Home Trade and Investment State Trade Fact Sheets 2003 Louisiana 2003

Louisiana 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-Louisiana partnership for economic growth. In 2002, Canada and the Pelican State traded a total of $1.7 billion. Canada was a vital market for Louisiana as the state enjoyed a $200 million trade surplus. This partnership spurred economic growth on both sides of the border.

Chemically speaking... Louisiana's export of $335 million in chemicals amounted to nearly 36% of its total exports to Canada. The state sold $139 million in unshaped plastics (a 4% increase) and $63 million in organic chemicals, a 21% increase from last year. Louisiana industries, in turn, bought $116 million worth of chemicals from Canada, representing a 30% increase from 2001.

Driving up the profits... Louisiana's transportation exports to Canada, totaling $130 million (a 19% increase), were dominated by $119 milllion in trucks. Assisting the state's automotive industry, Canada provided Louisiana with $57 million worth of motor vehicle parts, excluding engines.

Machinery powered the trade. Louisiana exported $72 million in machinery to its northern neighbor - a 20% increase from 2001. This included $14 million in drilling machinery and drill bits and $10 million in seeding and fertilizing machinery. Canada met Louisiana's industrial needs with sales of $67 million in machinery that included $10 million in mining machinery.

Keeping it fresh... Agricultural products, Louisiana's fifth largest export sector, accounted for $70 million (an 8% increase from 2001). Louisiana's markets provided $13 million worth of fish and seafood and $4 million worth of sugar, molasses and syrups for Canadian kitchens. Completing the exchange, Canada supplied the state with $72 million worth of agricultural products, including $25 million in wheat and $9 million in whiskey.

Energy... Louisiana purchased $130 million worth of Canadian energy, the state's largest import sector. Leading sales included $119 million in crude petroleum and $11 million in petroleum and coal products.

Visiting the wildlife on Louisiana's swamp tours... Canadian tourists made 115,000 trips to Louisiana - spending over $65 million in the Pelican State. Louisiana residents made over 51,000 visits to Canada and spent $30 million.

July 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 Louisiana, please contact:
Consulate General of Canada
St. Paul Place
750 North St. Paul Street, Suite 1700
Dallas, TX 75201
Tel: (214) 922-9806
Fax: (214) 922-9815
www.dallas.gc.caAll 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