Welcome to Our Ontario Chapter

Founded: 2022

Territory: Province of Ontario based in Toronto

Executive Director: Bernardine Perreira CFP® TEP (bernardine@maplecouncil.org)

Partners: Communitech Outposts, Ontario Trade & Invest, Consulate General of the United States, U.S. Foreign Commercial Service

Background: On the seventh anniversary of the founding of MAPLE Business Council in Southern California in June 2022, we announced the launch of our newest chapter - Ontario Led by Bernardine Perreira, a financial advisor and wealth manager with Perreira Wealth Advisory of Raymond James Ltd. Our Ontario Chapter will shine a spotlight on the opportunities for bilateral investment, trade and entrepreneurship between the the United States and the Province of Ontario.

Ontario - The Road Ahead

At our Southern California Fall Reception in September 2022, Consul and Senior Economic Officer for Ontario, Chelsea Peet, provided an overview of the Ontario economy. A recording of her presentation is available here.

Growing Our Economic Ties

The economic relationship we enjoy is significant. Consider that:

  • Ontario and the U.S. are highly-integrated and we’re a major force in the North American economy. In fact, over 3/4 of Ontario’s global trade is conducted with the U.S. If Ontario were a country, we would be the U.S.’s third largest trading partner

  •  Two-way trade between Ontario and the U.S. totalled CAD $391 billion in 2021, accounting for over 50 per cent of the total merchandise trade between Canada and the U.S.

  • Nearly one in five Ontario jobs depend on trade, and approximately $400 billion CAD in merchandise trade travels across the U.S. and Canadian border in Ontario every year.

  • Ontario is the #1 trading partner with 19 states and the 2nd largest trading partner with nine others. 

  • The U.S. and Ontario supply chains are highly integrated, with more than a quarter of Ontario’s exports to the U.S. containing American import content. 

  • Ontario accounts for 38 per cent of Canada’s economy, with a market of almost 15 million potential customers. 

  • The Ontario and U.S. automotive sectors are very strongly integrated. Ontario is the largest export market for both American assembled vehicles and vehicle parts. In 2018, Ontario-U.S. two-way automotive trade was CAD$134 billion.  

  • Ontario is North America’s second largest financial services hub after New York City in terms of industry employment. Major financial institutions and insurance companies have significant operations on both sides of the border. 

  • The U.S. and Ontario steel sectors and manufacturing supply chains are highly integrated. The U.S. accounted for 95 per cent (CAD$5.8 billion) of Ontario steel exports, while imports from the U.S. totaled CAD$4.7 billion in 2018.

  • About 80 per cent of Ontario chemicals exports go to the U.S., and a large portion of chemical manufacturers have connected operations across both jurisdictions


    Ontario - California

  • California two-way trade with Ontario: US$27.1 billion (2020)

  • California exports to Ontario: US$6 billion (2020)

  • In 2020, California ranked #3 in greenfield FDI to Ontario and #3 in FDI from Ontario with a total investment of CAD$1,220.1M and CAD$159.9M, respectively. 

  • Among the States in the US, California ranks #2 in exports and has 17.5 % share of the province's total exports. It also ranks #7 in imports and has 4.5% share of the province's total imports.

  • California-Ontario highly integrated industries: Automotive, ICT, Film & Television, Cleantech, Biotech

  • Ontario’s #1 export to California is autos, which accounts for 82% of all exports from Ontario to California.

  • Canada is the second largest global trading partner for California, behind Mexico and just ahead of China. 

  • There are at least 138 known Ontario-owned companies operating in the California

  • There are at least 300 known California-owned businesses operating in Ontario.


    Ontario – New York

  • We have 500 Ontario-owned companies operating in the Northeast that employ thousands of Americans. We export more to the region than to the UK, China and Mexico combined.

  • In 2021, Ontario exports to Northeastern U.S. states totaled $30 billion USD.

  • 690 Canadian-owned businesses employ 49,683 workers in New York

  • In 2021, New York ranked #5 in greenfield FDI to Ontario and #1 in FDI from Ontario with a total investment of CAD $346.5M and CAD$1,303.8M, respectively 

  • In New York there are 500,874 jobs supported by trade and investment with Canada

  • In 2021, Ontario and New York total trade was valued at CAD$34,111.3M.

  • Ontario’s exports to New York totaled CAD$13,636.7M with imports from New York at CAD$20,474.7M

  • Of all the US states, New York ranks #3 in terms of exports from Ontario (accounting for 7.0% of the province’s exports from the US). It ranks #2 for imports from the US to Ontario (with a 10.4% share of the total imports from the US).

  • There are at least 207 known Ontario-owned companies operating in New York and at least 300 known New York-owned businesses operating in Ontario.

  • The Peace Bridge (Buffalo, NY – Fort Erie, ON) is the second busiest border crossing between the United States and Canada. USD $40 billion in trade crosses the Peace Bridge every year. Pre-pandemic, over 5 million autos (cars, trucks, buses) crossed the bridge yearly.

  • Ontario’s top exports to New York include gold, precious metals, coins, auto and electrical energy.

  • Ontario’s top imports from New York include postal services, silver, aluminum plates, petroleum gases, and precious metals