Home Trade and Investment State Trade Fact Sheets 2005 Vermont

Vermont

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• 12,000 Vermont 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
• Clothing comprised 6% of Vermont’s total imports from Canada last year
• Vermont ranked among the top five U.S. states for the largest percentage of exports sent to Canada in 2004

Next-door neighbors...
Vermont and Canada enjoyed a close trading relationship, with cross-border exchanges reaching $3.9 billion in 2004. The state relied heavily on Canada as a market for its foreign-bound goods, sending 46% of all its exports north of the border. $1.3 billion of the state’s goods were Canada-bound in 2004, an increase of $451 million, or 56%, from the previous year. Canadian imports to the state also enjoyed growth of 16% from 2003, reaching a total of $2.6 billion.

The information age...
The telecommunications sector anchored the Canada-Vermont exchange in 2004, representing 46% of the overall trade volume. Vermont sent $840 million in telecommunications goods to Canada, notably selling $824 million in electronic tubes and semi-conductors. In return, the Green Mountain State imported $950 million in telecommunications products from its northern ally last year. The telecommunications sector grew by 38% last year, reflecting an increase of nearly half a billion dollars from 2003.

Powering up...
Vermont relied upon its partner to the north as a secure source of energy importing $442 million worth. Canadian energy supplies included $188 million in petroleum and coal products, and $127 million in natural gas in 2004. Overall, $32 million more in energy goods was traded last year than in 2003.

Flourishing timber trade...
Forest products totaling $70 million represented the Green Mountain State’s second largest export sector. The sale of crude wood materials worth $25 million and lumber worth $18 million topped the charts as the state’s largest forest product exports north of the border. Canadian softwood lumber was in highest demand, with state purchases of $129 million in 2004. Overall, Canada-Vermont trade in the sector grew 31% from 2003, reaching $264 million last year.

Harvesting the bounty...
Bilateral trade in agricultural products amounted to $296 million last year. Sugars led the exchange with sales worth $43 million—the state exporting $6 million worth to Canada, and purchasing $37 million in return.

Ski haven...
Canadians made 597,400 visits to the Green Mountain State in 2004, generating $79 million in tourism revenue. This was reciprocated by 164,800 visits from Vermont residents, who contributed a total of $45 million to the Canadian economy.

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

• Electronic tubes & semi-conductors ($824)
• Plastics & chemical industry machinery ($39)
• Motor vehicle parts, not including engines ($37)
• Switchgear & protective equipment ($25)
• Crude wood materials ($25)
• Lumber ($18)
• Paper & paperboard ($17)
• Aircraft engines & parts ($17)
• Valves ($14)
• Scrap iron & steel ($9)

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

• Petroleum & coal products ($188)
• Clothing ($169)
• Aircraft ($139)
• Softwood lumber ($129)
• Natural gas ($127)
• Electricity ($126)
• Aircraft engines & parts ($101)
• Basic metal products ($39)
• Sugars ($37)
• Toys, games, sporting & recreational equipment ($32)

Canada-Vermont Success Stories

Peerless Clothing Inc., a Canadian-owned company founded in 1919, is the leading manufacturer of men’s suits in North America. Its distribution center is in St. Alban’s, VT and employs 300 workers. Equipped with leading edge technology, the distribution center is able to service all of its U.S. customers within a 24 to 48 hour period.

Canadian company Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. designs and manufactures injection molding equipment and is one of the world’s major suppliers of hot runners. Husky operates a hot runner manufacturing plant in Milton, VT which currently employs 350 workers. The hot runner—a plastic distribution system and a key component of a mold—is distributed to the U.S., the Asia Pacific and South America.

Founded in 1992, Triosyn Corp. is dedicated to the fight against microbial threats. Triosyn has 50 employs who develop new technology used to combat chemical and biological warfare. Triosyn has been awarded two major contracts with the U.S. for shelters from bio/chemical warfare and air filtration systems for sterilizing the airflow. In October 2004, the USAF’s Air Force Research Laboratory awarded a $35 million contract to Triosyn for research and development.

Vermont-Canada Facts at a Glance:

• State jobs supported by Canada–U.S. trade: 12,000

June 2005

For more information on Canada's trade with Vermont, please contact:
Consulate General of Canada
3 Copley Place, Suite 400
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 262-3760   •   Fax: (617) 262-3415
www.boston.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