View From CanadaRegional Responses to Global

Challenges

Thomas TownsendExecutive Head, Policy Research Initiative

Conference on Regional Governance in a Global ContextCharlemagne Building, Brussels, May 11-12, 2009

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Regional Responses to Global Challenges

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• United States takes 3/4 of Canada's exports, and supplies 2/3 of Canada’s imports 

• About €450 billion (US$550 billion) in cross-border goods and services (2008)

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Pacific North West

Great Plains Great Lakes

These Regional Links Reflect Shared Geography

Atlantic Coast

Quebec-NY & Northern

New England

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The Economy

Trade levelTrade growthTrade breadthTrade dependency

Culture and Values

Organizations

IntergovernmentalSingle-purposeGeneral-purpose

CivilCities

Strong

Significant

Weak

East

NB NS PE NL

Atlantica

QC

Quebec

ON

Great Lakes -

Heartland

AB SK MB

Prairies -Great Plains

BC AB

West

Cross-Border Regional Links

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General Purpose Intergovernmental

Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER)

Eastern Regional Conference

Council of State Governments - Midwest

Council of State Governments - West

Western Governors Association

NEG-ECP

General Purpose Intergovernmental

Montana Alberta Bilateral Advisory Council (MABAC)

MOU

MOU – Alberta & Idaho

MOU – Ontario & New YorkMOU – Ontario & MichiganMOU – Manitoba & Minnesota

MOU – Quebec & VermontMOU – Quebec & New York

MOU

Single Purpose Intergovernmental(Environmental Focus)

Gulf of Maine Council on Marine Env.

Great Lakes Commission

Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Red River Basin Commission

British Columbia / Washington Environmental Cooperation Council

St. Croix International Waterway Commission

International Souris River Board

Single Purpose Intergovernmental (Environmental Focus)

Cities and Cross-Border

International Association of Great Lakes

and St. Lawrence Mayors

Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Cities Initiative

Cascadia Mayors Council

Buffalo & Niagara

Toronto & Chicago

Toronto & Indianapolis

Quebec City & Albany

Vancouver & Seattle

Cities and Cross-Border Organizations

Civil

New England – Canada Business Council

Quebec – NY Trade Corridor Initiative

Council of Great Lakes Industries

Pacific Corridor Enterprise Council

Atlantic Salmon Federation

Great Lakes Environmental Directory

Discovery Institute Atlantic Institute forMarket Studies

Northern Great Plains Inc.

Civil

Cross-border Networks

Single Purpose Intergovernmental(Infrastructure Focus)

Calais / St. Stephen

Champlain / Lacolle Port of Excellence

Coutts / Sweet Grass

International Mobility and Trade Corridor

Single Purpose Intergovernmental (Infrastructure Focus)

What does this mean?

• Regional growth and prosperity increasingly connected to regional cross-border dynamics

• Key questions at the regional-level:

– Are regional industries that are integrated across borders more vulnerable or more resilient to global events?

– Because of the global crisis, will regional cross-border value chains and arrangements be reshaped?

– How?

• Current federal instruments and institutional arrangements geared to uniformity and consistency

• However, “one size may not fit all”

• Coherence over consistency

• Implications for Canada?

What does this meanfor Regional Governance?

Further information

Thomas TownsendExecutive Head, Policy Research Initiative

T.Townsend@prs-srp.gc.ca(613) 992-8059

www.policyresearch.ca

View From CanadaRegional Responses to Global

Challenges

Thomas TownsendExecutive Head, Policy Research Initiative

Conference on Regional Governance in a Global ContextCharlemagne Building, Brussels, May 11-12, 2009