Home Trade and Investment State Trade Fact Sheets 2006 Colorado

Colorado

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• Canada–U.S. trade supported 5.2 million U.S. jobs
• Total Canada–U.S. merchandise trade: $461 billion
• Canada–Colorado trade supported 93,000 U.S. jobs
• Canadians made more than 119,000 visits to Colorado, spending $71 million
• Colorado residents made 172,600 visits to Canada, spending $98 million

Rocky mountain success
There was nothing rocky about this mountain state's trade relationship with Canada in 2005, with bilateral trade increasing by $1.3 billion over 2004. Colorado's imports from Canada increased substantially, with all 10 of the state's leading imported goods showing growth, led particularly by the agriculture and energy markets. As a result of the remarkably robust trade relationship, Canada remained Colorado's top international market, surpassing the next three countries combined.

Keeping the economy running
Petroleum dominated the exchange in 2005, with triple digit gains in energy imports from Canada. Petroleum increased 765% in 2005 reaching $926 million and making it the state's top imported good. Consisting not just of petroleum, but also coal and electricity, Canadian energy shipments accounted for more than a third of total state imports.

It's the beef
Live animals and meat were significant commodities traded by Colorado and Canada in 2005. The state exported sizeable amounts of agricultural goods, making agriculture its second largest sector. With $120 million in sales to Canada, the agriculture sector increased by 56% over the previous year, led in particular by exports of meat, which grew by 75% to $77 million. Remarkably, just as Colorado was sending livestock up north, it was also importing the same from Canada. Alberta beef, along with other products totaled $41 million, a substantial increase of 78% from the previous year.

Outdoor industry
Colorado's frontier spirit lives on in its contemporary industries. To this day Colorado still has sizeable mining operations, which in turn drive state imports. Colorado purchased $54 million worth of mining machinery from Canada, needed to support the state's gold and silver operations.

Winter wonderland
Canadian visitors flocked to the slopes of Vail and Aspen, making 119,000 visits in 2005 and spending $71 million on slope tickets and ski lodges. Colorado residents stampeded to the similar geographies of Canada, making 172,600 visits and spending $98 million throughout the country.

Colorado's Leading Exports to Canada
2005, in millions of U.S. dollars

• Meat ($77)
• Computers ($53)
• Organic chemicals ($38)
• Fuel oil ($31)
• Medical, ophthalmic & orthopaedic supplies ($24)
• Aluminum, including alloys ($20)
• Inorganic chemicals ($19)
• Crude petroleum ($18)
• Medical & related equipment ($18)
• Photographic film ($18)

Colorado's Leading Imports from Canada
2005, in millions of U.S. dollars

• Crude petroleum ($926)
• Newsprint ($120)
• Softwood lumber ($89)
• Live animals ($68)
• Mining machinery ($54)
• Meat ($41)
• Basic plastic shapes & forms ($38)
• Metal fabricated basic products ($35)
• Firearms & ammunition ($31)
• Trucks ($25)

Canada-Colorado Success Stories

The Consulate General of Canada in Denver organized an educational tour to the oil sands and to the Coutts, Alberta/Sweet Grass, Montana border 26-28 June 2006 for a group of congressional staff from Colorado and Wyoming. Led by Senior Trade Commissioner Monica Heron and Political Affairs Officer Inta Morris, the trip focused on the US-Canada energy relationship and on border security. Participants came away with an increased understanding of the enormous potential of the Alberta oil sands, and of the strategic working relationship between U.S. and Canadian border officials.

Startek Inc. of Denver, which provides business process and supply chain management outsourcing, opened two new call centers in Thunder Bay and Hawkesbury, Ontario. The new centers resulted in 900 new jobs for the Canadian communities. Negotiations were supported through the efforts of the Post in Denver.

The Exchange Group of Winnipeg, Manitoba signed an agreement with Western Union in May 2006 to represent and implement electronic money orders for Canadian Correctional Facilities. The initial meeting with Western Union representatives came as a result of the Western Canada/Colorado Technology Trade Mission in October, 2005.

Colorado-Canada Facts at a Glance:

• State jobs supported by Canada–U.S. trade: 93,000

August 2006

For more information on Canada's trade with Colorado, please contact:

Consulate General of Canada
1625 Broadway, Suite 2600
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 626-0640  •  Fax: (303) 572-1158
www.denver.gc.ca

Sources: Merchandise trade and tourism figures are from Statistics Canada, converted at the rate of US$1.00=C$1.2116. Merchandise trade data is customs-based for the year 2005. 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 2005 state trade figures
• Read the 2004 state trade figures
• Read the 2003 state trade figures
• Read the 2002 state trade figures