighbor. The state imported $1.1 billion worth of transportation goods in 2004, pumping 41% more money into the Canadian economy than it did in 2003.

Fueling a strong economy...
While Minnesotan manufacturers supplied Canadian buyers with a variety of products, the state focused its purchases on Canadian energy. With $3.2 billion sold, Canadian crude petroleum was by far the largest import to the North Star State in 2004, accounting for 65% of all the state’s energy imports. The second largest import was natural gas, at $1.2 billion.

Other energy imports from Canada included electricity and coal. Overall, Minnesotans spent nearly $4.9 billion purchasing energy from their northern neighbors, an increase of more than $1 billion over 2003.

Cash crops...
Agriculture was Minnesota’s second largest export sector in 2004. Oil seed cake and meal, cereals, shelled corn, and dairy products were in high demand by Canadians, who bought $545 million worth of these agricultural goods from the state.

The north star of industry...
Revenue generated from the sale of machinery and metals to Canada last year increased by 14% and 45%, respectively. Exports of construction and maintenance machinery contributed $59 million to the state in 2004. Canadians were even more interested in Minnesota’s iron ores, purchasing $178 million worth and making iron ores the state’s leading export to its northern neighbor.

Hail! Minnesota...
The Land of 10,000 Lakes attracted many northern guests in 2004: Canadians visited Minnesota over 600,000 times, spending an average of 17% more than they did in 2003. Similarly, Canada lured 530,000 Minnesotan visitors who spent $218 million on tourism in 2004.

Minnesota's Leading Exports to Canada
2004, in millions of U.S. dollars

• Iron ores ($178)
• Computers ($136)
• Trucks ($116)
• Automobiles ($101)
• Oil seed cake & meal ($99)
• Motor vehicle parts, not including engines ($80)
• Paper & paperboard ($76)
• Construction & maintenance machinery ($59)
• Shelled corn ($52)
• Air conditioning & refrigeration equipment ($52)

Minnesota's Leading Imports from Canada
2004, in millions of U.S. dollars

• Crude petroleum ($3,187)
• Natural gas ($1,216)
• Aircraft ($713)
• Electricity ($309)
• Motor vehicle parts, not including engines ($265)
• Softwood lumber ($261)
• Wood pulp ($164)
• Petroleum & coal products ($152)
• Fertilizers ($140)
• Newsprint ($136)

Canada-Minnesota Success Stories

In June 2004, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Manitoba Premier Gary Doer signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for biosciences and life sciences collaboration. Acknowledging each other’s expertise in these fields and the state-of-the-art facilities in both the state and the province, the intention of the MOU is that Minnesota and Manitoba will promote and facilitate bilateral exchanges in research, development activities and business relationships; enhance the success of technology commercialization in biosciences and life sciences through shared entrepreneurial activity and incubation of innovative technologies; and promote the general well-being of the ongoing bilateral relationship. This MOU follows others signed by the two jurisdictions in the past which have promoted other trade and technology exchanges, as well as cultural and educational exchanges.

Minnesota-Canada Facts at a Glance:

• State jobs supported by Canada–U.S. trade: 103,000

June 2005

For more information on Canada's trade with Minnesota, please contact:
Consulate General of Canada
701 Fourth Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55415-1899
Phone: (612) 332-7486   •   Fax: (612) 332-4061
www.minneapolis.gc.ca

Sources: Merchandise trade and tourism figures are from Statistics Canada, converted at the rate of US$1.00=C$1.3015. Job numbers are based on 2001 data from a 2003 study by Trade Partnership Worldwide commissioned by the Canadian Embassy. Canada's export ranking is from the World Institute for Strategic Economic Research (WISER). All figures are in U.S. dollars. Figures may not add up due to rounding.

• Read the 2004 state trade figures
• Read the 2003 state trade figures
• Read the 2002 state trade figures