Canadian diplomat in city to build business ties with Sheffield again

Aaron Rosland, based at the Canadian Embassy in London, was in the city to build relationships with local firms and promote Ontario as a place to do business.

He attended a ‘Year of Making’ event with city council leader John Mothersole, former Master Cutler Neil McDonald, managing partner of Grant Thornton Paul Houghton and export supremo William Beckett and hosted by DLA Piper.

It followed his visit in July with the mayor of Greater Sudbury in northern Ontario.

Mr Rosland said after that event he had been contacted by three Sheffield firms interested in exporting.

He added: “In Canada, there is increasing awareness of opportunities in the Northern Powerhouse. This is my third visit in a year, there is strong interest in developing relationships in Ontario.”

The province was a good place for Sheffield firms to expand into due to its size - 40 per cent of the Canadian population and 40 per cent of GDP - and the familiarity of its language and legal systems to the British. It also offered a springboard into the US via the NAFTA free trade agreement, he added.

Ontario will pay 50 per cent of the costs of an export manager.