The full-house celebration at the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre recognized and celebrated the achievements of women in international trade.

Congratulations to our outstanding award winners and to all nominees for their continued dedicated work in international trade.

Student of International Trade Award – Oluwayomi Dime

Woman Exporter of the Year Award – Patra De Silva

Patra is the President of NHV Natural Pet Products, and exports veterinarian-formulated herbal supplements to 55 countries. The company has achieved export revenues of over ten million Canadian dollars. 

Patra has established B2B partnerships with distributors in key markets such as the USA, Japan, UK, France, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. She is the BC Chapter president of the International Women’s Forum, contributing to women’s leadership globally. NHV Natural Pet Products is based in Vancouver.

Excellence Award for Leadership in International Trade – Dr Wendy Cukier

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From left to right: Clare Barnett, Brampton Economic Development; Jessica Horwitz, Bennett Jones; Oluwayomi Dime, Centennial College; Patra De Silva, NHV Natural Pet Products; Dr. Wendy Cukier, WEKH; Shay Lowe, WEKH

About OWIT

The Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) is an international non-profit professional organization, with chapters around the world (www.owit.org), dedicated to advancing global trade opportunities for women. There are two Canadian chapters: Toronto (www.owit-toronto.ca) and Ottawa (www.owit-ottawa.ca).

In support of Small Business Week, OWIT-Toronto hosted a Fall networking events in October 18th in partnership with Entrepreneurs Point for OWIT-Toronto members and non-members. Co-President Audrey Ross and VP Events Aliaa Al Safarjlani organized and attended the event with our hosts at Entrepreneurs Point.

OWIT-Toronto is proud to recognize the achievements of women who, through their careers and personal commitments, foster international trade and the advancement of women in business. 

We are now accepting nominations for the 2023 Export Awards for:

- Excellence Award for Leadership in International Trade

- Woman Exporter of the Year

- Student of International Trade

Nominate your favourite leader, exporter and/or student here ! The deadline for nominations is Friday, November 3, 2023 at midnight.

We are excited to be hosting our Export Awards in person on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at the Ontario Investment and Trade Centre (OITC), 250 Yonge Street, Eaton Centre, Toronto, from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm.

Watch our Events Calendar for further details including our special guest speaker and registration.

Registration details will be available soon.

Please contact Helen Hemmingsen if you have any questions or need further information about the nominations for OWIT-Toronto's Export Awards.

Discover the power of B2BeeMatch new features Trade Missions and Events!

The Ontario Aerospace Council recently utilized the B2BeeMatch platform to coordinate a highly successful Paris Air Show 2023 at the prestigious 2023 Paris International Airshow. They efficiently managed the entire trade mission process, from creating the mission, sending out invitations, and sharing essential documents, to facilitating one-on-one meetings between participants and tracking attendance.

In another success story, NGen effectively utilized B2BeeMatch to establish connections between tech and manufacturing firms, fostering productive funding discussions and driving growth within the Electric Vehicle industry.

Are you planning your next event and in need of assistance? Look no further than B2BeeMatch - the ultimate platform for virtual, in-person, or hybrid events worldwide! For more information, please visit: http://www.b2beematch.com/enterprise.

What’s B2BeeMatch?

B2BeeMatch is an AI-driven business networking platform that helps businesses save time, money and effort. The platform facilitates tasks such as generating leads, meeting clients, hiring and offering professional services, outsourcing projects, finding partners, discovering opportunities, and attending industry events and trade missions.

OWIT-Toronto participated in a spring roundtable with Canada’s Consul General in Turkey, Tara Scheurwater. Organized by the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) and hosted by DMZ, the event highlighted the trade relationship between Canada and Turkey. Here is what the CG relayed about Turkey and about the opportunities there for Canadian exporters:  

- Canada’s office in Istanbul is trying hard to increase the relationship with Turkey.

- There is currently $4.4 billion of annual trade between our two countries, with a lot more that can be done. Canada’s exports to Turkey are mostly lentils and metal.

- Geographically, Turkey has a strategic location to the EU and Asia, and is also a G20 member.

- Sectors with good opportunities for Canadian exporters include agritech, cleantech, digital education, life sciences, mining, aerospace and infrastructure.

The Consul General encouraged the roundtable participants to let the Consulate know when visiting Turkey and other countries. They may want to put Canadian women exporters in front of young women to showcase successful role models.

On March 23, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), U.S. Commercial Service with Global Diversity Export Initiative and the International Trade Association, hosted Selling to Canada: Insights & Resources for Women Owned Small Businesses. OWIT VP International Susan Baka spoke on the panel to share resources in Canada like OWIT. Other panel members included Diane Farrell, U.S. Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade, who directs the International Trade Administration. Over 300 registrants helped launch the beginning of the relationship with the U.S. Federal government agencies focused on women and exporting.

Hello and welcome to the second edition of our newsletter this year. 

The first half of the year has been an eventful one for OWIT-Toronto with engagements across various sectors, thematic areas, and countries. An engaging Annual General Meeting ushered in new Board Members with tremendous credentials and a robust Strategy Meeting reinvigorated our work, expanding on our vision in light of the global economic outlook with a concrete forward look on advancing women in international trade. 

We are gearing up for the second half of the year and would like to take this opportunity to reflect on some of our accomplishments. 

• After a successful Annual General Meeting, we welcomed new Board Members, Clare Barnett as our VP Communications, Jessica Horwitz as our VP Legal and Secretary, and Myra Sable as one of our Directors. We also bid farewell to Aylin Lusi, one of our Directors who has been an integral part of our Board, supporting the success and visibility of OWIT-Toronto. To Aylin, we thank you wholeheartedly. 
  
• We were pleased to welcome the newest member of our Trade Policy Committee, Jessica Horwitz, to strengthen our work in supporting inclusive trade policy. 
  
• We rolled out key partnerships with Futurpreneur to champion the power of entrepreneurship in Canada and with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, CanCham Monterrey to advance international business success for women entrepreneurs, executives and service providers. 
  
• Our Board Members have been busy representing OWIT-Toronto on different platforms and in different countries, continuing to move the dial on advancing women in international trade.
• An inspiring Strategy Meeting set the tone for our work this year and for advancing our vision of promoting women doing business internationally and enhancing the status and interests of women in global trade.    
  

In this issue, you will hear more about our new partners, Futurpreneur and CanCham Monterrey, where we have been, what’s coming up and the impact of our engagements. You will get a glimpse of what it is like to be an OWIT-Toronto Board Member, as well as part of the OWIT-Toronto family. 

Looking forward, there is still so much work to be done. For the second quarter of 2023, there has been a prediction of a slowdown in global trade growth, pointing to recently downgraded world economic forecasts and factors such as persistent inflation, financial vulnerabilities, the war in Ukraine and geopolitical tensions.

With these challenges, our dedicated Board of women at OWIT-Toronto are ready to provide more insightful programming; educational talks and policy inputs to help women entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses to expand their global footprint. 

We would like to thank you all for your continued commitment and partnership. We believe that together we will achieve a greater impact. We look forward to seeing you at one of our events this year and please, do keep an eye out for all our upcoming events!

Audrey Ross

Co-President 

OWIT-TO’s Trade Policy Committee has completed two submissions to the federal government this year: one on Canada’s engagement in the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity (APEP) and a second one on Canada’s economic cooperation engagement with Africa. APEP will not include tariff reductions or new market access, but instead seeks standards and initiative-based commitments. It aims to enhance economic engagement, while supporting Canadian foreign policy priorities and contributing to other commitments.  The Canadian Government is also committed to facilitating increased and diversified trade and investment with African partners in line with Canada’s export diversification strategy.  

Our Committee also provided input for OWIT Ottawa President Nathalie Bradbury’s appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade in Ottawa on April 27, 2023, where she represented both chapters. 

Welcome to the newest member of our Trade Policy Committee, Jessica Horwitz of Bennett Jones.

During the celebration of International Women's Day, on March 9, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, Capituló Monterrey, held the Executive Leaders, Present and Future Forum, where Jorge A. Arrambide Montemayor, President of CanCham Monterrey, together with Alma Farias, Director of Organization of Women in International Trade - Toronto, signed a Collaboration Agreement to further the partnership of the two organizations. The Agreement will offer members additional contacts and information on CUSMA opportunities through our new partner CanCham Monterrey.

OWIT- Toronto is partnering with Futurpreneur to champion the power of entrepreneurship especially for female entrepreneurs kickstarting or looking to expand their businesses internationally. The partnership seeks to leverage existing resources to enhance international business education, mentorship and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs, professionals and trade experts within the context of Futurpreneur’s annual representation at the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance (G20 YEA).

Futurpreneur is the only national, non-profit organization that provides inclusive financing, mentoring and support tools to help diverse young aspiring entrepreneurs aged 18-39 launch, grow, and acquire successful businesses across Canada. Futurpreneur’s internationally recognized mentoring program hand-matches young entrepreneurs with a business expert from a network of more than 2,400 volunteer mentors, which OWIT-Toronto members can join.

Fostering the entrepreneurial passions of Canada’s young enterprise since 1996, Futurpreneur is also the co-founding member and Canadian representative of the G20 YEA. In advance of every G20 Leaders’ Summit, the G20 YEA brings together hundreds of the world’s top young entrepreneurs to advance youth entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth, innovation and social change. The Summit allows young entrepreneurs to become part of a network of champions for youth entrepreneurship, sharing ideas and proposing solutions on issues of importance while advancing their businesses’ international growth and exploring trade opportunities.

Speaking at the delegation briefing for the 47 bright and young entrepreneurs representing Canada as part of the G20 YEA summit delegation to New Delhi, India, Priti Ruparel, VP Membership of OWIT-Toronto, warmly welcomed this collaboration. “OWIT-Toronto is very pleased to partner with Futurpreneur to champion the entrepreneurship mindset of young Canadians. OWIT-Toronto offers an avenue for young entrepreneurs to network with like-minded successful and established entrepreneurs who can mentor and offer support in their business’ international growth”.  

Providing more practical insights in doing business with India and how to increase their businesses’ visibility, Anita Agrawal, business owner, Jewels 4 Ever, and OWIT-Toronto member and past President also discussed building relations with Indian stakeholders including the focus on cultural nuances and leveraging support from the Canadian trade office present in India. 

OWIT-Toronto’s partnership with Futurpreneur includes supporting G20 YEA Canadian delegation activities including delegation briefings, providing thought leadership and support for promoting inclusive trade. The partnership also provides the opportunity for the diverse Canadian G20 YEA to tap into OWIT-Toronto’s global networks, resources and export education to support their businesses going global. OWIT-Toronto and OWIT members can contact info@owit-toronto.ca to provide volunteer mentoring services to young diverse Canadian entrepreneurs and non-members can sign up to be part of a dynamic world-wide organization advancing women in international trade and take advantage of ongoing robust training offers.