Shipping up to Boston: N.L. opening trade office in Massachussetts

Newfoundland and Labrador is dropping anchor and opening shop in Boston.

On a trade mission to the Massachusetts state capital this week, Premier Andrew Furey announced the province would be opening its first international trade office in the city.

Furey said the province and Boston have connections in the seafood and marine industries, and across the biotechnology and energy sectors.

"It's important to have a presence in the United States right now," he said.

Furey said there are companies in Boston involved in wind projects and biotechnology that are looking for partners, research and product development. With Boston's proximity to Washington, D.C., and New York, Furey said it made sense to open an office across the border.

"This is an investment in effort to ensure that businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador are able to unlock their full potential in what is the biggest market in the world," he said.

He says Newfoundland and Labrador has a lot to offer but the province needs to have boots on the ground.

"Not everybody with capital or products or sales force is sitting around Googling the potential of Newfoundland and Labrador," Furey said. "You have to be in front of these people in order for them to fully appreciate the opportunities we already know that we have."

For example, Furey said the Massachusetts Maritime Academy could learn a lot from Memorial University's Marine Institute.

"Our Marine Institute, we can put them to shame. There's a lot of synergies there and they have a pretty interesting-looking facility, but the content, they could learn a lot from us," he said.

The province is sharing an office space with Global Affairs, part of the Canadian consulate.

The desk will share resources with the federal government but it will be independent from their affairs.

The province will hire someone at an assistant deputy minister level to run the office.

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