services available from private sector institutions. The Government of Canada also made certain changes to EDC’s Act concerning contingent liability and its authorized capital limits to allow EDC greater financial flexibility.
With this additional flexibility, EDC anticipates bringing enhanced capacity to domestic transactions such as:
| • | | Providing re-insurance to bring additional capacity to domestic credit insurers and help them to continue to serve their customers; |
| • | | Providing direct domestic insurance to businesses operating in sectors that were hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic and for which private sector institutions are unable to provide any assistance; and |
| • | | Providing loans and loan guarantees in the domestic market to assist companies facing challenges raising sufficient credit. |
In addition, for the purposes of creating the Development Finance Institute of Canada (DFIC) Inc. (“FinDev Canada”), the Government of Canada broadened EDC’s mandate and scope of activity in May 2017 to include providing, directly or indirectly, development financing and other forms of development support in a manner that is consistent with Canada’s international development priorities. FinDev Canada has been established as a wholly-owned subsidiary of EDC.
The Head Office of EDC is located at 150 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 1K3 (Telephone: (613) 598-2500). Regional Offices are in Brossard, Calgary, Charlottetown, Drummondville, Edmonton, Halifax, Kitchener, Laval, London (Ontario), Mississauga, Moncton, Montréal, Québec City, Regina, Sherbrooke, St. John’s, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor and Winnipeg. In addition, EDC operates one branch office in Singapore and Foreign Representations in Atlanta, Beijing, Bogotá, Chicago, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Lima, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, New Delhi, Rio de Janeiro, San Pedro Garza Garcia, Santiago, São Paulo, Shanghai and Sydney.
Status as a Crown Corporation
EDC is an agent of Her Majesty in right of Canada and is a Crown corporation whose shares shall be held in trust for Her Majesty. Crown corporations are established by the Parliament of Canada for many purposes, including the administering and managing of public services in which business enterprise and public accountability can be combined. EDC is ultimately accountable for the conduct of its affairs to Parliament through the Minister of International Trade.
TRADE UPDATES
Canada and the United States
Canada and the United States are each other’s most important trading partners, reflecting the physical proximity of the two countries and their close economic and financial relationship. In 2021, trade with the United States accounted for 75.0% of the value of Canada’s merchandise exports and 62.2% of the value of Canada’s merchandise imports. According to the United States Census Bureau, trade with Canada accounted for 17.5% of the United States’ exports and 12.5% of its imports in 2021.
At the regional level, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (“CUSMA”) entered into force between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico on July 1, 2020. The CUSMA preserves the essential trade benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”), including existing tariff commitments, and incorporates new and updated provisions that seek to address 21st century trade issues. The three parties continue to collaborate in ensuring the full implementation of commitments under the Agreement, especially through regular engagement in the CUSMA Free Trade Commission and related committees. The CUSMA is also serving to support the management of regional trade issues, including, for example, U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber, Canada’s administration of import quotas for U.S. dairy products, and the interpretation of certain rules of origin for automotive goods.
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