Doing business in Canada

America is generally known as the land of opportunity, but Canada does not play second fiddle to its neighbour in that respect. The Canadian government actively promotes foreign business. A quarter of foreign investment comes from Europe. UK exports to Canada amount to around 7 billion GBP a year. The future holds many more opportunities here because the markets in which the UK excels are precisely those that are on the rise in Canada. Examples of these are train and aircraft manufacturing, aerospace parts, and medical products.

Characteristics of Canadian industry

Canada was recently ranked first for business among the G20 countries by the prestigious business magazine Forbes. This is partly because of the stable character of the business climate, which is not susceptible to unrest and trends from elsewhere in the world. This does not mean that industry stands still though, because innovation is still very high on the agenda. It is possible to have a profitable business in Canada because it is cost efficient. Working with a Canadian company also offers great perspective for the future. We are happy to be able to give you some handy tips on business culture in Canada.

Tip 1: Striking the right balance between formal and informal

In principle, people tend to be formal when doing business. However, it is customary to address people by their first name. When you get a business card from someone, their first name will often feature on it. Feel free to use it.