US Pacific Northwest – Alberta Relations

PROFILE GDP: Approximately US$ 1.11 trillion (2007) Alberta’s emphasis on the Pacific (including provinces and states) Northwest region is due to multiple Capitals: factors: proximity; historical ties; similar Juneau (Alaska) Real GDP Per Capita: Approximately consumer tastes and preferences; affluent Boise (Idaho) US$ 34,191 (2007) consumer base; opportunities for Helena (Montana) (including provinces and states) specialty/niche products; significant Salem (Oregon) growth; trade dependency of these states; Olympia (Washington) Key Industry Sectors: Oil & natural gas, established cost competitive transportation agriculture, forestry, tourism, high networks; and the NAFTA advantage with Regional Population: 22.2 million technology and mining. the US. (2007)

(including provinces and states) With a population of approximately 13.4 RELATIONSHIP OVERVIEW million, the US Pacific Northwest states are Governors: both an end market for Alberta primary Sarah Palin (R-Alaska) Alberta has signed Memorandums of and value-added products, and a gateway Butch Otter (R-Idaho) Understanding (MOUs) on Cooperation to other markets, including California, Brian Schweitzer (D-Montana) with Montana, Idaho and Alaska. Both Mexico and the Pacific Rim. Ted Kulongoski (D-Oregon) Alberta and Washington have sister Christine Gregoire (D-Washington) state relationships with Jalisco, Mexico.

Input was provided from the departments of: Advanced Education & Technology , Agricul ture & Rural Development , Education and Energy June 2009 Alberta's Exports to PNWER States Alberta's Exports to PNWER States (1999-2008) (2004-2008 Average) 16000 14702.380 Oil (not Crude) Wood/Woodpulp 14000 Crude Oil 2% 3% 12000 36% 10000 Inorganic 8000 Chemicals 1% 6000 Fertilizers

$ CDN Millions $ 4000 Other 2% 2000 7% 0 Petroleum/ 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Gases 49%

* Note : Natural gas that i s later sent to the California market accounts for approxima tely $4 billion of Alberta’s annual exports to PNWER.

Pacific Northwest Economic TRANSPORTATION & BORDER EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES Region (PNWER) CROSSINGS Alberta, B.C., Idaho and Washington PNWER is a regional forum that Alberta works with its state partners endorsed a proposal championed by the brings together legislative, to advance CANAMEX, a seamless Association of Professional Engineers, government and private sector trade and transportation corridor that Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta leaders from across the Pacific will run from Alaska, through Yukon, at PNWER's 2004 Annual Meeting that Northwest. B.C., Alberta, Montana, Idaho, Utah, will help enable qualified engineers and and Nevada to Mexico. geoscientists to practice in outside PNWER promotes greater regional jurisdictions. cooperation between governments States and provinces in the region and business to enhance the support the Canada-US Shared Border Computer software: the Pacific Northwest region's global competitiveness and Accord, streamlining of border offers great opportunities for networking was created in 1991 by legislation operations, and development of joint and communications, multi-media games passed in each of the member customs and immigration facilities. and entertainment, education software, jurisdictions (Alaska, Alberta, British and financial and general business Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Intelligent Transportation Systems, applications. Washington, and Yukon). Joint Use Vehicle Inspection Station (JUVIS), joint permitting of trucks and Increasing energy demand will bring Saskatchewan joined PNWER in May planning for intermodal transportation growing needs for engineering services 2008. are areas of cooperation between such as drilling. states and provinces in the region. Agricultural products, environmental and The Pacific Northwest states oppose forestry products and practices, energy, TRADE AND INVESTMENT entry-exit measures that would education, and tourism are growing sectors. Alberta’s total exports to the Pacific disrupt cross-border business travel. Northwest states amounted to Business opportunities also exist for nearly $14.6 billion in 2008. watershed management, cleaning up AGRICULTURE chemical emissions and improving the Alberta’s total imports from the recycling rate. Pacific Northwest states in 2008 The PNWER agriculture session is an totaled $1.12 billion, US main opportunity for Alberta to continue the imports include aircraft, iron and leadership it has assumed in steel, motor vehicles, and promoting agriculture dialogue and DID YOU KNOW? chemicals. cooperation. If it were a single country, the Pacific Alberta’s merchandise exports to the Oregon and Washington are both Northwest Economic Region would rank US have averaged $72 billion over important export markets and 11 th among the world’s industrial the last five years. alternate transportation routes for economies. exporting Alberta agricultural products Studies have indicated that attitudes and Annual two way Canada-US trade in to California, Mexico and the Pacific values of Albertans and residents of the the Pacific NorthWest region totals Rim. nearly $16 billion. Pacific Northwest have more in common Alberta agri-food exports to the with each other than with other regions ENERGY PNWER states totaled over $594 of their own countries. million in 2007. Alberta is working with PNWER to encourage new electricity Regional transboundary agricultural

transmission infrastructure that cooperation is an ongoing Alberta would allow export of cogeneration objective. Recent successes include electricity from Alberta oilsands. the Restricted Feeder Cattle Entry The PNWER region is a significant Program, numerous agricultural market for Alberta oil. conferences and cooperation on transportation. PNWER states provide an important market and conduit to California for Alberta natural gas.

REGIONAL COOPERATION RECENT VISITS DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION Pacific NorthWest Economic Region November 2008: PNWER Winter The Canadian Consulate General in (PNWER) Meeting in Whistler. Seattle serves Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Oregon. Mr. Peter Lloyd is Montana-Alberta Bilateral Advisory July 2008: PNWER Annual Meeting in the Consul General. Council (MABAC) Vancouver Mr. Dale Eisler is the Consul General Pacific Northwest Economic November 2007: PNWER Winter in Denver, whose jurisdiction covers Development Council Meeting in Whistler. Montana. Tri-National Agricultural Accord July 2007: PNWER Annual Meeting in Ms. Karen Matthias is the Canadian Anchorage. Western Premiers’ Consul in Anchorage. Conference/Western Governors May 2007: PNWER Executive Officers Association mission to Edmonton. Council of State Governments – July 2006: PNWER Summer Meeting in West Edmonton. Western Association of State July 2005: 15 th PNWER Annual Summit Highway and Transportation Officials in Seattle. (WASHTO) January/February 2005: PNWER Western Interstate Energy Board Executive Officer Mission to Juneau, (WIEB) Alaska; Boise, Idaho; Olympia, Washington; Salem, Oregon; and Western Legislative Forestry Task Ottawa, Ontario. Force November 2004: PNWER Winter Meeting in Washington. July 2004: PNWER Annual Meeting in Victoria. November 2003: PNWER Winter Meeting in Portland, Oregon, focusing on electricity transmission needs. September 2003: Premier Klein met with Alaska’s Governor at Western Governors’ Association Annual Meeting in Big Sky. July 2003: PNWER Annual Meeting in Calgary. June 2003: 3 rd Montana-Alberta Agricultural Opportunities Conference in Great Falls, Montana.

For more information, contact: Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations Tel: (780) 427-6543 Fax: (780) 427-0699

E-mail: [email protected]