Trade Mission : 27-31 October 2024
Following the success of the 2022 official trade mission, the Chamber of Commerce has invited Luxembourg companies to join a trade mission to Montreal and Toronto, focusing on the cybersecurity, space, and defense sectors.
Activities and key highlights
The mission kicked off with a business forum in Montreal, where opportunities in the Quebec and Luxembourg markets were explored. Keynote speeches were held by H.E. Ms. Nicole Bintner, Ambassador of Luxembourg to Canada, Carlo Thelen, CEO/Director general of the Chamber of Commerce, M. Guy Jobin, Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce of Montreal metropolitan, M. Luc Decker, Consul-general and Director of the LTIO New York, M. Dan Silverman, Vice President of Investissement Quebec, M. Stéphane Paquet, CEO/President of Montreal International, and M. Srinivas Setty, General Manager at NorthStar, who shared his company’s experience working on both sides of the Atlantic.
A sectoral panel ensued, moderated by François Thill, Director for Cybersecurity at the Ministry of Economy of Luxembourg. The discussion provided insights into the cyber, defense and space ecosystems in Quebec and Luxembourg. Panelists included representatives from IMC2, Aero Montreal, the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity, Rafinex and SES.
Before transitioning to a networking lunch, attendees enjoyed a fireside chat with Anne Nguyen, Chief AI Officer at the Innovation Council Quebec, and David Foy, Head of Sector Development Digital Economy at Luxinnovation, who shared insights into the latest trends in AI.
After an intense morning, the delegation had the opportunity to pitch during sectoral workshops organized at Cybereco. They were followed by a B2B session and a networking reception in the evening. M. Eric Caire, Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital Technologies, as well as M. Alain Sans-Cartier, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Francophonie, and Ms. Geneviève Brisson, General Delegate of Quebec in Bruxelles, attended the event.
The second day in Montreal was dedicated to visits of the Incyber Forum, MDA Space, Bombardier and the MILA – AI Institute. Through these, participants established connections with key stakeholders from these major companies, gained a better understanding of their activities, and discovered impressive infrastructures and lines of production. The visit of the Incyber Forum notably included a discussion between the Quebec Minister of Cybersecurity and the Director of Cybersecurity at the Ministry of the Economy Luxembourg and a networking reception during which Luxembourg companies showcased their excellence in cybersecurity solutions.
On Wednesday, the delegation traveled to Toronto to participate in a business forum hosted by the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre. They also engaged in sectoral workshops and took part in a B2B session.
The evening concluded with an official reception, featuring a keynote address by Mr. Victor Fedeli, Ontario Minister for Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.
Several key stakeholders from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and the Ontario Ministry for Economic Development were present throughout the day and provided invaluable advice to Luxembourg companies seeking to develop their activities in Ontario.
Visits of major companies in the cyber and space/defense sector are scheduled for the last day of the trade mission, including Nordspace, Rocket Lab, Coordinate Industries, Quantum Bridge and the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst. The cyber delegation will also have a meeting with Mark Tse, Member of the Board of the Canadian Cyber Network and Founder of the Canadian Cyber Forum.
Strong partner network & new announcements
This intense program would not have been possible without a strong partner network both in Canada and Luxembourg. The Chamber of Commerce collaborated with the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity for this trade mission and relied on the support of the Embassy in Washington, the LTIO New York, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, as well as the Ministry of the Economy. Through this journey, the Chamber of Commerce forged strong connections with key institutions in Canada, such as the Chamber of Commerce of Montreal metropolitan, the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, INSEC-M, Aero Montreal and CADSI. This impressive network demonstrates the anchorage Luxembourg has in Canada, which will be further reinforced by the opening of a Luxembourg Embassy in Ottawa very soon, as announced by H.E. Ms. Nicole Bintner during the trade mission.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chamber of Commerce of Montreal metropolitan has also marked a further milestone in the economic relationship of Luxembourg with Quebec, and Canada more broadly.
