Puerto Rico’s Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) is leading a trade mission to Toronto, Canada, with 11 local companies seeking to expand internationally, form commercial partnerships and generate export opportunities. Coordinated through the department’s PromoExport program, the delegation brings together businesses in technology, engineering, biotechnology, food manufacturing and professional services. The mission is part of the government’s strategy to promote locally produced goods and services and diversify the island’s export markets.
Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said in a statement that she wants the island’s economic growth to translate into more opportunities for business owners to expand and create jobs. DDEC Secretary Carlos J. Ríos Pierluisi said the delegation includes companies in industries important to Puerto Rico’s development. The agenda includes business-to-business (B2B) meetings with prospective buyers and partners, plus strategic discussions on collaboration and expansion in Canada.
Ríos Pierluisi cited the island’s status as a U.S. jurisdiction, its bilingual workforce and its experience under federal and international standards as potential advantages. The DDEC said participating companies received workshops and mentoring from experts on the Canadian market before the mission. Soraya Morón, assistant secretary for Entrepreneurship and Business Development, said each company has an individualized meeting schedule with buyers, suppliers and partners matched to its needs.
The department plans to follow up on contacts made, aiming to turn them into commercial agreements and new export sales. The DDEC did not disclose expected export values or sales targets.