The North Country Chamber of Commerce recently hosted an event that brought together transportation and aerospace equipment manufacturers and officials from New York and Canada to discuss cross-border initiatives.
The Quebec-New York Transportation Rendezvous is a day-long summit organized by the North American Center of Excellence for Transportation Equipment, a subsidiary of the North Country Chamber. Sessions included the future of transit from government’s perspective, advanced air mobility and the supply chain.
Chamber President Garry Douglas reports that 219 people attended. While most were from Quebec and New York, some traveled from across Canada and the U.S. Representatives of European transportation equipment companies also attended to assess the U.S. market.
“What we are hosting here is one of the transportation equipment and aerospace events of the year in North America,” Douglas asserted. “And they're all coming here to Plattsburgh to interact with each other do business. In addition to the 219 registrants we have here, we're doing a facilitated direct B2B (business-to-business) sessions for companies to actually matchmake and talking about how they can do business with each other. I can't stress enough how much this represents a continental recognition of the Plattsburgh area as a real important strategic hub for the transportation equipment and aerospace industries. We're all here and we're doing the things that we're doing here to sustain that sector. It’s not small time anymore. We've arrived at the big time officially with this event.”
Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal Robert P. Sanders was one of the keynote speakers. He said the regional transportation manufacturing cluster represents the dynamic nature of transportation technology, innovation and growth in the industry.
“North America is witnessing a surge of investment in the green transportation sector,” said Sanders. “Transportation companies in Quebec and New York are capitalizing on this sector to promote growth while improving public welfare. As friends and partners, we will combat the climate crisis by investing in clean energy technologies, sustainable mobility, intelligent transportation, and decarbonization in support of energy transition. Quebec promotes a steady increase in investments in sustainable mobility, including research and development in electric and hybrid vehicles. This presents numerous opportunities for business on both sides of the border.”
New York Deputy Secretary for Transportation Nivardo Lopez says the work being done in transportation and aerospace manufacturing in northern New York and Canada impacts infrastructure across the state.
“In the transportation space, we've never had a governor that has been so committed to making sure that we fund our transportation infrastructure effectively and appropriately,” Lopez said. “The work that we're doing here is not just important for today. It's not just important for maybe next week. But it's important for the future of our state and our partnership with our neighbors north. And I hope that when future generations study this period of time, they will take note of the work that we've done and appreciate it and tell the story of how we use transportation, how we use innovation, to bring communities together.”
Quebec Minister for the Economy Christopher Skeete outlined the province’s green initiatives, including those impacting the transportation sector.
“We have 13% of green tech for 1% population. We also want to go further,” Skeete said. “We've put in a mandate that says that by 2025 we're going to stop subsidizing non-zero emission buses. By 2030, we want to have two million electric vehicles on the road and by 2050 be the first truly carbon neutral state in North America. When we think about this green economy and the potential that it holds, it also means that we have to help each other out. Whether it be helping the United States decarbonize its public transit fleet, whether it be selling you electricity when you need it on demand, these are all things that we have to do and we have to consider.”
There are currently more than 50 transportation equipment and aerospace manufacturers in the seven-county North Country region.
