June 11, 2007

Cross border business guide to be updated

WENDY KUDEBA

Correspondent

OTTAWA

When it comes to complex issues like cross-border business, the Canadian Construction Association will look to those who know the subject best — its own members.

Members will be asked to contribute their experiences to the CCA’s International Business Committee, which is working on an update to the Guide to Doing Business in the U.S.

“We need to get the word out that we are looking for stories,” said Michael Atkinson, CCA president. He told committee members they will offer incentives, such as providing contributors with admission to a conference, in exchange for their stories about navigating the border crossing business.

Dee Miller, committee vice-chair, said there is great information on trade in general, but the construction industry needs something more specific to be useful. The guide addresses everything from the GST rules applied to equipment coming into the country to security considerations to dealing with immigration and business travel issues.

Atkinson suggests the most valuable chapter will be “lessons learned”, filled with anecdotal information using real-life examples.

He said no matter how diligent the committee is in cross-referencing other guides, and in the updates which will be provided by law firms, “there is always information which falls through the cracks unless people are sharing information back to us.”

Kent Peters, financial services manager with Export Development Canada, noted it is valuable to cross-reference elements of the guide to provide contact names and numbers for added resource and make it available online so links to other web-based resources could be provided.

Since current information is limited on just how many construction-related businesses are doing cross-border business, the committee will include survey questions on a document to be circulated by the Economic Development Committee.

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