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Delaware_2003

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In 1989, the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement went into effect, phasing out all tariffs and many non-tariff barriers to trade. Evidence of the benefits of free trade are clear as two-way trade in goods and services between Canada and the United States totaled $440 billion in 2002, the largest bilateral exchange in the world. Furthering the benefits of free trade, the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) opened the Mexican market to Canada and the United States.

Canada is Delaware's leading export market. Exceeding a billion dollars in 2002, trade between Delaware and Canada provided vital products and supported thousands of jobs on both sides of the border. This included Delaware sending nearly one-third of its exports to its northern neighbor.

Canada and Delaware have chemistry... Chemicals were one of Delaware's leading exports to Canada. In 2002, the state sold $185 million worth, led by $62 million in unshaped plastics, followed by $36 million in organic chemicals, $19 million in synthetic and reclaimed rubber and $19 million worth of plastic film and sheet.

Trains, planes, and automobiles... The First State exported over $185 million worth of transportation goods. Sharing top billing with chemicals as the State's largest export, transportaton accounted for 37% of the total exports. This included $162 million worth of automobiles, the state's number-one single export, and $20 million worth of trucks.

Delaware supplied Canadian households... Household goods accounted for $17 million of the state's exports. This included $5 million worth of furniture and fixtures and $3 million worth of photographic film.

Helping to keep Canada healthy... Pharmaceutical sales to Canada, worth $31 million, was one Delaware's major exports. This included $20 million worth of medicine in dosage and $11 million in medical, ophthalmic and orthopedic supplies.

Canada supplies the First State with transportation equipment. Close to 50% of Canada's sales to Delaware consisted of transportation equipment. Trade in the leading product, motor vehicle parts (excluding engines), was worth over $200 million.

Chemicals are the catalysts for trade... Delaware's second largest export, chemicals, were worth $79 million. Home to major chemical producers such as Dupont, sales included $35 million worth of organic chemicals and $21 million in basic plastic shapes and forms.

Canada's forests supply Delaware... The First State purchased $39 million worth of forest products, including $15 million worth of softwood lumber and $6 million worth of wood pulp. These essential imports helped keep costs low in other sectors of Delaware's economy.

Tourism brings millions to both economies. In 2002, Canadians made over 16,000 visits to Delaware and spent over $3 million. Residents of Delaware traveled to Canada over 65,000 times and spent just over $31 million.

June 2003

Trade, Security & the Border

In 1996, Canada and the United States implemented a comprehensive Shared Border Accord to deepen cooperation on border management issues. Since the September 11th attacks on the United States, Canada and the United States have accelerated those efforts to protect the security and enhance the prosperity of their citizens. The two governments continue to expand threat information sharing, upgrade their crisis response abilities and ensure that the Canada-U.S. border remains secure with an efficient flow of trade. The 30-point Smart Border Action Plan, enacted in December 2001, takes aggressive steps toward building a smart border for the 21st century - a border open for business but closed to terrorists.

For more information on Canada's trade with Delaware, please contact:
Canadian Embassy
501 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel: (202) 682-1740
Fax: (202) 682-7726
www.canadianembassy.org

All figures are for 2002 and are in US dollars. Merchandise trade and tourism figures are from Statistics Canada, converted at the rate of US$1.00=C$1.5704. Canada's export ranking is from the Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic Research (MISER). Figures may not add up due to rounding.

• Read the 2002 state trade figures