Montréal International Announces Results for 2012 at Its 17th Annual Meeting - $689 M in Foreign Direct Investments and Three New International Organization Projects

MONTREAL, April 18, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Montréal International (MI) announced its results for 2012 at its 17^th Annual Meeting held today and attended by over 200 members and partners and Jean-François Lisée, Minister of International Relations, La Francophonie and External Trade and Minister responsible for the Montréal region. Among the highlights for 2012 was MI's contribution to attracting $689 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) to metropolitan Montréal and to implementing three major international organization projects in the city. As part of its talent attraction activities, MI helped over 20 Greater Montréal businesses take part in two recruiting missions in Europe, enabling them to hire close to 160 international strategic workers. In all, MI contributed to bringing in or retaining 1,207 international strategic workers in the region.

"Montréal International's results for 2012 show that the organization delivers value to the community and is a powerful lever for Greater Montréal's economic development. MI plays a central role in promoting the metropolitan area's economic strengths, while being strategically positioned to identify priority competitiveness issues for the region and suggest winning strategies. The organization's strength also lies in its network of members and key partners with whom it works to increase metropolitan Montréal's attractiveness, competitiveness and wealth," said Normand Legault, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Montréal International.

Jacques St-Laurent, President and CEO of Montréal International, added that "Montréal International teamed up with its local, national and international partners and worked hard on all fronts to attract foreign direct investment, international organizations and international strategic workers. Its activities generated positive economic spin-offs such as quality job creation, talent and knowledge acquisition, and property and income tax revenues. In short, they helped build wealth for the entire community."

MONTRÉAL INTERNATIONAL'S 2012 RESULTS IN DETAIL

Foreign Direct Investments

In 2012, MI contributed to attracting $689 million in foreign direct investment from Europe (58%), North America (35%) and Asia (7%). Among the 29 foreign businesses MI helped set up or expand their operations are Aerolia, Avantis Industrialisation, Winpak Heat Seal Packaging Inc., Medtronic, OVH.COM, Sika Canada, Veolia Environnement and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Canada. These projects, 80% of which are in the high-tech sectors of Greater Montréal, helped create or maintain over 2,000 jobs in the Montréal metropolitan region.

International Organizations (IOs)

In terms of IO projects, the year was marked by the relocation of the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations (IFALPA), which moved its headquarters from London to Montréal to join the other nine international civil aviation organizations already located in Greater Montréal. MI also helped the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) pursue its growth in Montréal and supported the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) in extending its headquarters agreement for another 10 years.

Talent Attraction

MI developed talent attraction activities to meet the growing demand for strategic workers in Greater Montréal's high-tech sectors. To this end, with the financial support of Conseil emploi métropole (CEM), MI helped to organize two "Journées Québec" recruiting missions in Europe (in Paris and Brussels in June 2012 and Paris and Barcelona in December 2012) in partnership with the Ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MICC). MI coordinated the participation of over 20 Greater Montréal businesses in these missions, enabling them to hire close to 160 international strategic workers. CEM's support also enables MI to develop and deploy strategies and content to promote Greater Montréal on the international stage as the metropolis of choice for outstanding career opportunities and an exceptional quality of life.

International Mobility

In 2012, MI helped 739 international strategic workers relocate to Greater Montréal. The workers, employed in 134 companies, institutions and international organizations operating in the region, benefited from MI's assistance with obtaining official documents such as visas and work or study permits. Additionally, 468 international strategic workers attended one of the 57 information sessions on the advantages of permanent residency organized by MI.

MI Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of Montréal International is made up of the following members:

• Normand Legault, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Montréal International
• Jacques St-Laurent, President and Chief Executive Officer, Montréal International
• Jean-Jacques Bourgeault, Vice Chairman of the Board, Montréal International and Practice Director - Pauzé Coaching, Groupe Pauzé

Private sector representatives

• Eric Bédard, Managing Partner for the Québec region, Fasken Martineau
• André Boulanger, President, Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie
• Renaud Caron, Senior Vice President - Strategic Development, CGI Group Inc.
• James C. Cherry, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aéroports de Montréal
• Charles Lapointe, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tourisme Montréal
• Jean Laurin, President and Chief Executive Officer, NKF Devencore
• Guy LeBlanc, Managing Partner Montréal Office, PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Tony Loffreda, Head, National Client Group - Quebec, RBC Royal Bank of Canada
• David McAusland, Partner, McCarthy Tétrault
• Andrew T. Molson, Chairman of the Board, Molson Coors Brewing Company
• Jean-Luc Monfort, General Manager, Bathium Canada
• Heather Munroe-Blum, Principal and Vice-Chancellor (President) and Senior Officer, McGill University
• Yves Pelletier, Regional Vice President, Montreal, Alithis
• Louise Roy, Chancellor, University of Montreal, Cirano invited Fellow and President of the Cirano Leadership Forum
• Jean Wilhelmy, Senior Vice-President Aerospace, Construction, Services and Transportation, Solidarity Fund QFL
• Hubert Thibault, Vice President, Institutional Affairs, Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec
• Sylvie Vachon, President and Chief Executive Officer, Montréal Port Authority

Public sector representatives

• Michael Applebaum, Mayor of the City of Montréal and President of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal Board
• Manon Barbe, Mayor of the LaSalle Borough and President of the Conférence régionale des élus (CRÉ) de Montréal
• Richard Deschamps, Member of the Executive Committee of the City of Montréal
• Alexandre Duplessis, Mayor of the City of Laval and Vice President of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal Board
• Claude Haineault, Mayor of the City of Beauharnois
• Marc Lauzon, Mayor of the City of Deux-Montagnes
• Francesco Miele, Councillor of the City of Montréal, Saint-Laurent Borough
• Sylvie Parent, Member of the Executive Committee, City of Longueuil

Observant members

• André Lavallée, Associate Secretary General for the Montréal region, Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine, ministère du Conseil exécutif
• Rita Tremblay, Vice President, Policy and Communications, Canada Economic Development
• Yves Guérin, Vice President, Administration and Corporate Secretary, Montréal International

The 2012 Report of Activities is available on MI's website at www.montrealinternational.com

About Montréal International (www.montrealinternational.com)

Created in 1996, Montréal International (MI) is the result of a private-public partnership. Its mission is to contribute to the economic development of Greater Montréal and enhance its international status. Its mandates include attracting foreign direct investments, international organizations and international strategic workers as well as promoting the competitive and international environment of Greater Montréal. Montréal International—a non-profit organization—is funded by the private sector, the governments of Canada and Québec, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (Montréal Metropolitan Community) and the City of Montréal.

Since its creation, Montréal International has helped to attract $9.4 billion in foreign direct investments to Greater Montréal. From these investments, more than 49,000 jobs have been created or maintained. To date, MI's activities have also allowed almost half of some 60 international organizations to establish themselves in the city and attract and retain more than 8,000 international strategic workers.

SOURCE: Montréal International

Céline Clément, Communications Advisor
Montréal International
Tel.: [phone]
[email protected]