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Home , Faroe Islands, Nordic countries

Nordics - Alberta Relations

This map is a generalized illustration only and is not intended to be used for reference purposes. The representation of political boundaries does not necessarily reflect the position of the of Alberta on international issues of recognition, sovereignty or jurisdiction.

PROFILE NORDICS OVERVIEW . Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are the working of official Nordic co- Capital: ( and . The Nordic are a geographical and operation. Council of Ministers Headquarters) cultural in Northern and the Northern Atlantic and include , : 26.7 million (2016) TRADE AND INVESTMENT , , and , plus Languages: Danish, Faroese, Finnish, the associated of , the . The Nordic region is the world’s eleventh Greenlandic, Icelandic, Norwegian, Sami and and the Åland Islands. largest economy. Swedish . The Nordic Council is a geo-political inter- . From 2012 to 2016, Alberta’s goods to Secretary-General of the Nordic Council: Britt parliamentary forum for co-operation between the Nordics averaged CAD $98.1 million per Bohlin Olsson (since 2014) the . It consists of 87 year. Top exports included machinery (CAD $31.6 million), nickel (CAD $12.5 million), President of the Nordic Council: Britt Lundberg representatives, elected from its members’ (elected for the year of 2017) . plastic (CAD $11.3 million), and food waste and animal feed (CAD $10.8 million). The Vice President of the Nordic Council: Juho . Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and figures do not include trade in services Eerola (elected for the year of 2017) Sweden have been full members of the Nordic (e.g. tourism, architecture and engineering or Council of Ministers since 1971. information technology services). Secretary General of the Council of Ministers: Dagfinn Høybråten (since 2013) . Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Åland are . From 2012 to 2016, Alberta’s direct imports Presidency of the Council Ministers: Denmark considered associate countries but have had from the Nordics averaged CAD $213.0 million (for the year of 2017) increased representation with the Nordic per year, including machinery (CAD $67.2 Council since the adoption of the Åland million), electrical machinery (CAD $41.7 GDP: USD $1.45 trillion (2016) Document in 2007. They can choose to adopt million), optical, medical and other measuring GDP (PPP): 1.117 trillion current international decisions made in the Nordic Council of instruments (CAD $16.8 million), and mineral dollars (2017 estimate) Ministers as permitted by their agreements on fuel and oil (CAD $13.6 million). This figure autonomy. does not include goods sold in Alberta that GDP Per Capita (PPP): 52,688 current arrived via distribution hubs in other provinces. international dollars (2017 estimate) . The Council holds ordinary sessions each year in October/November and one additional . Canadian foreign direct investment stocks in GDP Growth Rate: 3.6 per cent (2016) session per year with a unique theme. the Nordics reached CAD $6.2 billion in 2016. Sources: , Nordic Cooperation Investment from the Nordics in during . The Nordic Council is involved in various the same year was CAD $7.4 billion. forms of cooperation with neighboring areas, especially with the and . The total land area of the Nordic region is 3.43 million km², making it the seventh largest region in the world. Uninhabitable icecaps and comprise about half of this area.

November 2017 | Input provided by Alberta Ministries of: Advanced Education, and Forestry, and Tourism, Economic Development and Trade, Education, Energy, and Labour

. Canada and the Nordics enjoy a strong . Norway and, to some degree, Denmark are . The five Nordic countries of Denmark, commercial relationship with growing trade oil and gas exporters. Norway produces over Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have flows, two-way investment levels, innovation 60 per cent than its domestic demand while announced ambitious goals towards and technology cooperation. Denmark produces approximately 50 per decarbonizing their energy systems by 2050, cent more than it requires. while contributing to European de- . In 2016, total exports from the Nordic Region carbonization through the export of clean to international markets were approximately . Norway’s oil production increased in 2015, electricity. The 2016 Nordic edition of the €86.1 billion. This was mostly driven by but new investment is declining. Statoil, IEA's Energy Technology Perspectives Sweden (€126 billion), Denmark (€86 billion) Norway’s state owned enterprise, has cut reveals that a near carbon-neutral energy and Norway (€80 billion). costs (capital expenditures) in the wake of system will require a dramatic restructuring current oil prices. of the transport sector, accelerated . Petroleum and petroleum products were the innovation to reduce industrial emissions, largest exports in 2016, totaling €37.4 billion in . Finland, Iceland and Sweden lack domestic and greater flexibility in the energy system to 2016. This was followed by chemical products sources of fossil energy and must import handle higher shares of variable renewables. (€23.3 billion), road vehicles (€21.6 billion), substantial amounts of petroleum, natural and medical and pharmaceutical products gas, and other energy resources. EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES (€21.2 billion). . Nordic electricity, already 87 per cent . Opportunities for cooperation between . Total imports for the region in 2015 reached carbon-free, is largely generated from Canada and the Nordics include research in €330 billion. Top imports included road renewables. Hydropower is widely used in forestry, advanced materials, genomics and vehicles (€31.2 billion), chemical products Norway, which also has a growing share of pharmaceuticals, information technology, (€27.5 billion) and manufactured articles wind power. Geothermal heat and power environmental and studies. (€25.2 million). production is the most important energy source in Iceland. . The Nordic region’s excellence in the field of . is the Nordic’s largest trading research and development (R&D) adds to its partner, with the total value of imports and . Nordic CO2 emissions per unit of electricity appeal as a business location. With clusters exports in 2016 of €104.2 billion. The second produced were one-fifth of the global of established research facilities and a highly largest was the (€48.5 billion), average in 2016. skilled labour force, this region remains an followed by the (€47.8 billion) attractive location for firms engaged in high- . A World Energy Council’s Energy and Sweden (€47.1 billion). tech businesses requiring considerable Sustainability Index that assesses investment in R&D. . During the same year, Canada was the 28th energy security, energy equity, largest trading partner for the region, importing environmental sustainability and . On average, the five full members of the and exporting a total €5.2 billion in goods. policies ranks Sweden, Norway, Denmark Nordic council spent 2.7 per cent of GDP on and Finland as world’s second, third, fifth and R&D in science and technology. ENERGY eighth performer respectively. These are world’s best environmental performers. . Digital Industries: The Nordics is one of the . The most important energy sources in the most advanced in the world in terms of Nordic countries in order of importance are: . Nordic energy co-operation has been its telecommunications and Internet oil, solid fuels (e.g. coal and wood), nuclear growing in recent years and is a key priority infrastructure and usage. Countries in this power, hydro, geothermal, solar power, and for the Nordic Council. region are consistently ranking among the gas. leading countries in terms of mobile phone, . Norway’s Sovereign Fund – Norway’s personal computer, Internet and broadband . Over a third of the Nordic region’s total Government Pension Fund (the world’s penetration. energy supply comes from renewable largest institutional investor) – is a leading sources. The largest of these is biomass and institution to include climate change . Internet and broadband access in households waste, which are used to generate electricity, considerations as an investment risk to their for five full member countries of the Nordics heat and transport fuels in Sweden, Finland long term portfolio. was 94.4 per cent in 2016. This is higher than and Denmark. the EU28 average of 85 per cent. Ninety-three

per cent of the population uses the internet at . Norway, Finland and Sweden have relatively , as well as Arctic of Norway least once a week, higher than that EU28 small proportion of agricultural land (3 - 8 per and the Norwegian University of Science and average of 79 per cent. cent) compared to total land , Technology. Denmark is one of the most intensely . With high rates of clean energy from reliable cultivated countries in the world, with a share . The U of C has exchange programs with power sources, combined with a highly of 62 per cent. numerous Nordic , including , educated workforce and cool climate, the , Norwegian School of Sports Nordics are an ideal location for world class . There is a common trend among the Nordics Science, Orebro, , Umea, Copenhagen, data centers. of declining beef production, which may Copenhagen Business School, , Aalto, give rise to an increased reliance on beef and . . Life Sciences: The Nordic market is attractive imports. On the other hand, most countries in for the life sciences sector for a number of the region have experienced an increase in . Alberta Advanced Education supports the reasons, including its well-developed pork and poultry production. Campus Alberta Grant for International infrastructure, high degree of education, high Learning (CAGFIL) program enabling post- innovation rates and established data . In Finland and Norway, the general pattern is secondary institutions to develop study and registries. for fewer, scattered farms as a result of research collaboration involving the Nordics. variations in climatic and natural conditions IMMIGRATION AND COMMUNITY . In terms of revenues, the pharmaceutical which pose challenges to agricultural industry is dominating within the Nordics, machinery. On the other hand, agricultural . Between 2012 and 2016, 345 citizens of the followed by medical technology and then activity in Sweden and Finland are on the five full member Nordic countries became biotech a distant third place. Revenues for where farms normally specialize in Permanent Residents of Canada, with Alberta biotechnology amounted to €3.09 billion in crop production or animal husbandry. as their intended destination. Approximately 50 2013, whereas €7.30 billion was generated per cent were economic immigrants, including from medical technology products. . Finland and Sweden lead the Nordic principal applicants, spouses, and dependents. countries in lumber exports. Lumber . Life Sciences clusters are strongly associated production in the Nordic countries increased . Between 2012 and 2016, 184 citizens of the with geographical areas close to the capitals of faster than other countries in Europe, with five full member Nordic countries had Sweden (), Denmark (Copenhagen), Finland increasing production by 21 per cent Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) Norway (Oslo) and Finland (Helsinki). between 2012 and 2016. In 2017, Sweden work permits come into effect for Alberta. increased exports of lumber by 20 per cent to . The Nordic countries have established a China. Alberta wood product exports to the RECENT VISITS strong position in Europe in terms of eHealth Nordic countries are negligible. deployment in technical and clinical . 2016: Her Excellency, Anne Kari applications. Electronic Health Records EDUCATION Ovind, Ambassador of the Kingdom systems are almost standard in all countries of Norway made an official visit to Alberta. and ePrescriptions are more widespread in . Between 2012 and 2016, 279 citizens of the Nordic hospitals than in other European five full member Nordic countries had . November 2015: Ambassadors from the countries. international study permits come into effect for Nordic countries were in Alberta as part of a Alberta. Nordic Baltic Joint Heads of Mission visit. . Digitalization and new information technologies drive the trend of increased focus . The University of Alberta (U of A) is a leader . 2015: Alberta Education hosted a on health outcomes and patient centricity. Big in Nordic Studies with its Canadian Initiative delegation that included the for data-driven analytics, information-leveraging for Nordic Studies. The U of A offers courses Upper Secondary School, technologies, personalized medicine and on mythology and legends from the Viking and Training, the Swedish Ambassador to orphan drugs are examples of a growing period, Old , and the experience Canada, and members of the Swedish eHealth environment. of Icelandic and other Scandinavian education ministry. immigrants in Canada. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY . March 2012: Finland’s Minister of Economic . The University of Calgary (U of C) houses the Affairs led a delegation to Alberta. . In 2016, Alberta’s agriculture exports to the Arctic Institute of , a multi- Nordics were CAD $21.3 million. This was disciplinary research institute for the study the . March 2012: A delegation of 13 mostly made up of prepared animal feed. North American and circumpolar Arctic in the parliamentarians and officials, which included areas of natural science, social science, arts Her Excellency Else Berit Eikeland, the . In 2016, Alberta’s agriculture imports from and humanities. Ambassador of Norway, visited Alberta. the Nordics averaged CAD $13.1 million, During this trip they met with the Alberta with the majority of imports being beverages. . The CaNoSat research, training and Ministers of Environment and Sustainable technology initiative, sponsored by the . A free trade agreement between Canada and Resource Development, Finance and Norwegian Space Centre and Canadian Space The European Free Trade Association Justice. Agency, includes development of a ten year (Iceland, , Norway and mission-based student satellite program with a ) came into force on 2, 2009. launch every two years, and development of a This reduced tariffs on a wide-range of joint master’s degree between the Universities processed foods exported to these countries. of Calgary, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Oslo, and

For more information, contact: Alberta Economic Development and Trade Phone: 780-427-6543 Fax: 780-427-0699 albertacanada.com international.alberta.ca