Home Trade and Investment State Trade Fact Sheets 2004 Wyoming 2004

Wyoming 2004

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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 $442 billion in 2003, 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. According to a 2003 study commissioned by the Canadian Embassy, based on 2001 data, Canada-U.S. trade supported 5.2 million U.S. jobs, 9,227 in Wyoming alone.

Canada is Wyoming's most vital trading partner. In 2003, The Cowboy State sent 24% of its foreignbound merchandise to Canada, more than it exported to Mexico, Japan and Chile combined. State exports to Canada totaled $169 million, an increase of 15% from the previous year, while imports amounted to $1.7 billion worth. The profitable partnership resulted in an average of $5.2 million crossing the border each day.

Energy is key... The state supplied its northern neighbor with $68 million in energy products - a 17% increase from 2002-the vast majority of which was coal. Wyoming purchased almost $1.6 billion worth of energy from Canada, mainly $1.5 billion in crude petroleum.

A chemical relationship... Wyoming's shipments amounted to almost one-quarter of its total exports to Canada. The state delivered $31 million in inorganic chemicals and $2 million in fertilizers. Canada reciprocated with $38 million in chemical shipments, led by $27 million in fertilizers.

Hi-tech connections... The Cowboy State exported $18 million in telecommunications goods, six times the amount sold in 2002. Sales included $6 million in computers, a 200% increase from the previous year.

Machinery, metals and the auto industry... Wyoming imported $45 million in machinery, $11 million in engines and turbines and $6 million in mining machinery. The state supported Canadian industries with $6 million in basic metal products and $4 million in railway track material. It also supported the automotive industry by purchasing $5 million in motor vehicle parts, excluding engines.

Old Faithful's eternal draw... Nearly 106,000 Canadians made the trip to see the attractions of Wyoming, supporting the state economy by spending $10 million. Almost 23,000 residents of the Cowboy State visited Canada, spending $15 million while there.

August 2004

Security Trade & Our Shared Border

In 1996, Canada and the United States implemented a comprehensive Shared Border Accord to deepen cooperation on border management issues. However, the tragic events of September 11th greatly accelerated those effort, and on December 12, 2001, Secretary Ridge and (former) Deputy Prime Minister John Manley launched the Smart Border Declaration. The declaration outlined a 30-Point Action Plan based on our shared objective in identifying and addressing security risks while efficiently expediting the legitimate flow of people and goods across our border. The 30-point Smart Border Action Plan takes aggressive steps toward building a smart border for the 21st century -- a border open for business but closed to terrorists.

The Smart Border Declaration also addresses border delays that followed the 9/11 attacks and commits both countries to relieving congestion at key ports of entry by investing reciprocally in border infrastructure and technological solutions to speed movement across the border. The Declaration states both governments intent to identify and minimize threats to critical infrastructure such as airports, ports, bridges and tunnels.

Both governments also recognize that public security and economic security are mutually reinforcing. We have agreed to work together to identify security threats before they arrive in North America through collaborative approaches such as reviewing crew and passenger manifests, managing refugees and visa policy coordination. We also have established a secure system to allow low risk frequent travelers between our two countries to move efficiently across the border.

One truck crosses our shared border every 2.5 seconds -- representing 45,000 trucks per day, each and every day. The Smart Border Plan establishes compatible cargo entry processes at the border and secure procedures to clear goods away from the border, including at rail yards and marine ports. For instance, Canadian and US Customs inspectors work side by side at seven of our largest seaports -- jointly targeting marine in-transit containers.

Through coordinated efforts, Canada and the United States are addressing issues such as terrorism and cross-border crime. The Smart Border Declaration makes two commitments specific to fostering information sharing: we will put the necessary tools and legislative framework in place to ensure that information and intelligence is shared in a timely and coherent way and we will strengthen coordination between our enforcement agencies for addressing common threats. Integrated Border and Marine Enforcement Teams (IBET/IMET) at points between ports of entry enhance such communication flow and allows us to target priority areas.

Read more about the Smart Border Action Plan at www.canadianembassy.org/border/

For more information on Canada's trade with Wyoming, please contact:
Consulate General of Canada
1400 16th Street, Suite 400
Denver, CO 80202
Tel: (720) 932-8320
Fax: (720) 932-8271
www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/can-am/denver

All figures are in US dollars. Merchandise trade and tourism figures are from Statistics Canada, converted at the rate of US$1.00=C$1.4015. 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 2003 state trade figures
• Read the 2002 state trade figures