Canada’s initiatives to foster greater cooperation between research universities and the business community, as well as a pending comprehensive trade agreement with the European Union, could open doors for Atlanta companies, Canadian Minister of Industry Tony Clement told GlobalAtlanta.

The Canadian government is investing heavily in research and development laboratories in an effort to attract talent to Canadian universities. It wants to see more collaboration between the academic community and business, especially in the areas of energy and environmental research.

Georgia universities and companies are invited to participate, Mr. Clement said during an interview at the Americas Competitiveness Forum in Atlanta, Nov. 15.

But the “big elephant in the room” is the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement that is expected to be ratified by the end of 2011, Mr. Clement added. Georgia companies will be able to use this “massive trade deal” as a “gateway to the EU and vice versa,” he said, noting that companies that operate in Canada will have opportunities for free trade with more than 500 million European consumers.

“This trade deal is not at the top of mind with many media, nor is it part of our political discourse yet, but it’s going to be huge,” he said.

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