Home Trade and Investment State Trade Fact Sheets 2006 Illinois

Illinois

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• Canada–U.S. trade supported 5.2 million U.S. jobs
• Total Canada–U.S. merchandise trade: $461 billion
• Canada–Illinois trade supported 237,000 U.S. jobs
• Canadians made more than 383,000 visits to Illinois, spending $141 million
• Illinois residents made 477,500 visits to Canada, spending $255 million

22% growth in Illinois-Canada trade
Canada remained Illinois' main trading partner, receiving more goods than the state's next five foreign markets combined. Bilateral trade at $33.4 billion in 2005 grew by 22% over 2004. This expanding trade relationship was led by Illinois imports of $22 billion, half of which was in energy alone. Illinois' exports to Canada totaled $11 billion, led by the transportation and machinery sectors.

Empowering Illinois
Canada is a reliable and important supplier of energy to Illinois which imported just under $6.5 billion worth of crude petroleum and $5 billion in natural gas. Illinois energy imports increased by 36% from 2004.

Oil sands: a key trade factor
Development of the Alberta oil sands benefited Illinois manufacturers of heavy equipment, particularly front end loaders. As a result, the state exported $192 million worth of front end loaders to Canada, an increase of 25% over 2004. Illinois supplied Canada with track laying tractors and used tractors; increasing sales by 50%, totaling $170 million. Construction and maintenance machinery, $174 million worth, also made the state's list of most important export commodities. Illinois' equipment manufacturers facilitate Canada's infrastructure growth, while supporting native Illinois businesses.

Canadian paper delivers Chicago's news
In 2005, Illinois imported $1.5 billion worth of Canadian forest products. Illinois newspapers purchased almost half a billion dollars in newsprint — the state's fourth largest import commodity, an increase of 19% from the 2004. The state's home builders also looked "north" purchasing $351 million in softwood lumber.

Two-way tourism
Chicago's sophisticated shopping, great food, night life, sports teams and renowned studio shows attracted Canadians who made 383,000 visits to Illinois in 2005, contributing $141 million to the state's economy. Illinoisans went to Canada for nature, wildlife, international culture, theater and big city excitement making 477,500 visits to Canada while spending $255 million.

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

• Motor vehicle parts* ($627)
• Automobiles ($443)
• Motor vehicle engines ($348)
• Railway rolling stock ($306)
• Organic chemicals ($217)
• Front end loaders ($192)
• Unshaped plastics ($179)
• Construction & maintenance machinery ($174)
• Track-laying tractors & used tractors ($170)
• Containers ($170)

*not including engines

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

• Crude petroleum ($6,457)
• Natural gas ($5,002)
• Trucks ($1,398)
• Newsprint ($487)
• Motor vehicle parts* ($434)
• Fertilizers ($384)
• Softwood lumber ($351)
• Aircraft ($331)
• Synthetic rubber & plastics ($315)
• Basic plastic shapes & forms ($265)

*not including engines

Canada-Illinois Success Stories

Chicago-based Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) sells 50 high horsepower locomotives to Canadian National Railway
June 14, 2006 — Chicago-based Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) sold 50 high horsepower locomotives to Canadian National Railway for delivery in the second half of 2007. The new 4,300 horsepower locomotives will handle new international freight traffic to and from the port of Prince Rupert, BC. EMD headquarters, engineering facilities and parts manufacturing operations are located in LaGrange, Illinois, just west of Chicago. Final assembly is conducted at EMD's state of the art plant in London, Ontario from which products are exported to customers around the world. In 2005, EMD sold 300 locomotives to the People's Republic of China.

Chicago Transit Authority buys 406 Bombardier rail cars
May 10,2006 — Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) selected Bombardier Transportation of Quebec to supply 406 rail cars at a value of $577 million with options to buy as many as 706. This is the largest bid ever awarded by the CTA and the first contract ever in Chicago for Bombardier. The new cars will be delivered beginning in early 2009.

Chicago Transit Authority buys new Flyer buses
May 10,2006 — The CTA board approved a $63.5 million contract to purchase 185 low-emission buses from New Flyer of America Inc. of Winnipeg Manitoba. New Flyer has supplied the CTA with buses in the past.

Chicago Tribune forecasts Caterpillar will sell billions of mining equipment to Canada to develop oil sands
April 2006 — Chicago Tribune reported that Peoria Illinois based Caterpillar Inc., the world's biggest maker of earthmoving equipment, may gain as much as $5 billion in sales as a boom in oil mined from Alberta's oil sands boosts demand for mining trucks and parts. Canadian oil sands miners will need to add almost 300 Caterpillar mining trucks and graders by 2013 to unlock Alberta's reserves. Sales of trucks alone, some valued at as much as $6,237,000 million, could bring in more than $1 billion, Sales of parts and construction equipment could add further revenue. About 340 of the mining machines, weighing as much when fully loaded as a Boeing 747, are running 24 hours a day hauling oil laden sand across an area of Alberta almost as big as the state of Florida. Caterpillar supplies about 75 percent of the trucks and graders being used in Alberta to move oil sands. Oil output in the western Canadian province is forecast to triple to about 3 million barrels a day, in the next nine Canada years. Oil sands are estimated to contain 175 billion barrels of recoverable oil, second only to Saudi Arabia. Canada is the largest oil supplier to the U.S.

Chicago-based Blommer Chocolate Company purchases World's Finest Chocolate Inc. (Campbellford, Ontario)
March 24, 2006 — Chicago-based Blommer Chocolate Company, North America's largest processor of cocoa beans and chocolate related products, acquired the world's Finest Chocolate plant in Campbellford, Ontario. World's Finest Chocolate had announced previously that the Canadian plant would close. Blommer saw an opportunity to expand and acquired the plant and the brand. The facility in Campbellford, Ontario is on a smaller scale than that of Blommer's existing plants, however, they envision producing smaller specialty lines of chocolate to suit the increasingly diverse tastes of the industry. The plant is now in the midst of a minor refit and will soon reach full production capabilities.

Fortune Brands of Chicago buys Canadian Club distillers
July 2005 — Chicago headquartered Fortune Brands bought Canadian Club from Pernod Ricard. Canadian Club, the #2 Canadian whisky in the world, is distilled in Windsor, Ontario.

Illinois-Canada Facts at a Glance:

• State jobs supported by Canada–U.S. trade: 237,000

July 2006

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

Consulate General of Canada
180 N. Stetson Avenue, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60601-6714
Phone: (312) 616-1860   •   Fax: (312) 616-1878
http://www.chicago.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