Expansion to the U.S. market will also typically require making key hires to lead, manage and support the U.S. business. Azhar Janjua, Head of MAPLE partner organization, Communitech Outposts, shares some of the key remote hiring trends for Canadian businesses in the United States with respect to location and skill.
Moving from Canada to the U.S.: What to Do With Your Canadian Dollar Investments
Pursuing trade, investment, and entrepreneurship opportunities between Canada and the United States can lead to new opportunities for your team members to move from one country to the other. And when moving from Canada to the U.S., an important facet of a household move is how to manage Canadian investments once one is a U.S. resident. John McCord CFP® CIM® CRPC® TEP, Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Partner at MAPLE charter member organization, Cardinal Point Wealth Management, profiles some key considerations for managing your investment portfolio.
The Time is Right for US Expansion - But Do You Have the Right Strategy?
This month our look north and south across the Canada-U.S. border starts with getting an expansion to the U.S. right. As Paula Cruickshank, Senior Vice President, Ontario at the Business Development Bank of Canada shares, when the time is right for U.S. expansion, you need to ensure you also have the right strategy. Paula discusses how even when Canadian businesses are well positioned for U.S. expansion, having the right strategies and fundamentals in place is still critical for success. And she shares insights into how to get it right.
2024: A Year to Embrace the Evolution of the Logistics Industry
And when it comes to getting goods to and throughout Canada, there is no organization more fully invested in getting this right than Purolator International. Paul Tessy, Senior Vice President, puts the role of logistics companies in a global context in his article. Consider all of the whitewaters that getting goods into a consumer's or customer's hands must navigate. Supply chains are being moved out of China. The explosion of e-commerce. The rise of machine learning. Fierce competition for skilled workers. Evolving consumer expectations. The certifiable march toward corporate sustainability. This decade, logistics companies have faced the need to contend with an influx of change. In his article, Paul Tessy reviews evolving industry conditions to talk about what is in store for 2024.
The Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act
You may not be aware that 2024 ushered in Canada's modern slavery legislation, the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act which came into force on January 1, 2024. With the Act, Canada introduced reporting obligations to combat modern slavery in the supply chains of many businesses and other "entities" with connections to Canada. Lindsay Clements and Jennifer Wasylyk, Partners at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, profile this important legislation for us.
2024: The Year of Small Cap Comeback? - Spotlight on TSX Venture Exchange
We begin with a look at what 2024 may hold for small-to-mid cap stocks from TMX Group, owners of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange. The authors, George Khalife (Chicago), Erik Andersen (Dallas), and Delilah Panio (Southern California) discuss how 2024 has the potential to be a landmark year for small-cap stocks and how the TSXV not only presents a viable option but also a unique pathway for growth and success to U.S. companies. As we venture further into 2024, let's watch closely as this exciting chapter in the financial markets unfolds, potentially reshaping the future of micro caps.
Our MAPLE Community in 2023
It is my pleasure to share some of the highlights of 2023 for our Canada-U.S. community. It was a privilege for our MAPLE team to engage with organizations across sectors and markets throughout the year many of whom we have since welcomed as new members. Networking and storytelling are the building blocks of MAPLE and events, both our own and partner programs, our MOMENTUM e-publication and our Conversations video series all played important parts in connecting people and ideas together.
As we now lean into a brand new year, our members are working in over 25 sectors and are based in over 25 markets across Canada and the United States supported by 5 chapters each led by an Executive Director.
H1-B Visa Headaches? Canada Emerges as an Attractive Alternative for Corporate Immigration
The H-1B visa program, designed to bring highly skilled foreign workers to the US, has become increasingly complex and competitive. With annual visa caps and lengthy processing times, many companies struggle to secure H-1B visas for their talented employees. As a result, many companies are turning to Canada, a country with a strong tech talent pool and a more streamlined immigration process.
In this article, I will discuss the problems with the H-1B program and why Canada has become such an attractive option for corporate immigration. We will also discuss how companies can leverage the expertise of a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) to skip lengthy immigration processes, relocate their foreign staff to Canada, or hire remote employees in Canada, whether they have a Canadian office or not.
The Challenge of Taxing Digital Services
The digital economy has presented complex challenges in the allocation of taxation rights between countries. Large multinational corporations, without establishing a physical presence or tax base in Canada, have been generating substantial revenues through digital services within the country. These activities include selling digital services, collecting and monetizing user data, providing social media services and delivering digital advertisements to Canadian users. Under the current multilateral tax frameworks, these digital service revenues remain largely exempt from taxation in Canada unless allocated to a physical presence. This challenge is compounded by the exponential growth of the digital economy, which now accounts for nearly 20% of the global economy.
Doing Global Business in These Times
Doing business cross border has significantly changed due to the pandemic. This article looks at changes in doing global business in recent years from a practitioner's perspective, specific trends and factors that impact successful brand entry into a new country and how several countries where you might take your business are expected to do economically in 2024. Data referenced in this article is sourced from the EGS Global Business Bi-Weekly Newsletter, monitoring over 40 online information sources, visiting many of the countries listed post-pandemic and input from the EGS network of in-country associates who live and work in their economies.
Mastering the Art of Fundraising: Insights from Experts in Santa Barbara's Startup Ecosystem
We are pleased to share some of the key takeaways from a recent "Fundraising in Today's Market" event in Santa Barbara, California organized by our partner, Pasadena-based Alliance for SoCal Innovation. This event series aims to help founders become more adept at securing the capital they need. A panel of local experts answered questions from the Santa Barbara startup community. Thank you to Eric Eide, Managing Director of the Alliance for SoCal Innovation, for sharing some of the top pieces of advice and summarizing some of the key themes discussed.
Four Key Questions to Ask Your Group Benefits Broker for a Successful Plan
This month we tap into the expertise of Toronto-based Sterling Capital Brokers, one of the leading independent benefits consulting firms in Canada. Andrew Blanchard, Sterling’s CEO, shares some key insights about group benefits planning. In today's dynamic economic climate, finding the right balance between providing valuable benefits to employees and controlling costs is essential. It is therefore key for organizations to design their entire benefits program so that it provides value and meets the objectives of the enterprise.
San Bernardino County is Open for Business
San Bernardino County is open for business! This is the premise the County had the pleasure of promoting while hosting a “Growing Global Partnerships” roundtable and tour with the MAPLE Business Council and Canadian business leaders in August. With Canada consistently a key market for international trade and foreign direct investment, the County was honored to share information regarding its many business advantages, learn more about Canadian business initiatives, and support the MAPLE Business Council by becoming a member.
Roland DGA Maintains Strong Cross-Border Collaboration to Benefit Clients and Dealers
Roland DGA Canada is the Canadian sales arm for Irvine, California-based Roland DGA Corporation, which oversees North American sales, marketing, and distribution for parent company Roland DG Corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan. Created in 1995, Roland DGA Canada employs five staff who are responsible for sales and distribution to approximately 50 resellers throughout Canada. We recently spoke with Roland DGA Canada’s National Sales Manager, Don Ross, about the strong working relationship between his office and the U.S. office, Roland DGA Canada’s approach to core markets, and his view of the impact current economic trends are having on the Canadian sign and graphics market.
Trade with a View: Perspectives of International Bridges
Have you ever wondered what keeps the heartbeat of Canadian-American trade pulsing? Look no further than Canada's international bridges, the spectacular landmarks that serve as the lifeblood of our economic relationship with the United States. The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (The FBCL), a Canadian federal Crown corporation, shoulders the responsibility of many of these vital arteries, maintaining them to be open every second of every day, all year round, at strategic locations like Sault Ste. Marie, Point Edward, Lansdowne (Thousand Islands), and Cornwall, Ontario.
Leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence in Business: Operations and Risks
Does your software team rely on ChatGPT for coding? Or perhaps your sales and marketing departments are harnessing its power for product campaigns? Generative artificial intelligence tools (AI tools), such as ChatGPT, continue to become integral for day-to-day business operations. However, without an internal artificial intelligence usage policy (“AI Policy”) in place, these tools can expose the business to significant legal and financial risks.
Stormwater Management for the Future - Permeable Paving
With the predicted increase in precipitation and storm events over the coming decades, the issue of how to effectively manage stormwater is becoming more pressing than ever before.
From the water we drink, to the snow that we play in, and the tennis courts we socialize in, all are affected by permeable paving. Groundwater is our source of drinking water, and precipitation can carry harmful chemicals - once those chemicals fall onto the ground and pavement, without a proper filtration system which is included in a permeable solution, those chemicals go back into the environment, including the air and the land. Permeable paving systems help safeguard our health by safely disposing of stormwater runoff.
The World Needs More Canada...Still
The World Needs more Canada….Still.
That’s what I thought when old friend Clark Grue, CEO of Rainmaker Global Market Access, invited me late last Fall, to co-found and Chair, Celebrate Canada Worldwide; a not-for-profit committed to bringing Canada to the world stage. After 30 plus years dedicated to representing the country I love, I just couldn’t resist.
Six months later, on June 29, 2023, following a 10-year hiatus and a global pandemic, our flagship event, "Canada Day London" made its triumphant return to Trafalgar Square. 30,000 of our closest friends came together to soak in the goodness of Canadian culture, making it the largest Canada Day celebration in the world outside Canada.
Remaining Flexible in a Changing Economic Environment
Remaining flexible in a changing economic environment is the focus of the article by Glenn Yonemitsu, Managing Director of High-Impact Firms Advisory Services at the Business Development Bank of Canada. Based on over 20 years of working with high-growth companies and identifying the common things that winners and 'market makers' do, Glenn identifies 7 things a business can do to remain flexible and take advantage of market opportunities. Underlying these are the realities that cash is king and that more opportunities are given to those who act proactively.
Mid-Year Canadian Dollar Outlook - 2023
Karl Schamotta, Chief Market Strategist at Corpay, provides us with a mid-year outlook on the Canadian dollar. The loonie is "lifting off" thanks to fiscal support, stabilizing financial conditions, and a historic surge in immigration which are all helping the Canadian economy and the loonie defy bearish expectations.