September 30, 2005
Vancouver, British Columbia
BACKGROUNDER
The Canada-Mexico Partnership (CMP) was launched on October 24, 2004, within the context of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Mexico and the 10th anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
The main purpose of the Partnership is to enhance the strategic relationship between the two countries and to further cooperation in a broad range of areas. These include bilateral investment, public–private sector partnerships, business-to-business links, good governance practices, education, institutional reforms and citizen-focused government. It will also provide Canadian businesses with many new commercial opportunities in Mexico.
To accomplish this, three working groups were formed on urban development and housing, human capital and competitiveness. Recently a fourth working group on agribusiness was created.
Urban Development and Housing – Housing
Co-chaired by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and the Mexican National Housing Promotion Commission (CONAFOVI). This working group aims to raise living standards in Mexico through technological innovation, the issuing of quality norms and standards, financing analysis, training and information exchange. The group will also encourage Mexican authorities and developers to adopt standards and practices for enhancing energy efficiency and water and wastewater management.
Urban Development and Housing - Sustainable Cities:
Co-chaired by the Sustainable Cities Initiative (SCI) of Industry Canada and the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). This working group seeks to enhance collaboration between Canadian and Mexican stakeholders on issues such as energy, waste management, water management, tourism, strategic urban planning, geographic information systems, site remediation, economic development, transportation and housing.
Human Capital
Co-chaired by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and Foreign Affairs Canada (FAC), the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) and the Mexican National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education (ANUIES). This working group’s key objectives are to increase student mobility; enhance academic partnerships; and cooperate in research.
Competitiveness
Co-chaired by the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) and International Trade Canada on the Canadian side and by the Business Coordinating Council (CCE) and the Presidential Office for Public Policy on the Mexican side. This working group is looking for ways to further strengthen their competitiveness, both at a national level and within the North American context.
RESULTS
In the last year, visits, dialogue and exchange of information initiated by the working groups have produced a number of concrete results:
Urban Development and Housing – Housing
• a matrix of housing technologies, prepared with Mexican developer input, has successfully identified promising Canadian technologies for the Mexican market
• an intranet site to share information on best practices, on products and systems in sustainable housing, on pilot housing projects, on Mexican and Canadian technologies, and on norms and standards.
Urban Development and Housing - Sustainable Cities
Canadian and Mexican funding has been announced for a number of initiatives including:
• C$350,000 committed by the Canadian International Development Agency’s Industrial Cooperation Program (CIDA-INC) committed for a feasibility study to be completed in the fall of 2005 on transforming a waste dump into a green energy facility.
• C$1.12 million has been announced by three levels of government in Mexico for the remediation of La Escondida lake in the city of Reynosa.
• C$600,000 committed by Canadian partners, including the private sector and CIDA-INC, to the bulk water supply project in the Lower Rio Bravo basin.
• C$600,000 committed by the water utilities of Reynosa and Matamoros to match Canadian funding to complete the engineering work on the bulk water project.
Human Capital
• A mapping study of existing mechanisms and programs for student mobility, joint research and academic partnerships between Canada and Mexico has been completed.
• AUCC and ANUIES have agreed to renew their memorandum of understanding to continue to promote academic cooperation between Canada and Mexico. The renewed agreement focuses on supporting the objectives of the CMP and the Working Group on Human Capital, and on promoting existing and new initiatives for student mobility, academic partnerships and research collaboration to AUCC’s 91 Canadian member universities and ANUIES’ 139 Mexican member universities.
Competitiveness
• The Canadian Council of Chief Executives and the Mexican Business Coordinating Council are finalizing a Joint Memorandum on Corporate Governance Best Practices, which incorporates the CCCE list of Canadian best practices.
• Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (COMCE) and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico have committed to the first pilot promotion event on trade and investment opportunities between Canada and Mexico, slated for Guanajuato, Mexico, on October 25, 2005. This event could lead to a series of targeted trade promotion activities, under the auspices of the CMP, to further engage Canadian and Mexican companies.
A list of the members of the working groups is available on the Foreign Affairs Canada Web site at: http://fac-aec.gc.ca/cmp_list-en.asp or at International Trade Canada’s Web site at: http://itcan-cican.gc.ca/cmp_list-en.asp
Mexico-Canada Joint Statement
Return to regular web page:
http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/default.asp?Language=E&Page=archivemartin&Sub=newscommuniques&Doc=news_release_20050930_598_e.htm