| Maricopa Builds Bridges with Canada |
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| Monday, 12 December 2011 06:00 |
On November 29, the City of Maricopa hosted an esteemed group of Canadian representatives, eager to find out more about what makes this new, thriving community so attractive to its Arizona-wintering citizens. Leaders from the Canadian Consulate of Phoenix joined Maricopa officials, staff and community leaders for a visit and presentation as well as a tour of several key facilities in the community. “We were amazed to find out how many Canadians have found their way to Maricopa, and even more excited after seeing first-hand the attraction the community presents,” said Brad Niblock, Senior Trade Commissioner with the Consulate. Not only are Maricopa’s Canadian residents an important part of the local economy, they are a strong force in the economic growth in the State of Arizona as well. In 2004, the Canadian Consulate’s Phoenix office was opened to support the now 130 Canadian-owned companies in the state that employ over 16,000 people. Tourism impacts from Canadians, noticeable even in Maricopa, are significant in the state with nearly 650,000 visits to the state annually by Canadians to the tune of $746 million.* The mission of the Canadian Consulate in Phoenix is to advocate on behalf of Canada in the areas of commerce, the economy and politics and to develop innovative strategies to identify and create business opportunities in both Arizona and New Mexico. Canada is Arizona’s second largest trading partner with more than $2.3 billion in bilateral trade. Arizona provides vast opportunities for Canadian companies looking to enter the US and more specifically, the Southwest marketplace. Some of the economic areas that the Consulate is focused on are cleantech, nanotechnology, renewable technology industries, green building and healthcare. Maricopa’s focuses are on similar industries, including agri-tech and bio-tech which makes the establishment of a partnership mutually beneficial to both organizations. To promote Maricopa as a community with an attractive quality of life for Canadians interested wintering in a warmer climate and as significant opportunity for Canadian business investment, Maricopa leaders were excited to take the group on a tour of Province, an award-winning active adult community developed by Meritage Homes. At about 50% build-out, the community offers a number of great amenities such as a village center, outdoor amphitheater, lighted courts for various sports, several exercise facilities, 125 acres of greenbelts and parks, and nearly 50 acres of lakes stocked for fishing. In fact, Consulate representatives were able to meet a Canadian couple that had become new homeowners in the community that very day. “About 30% of our homeowners in Province are Canadians,” noted Tim Austin, sales associate with Meritage Homes. After visiting Province, the group traveled to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Arid-Land Agriculture Research Center (ALARC). Opened in 2006, ALARC’s mission is to develop sustainable agricultural systems, protect natural resources and support rural communities in arid and semi-arid regions through interdisciplinary research. Some of the topics researched at ALARC include crop management, integrated pest management, irrigation technology, remote sensing, water reuse and global climate change. The facility sits on 20 acres of a 1,500-acre research farmed owned by the University of Arizona. Twenty-four research scientists are housed at the facility. The final stop on the tour was Pinal Energy, Arizona’s first ethanol production facility. The facility began production in 2007 and generates 50 million gallons of ethanol each year. The 24-hour facility employs 42 people on site. In one 24-hour period, 170,000 gallons of ethanol will be produced. The fuel-grade ethanol is used in blending with gasoline components to produce E10, a 10% ethanol blend. Additionally, ethanol produced at the plant may also be used to blend E85, for use in flex-fuel vehicles. “The Maricopa tour was able to highlight only a few of the outstanding businesses within the community,” said Danielle Casey, Economic Development Director for the City of Maricopa. “With more than 150,000 jobs in Arizona dependent upon Canada-US trade, we cannot overlook the impact that Canada has on our state and our community. We want the Consulate to know that when they are looking for economic opportunities in Arizona, they should take a look at Maricopa.” The visit and tour were both well-received by members of the Consulate. “The entire Maricopa team did a remarkable job of coordinating one of the most comprehensive, well-orchestrated community events we have ever participated in,” said Jeanine Jerkovic, Trade Commissioner with the Consulate. “We were extraordinarily impressed with all that the community had to offer.” “Maricopa is a warm, welcoming, collaborating community,” said Dawn Nagle, Trade Commissioner with the Consulate. “We look forward to exploring new opportunities here.” |
| Last Updated on Thursday, 12 January 2012 15:35 |
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