The Province is helping more small business owners and entrepreneurs develop export capacity and gain access to new markets by extending the Export Navigator pilot for another six months.

“More regional B.C. businesses will be able to successfully navigate the export process and access the right services to export their goods and services through this extension to the Export Navigator pilot,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. “By helping them reach new markets, we’re enabling small B.C.-based businesses to grow and create new, well-paying jobs in their communities.”

The Export Navigator pilot helps B.C. businesses in six regions become export ready by providing access to community-based export advisors who help connect businesses with programs and services that are unique to their needs. The specially trained advisors offer personalized support at every stage of the export process, including visiting and touring businesses to best understand their needs.

“Understanding how to become export ready can be a tricky and confusing process, particularly for small businesses in regional communities that aren’t certain where to turn to for help,” said George Chow, Minister of State for Trade. “Export Navigator offers business owners in-person support with an expert who can help guide them through the process from start to finish, providing advice and credibility.”

Export advisors support B.C. business owners by doing the following:

• Identifying and validating new market opportunities
• Determining export readiness and supporting the development of comprehensive market entry strategies
• Navigating the many services available to clients and providing streamlined referrals to federal and provincial programs
• Supporting clients through logistics and customs certifications, financing, and more
• Building business capacity to find and develop new export opportunities

“Through Export Navigator, the connections we’ve been offered to start exploring the U.S. military market are extremely attractive,” said Todd Maliteare, engineer, Canadian Electric Vehicles. “I’m hoping those contacts will help us understand how we can get onto purchasing contract lists so that U.S. government, municipal, and military divisions will have our products in front of them on their general purchasing contracts.”

B.C.’s agrifoods and manufacturing sectors in particular are benefiting from the pilot. So far, 36 agrifoods businesses and 21 manufacturing businesses are participating in the pilot, making up more than half of the participants across all regions.

The Export Navigator pilot was developed by the Province in partnership with Small Business BC, federally funded Community Futures offices and the Comox Valley Economic Development Society. The pilot supports the Province’s commitment to building a strong, sustainable economy that works for everyone by growing regional-economic development and helping small businesses export their goods and services.

Quick Facts:

• Export Navigator is available in the following six B.C. regions: Cariboo, Central Vancouver Island, Comox Valley, Kootenay Boundary, North Okanagan and the Pacific Northwest.
• To date, more than 100 B.C. businesses have benefited from the Export Navigator pilot.
• The majority of participating businesses represent the agrifoods sector, followed by manufacturing, consumer goods and clean technology.
• Exports provide a vital source of economic growth and job creation – right now, one in five jobs in Canada is generated through trade.
• In 2016, total British Columbia goods exported worldwide were $39 billion.
• Small businesses make up 98% of all business in B.C. and employ more than one million people.
• Small businesses provide 55% of all private-sector jobs in British Columbia, the second-highest rate in the country.
• There were approximately 388,500 small businesses operating in B.C. in 2015, and 313,500 of those have fewer than five employees.

Learn More:

For more information about Export Navigator, visit: http://www.britishcolumbia.ca/export/export-navigator

For more information about B.C. trade and investment opportunities visit: http://www.britishcolumbia.ca

For more information about Small Business BC, visit: http://smallbusinessbc.ca