The City of Barrie wrapped up a 4-day trade mission in Germany Friday, aimed at strengthening economic ties and maintaining the long-standing relations with Zweibrücken, Barrie’s sister city.
The delegation included Mayor Nuttall, Deputy Mayor Thomson, Councillor and IRC Chair Councillor Harris, local Barrie businesses, International Relations Committee members and Invest Barrie staff.
“There are too many folks leaving Barrie to work in Toronto each day and in order to balance the quality of life in our community, we need more jobs here,” said Mayor Alex Nuttall. “This week, business leaders, municipal leaders and international relations committee members travelled to Germany seeking new investment from advanced manufacturers in Germany.
"Our relationship with German manufacturers are tried and true with the success stories of Hörmann and SBS Drivetec, alongside the local success story of Napoleon. Our hope is to continue to expand the advanced manufacturing sector in Barrie and continue the work of attracting business to our community that began under the tenure of our first mayor Willard Kinzie."
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This trade and investment mission aimed to strengthen existing relationships with economic partners, identify trade opportunities and attract new investments in key sectors such as automotive, and advanced manufacturing and serves as a follow-up to a delegation from Germany that visited in October 2023.
“This trip is crucial for maintaining partnerships with cities like Zweibrücken and companies like the Burger Group, which operates in both Germany and Barrie,” added Nuttall. “Strengthening these partnerships and exploring new opportunities for local businesses drives economic growth.
Barrie’s German-owned SBS Drivetec (Burger Group) assisted the delegation by facilitating introductions and organizing company tours to maximize valuable connections and opportunities. With over one hundred Baden-Württemberg companies investing in Ontario and many Ontario companies investing in Germany, the mission will help foster further relationships and enhance economic collaboration.
“We are pleased to be supporting the City’s delegation into the Black Forest Region and serve as an ambassador for doing business in Barrie,” said Fabian Burger, Managing Director and CEO of Burger Group.
Mark Schick, CEO of Advanced Motion & Controls Ltd. was also part of the delegation.
“This year's Trade Mission is the most informative, relevant and on-point that I have participated in,” said Schick.
“City Staff and Council have delivered our message that Barrie is open for growth in the Industrial/Manufacturing Sector. Our company will have many new opportunities should any of the factories we visited decide on Barrie as a prime location to grow their NAFTA/USMCA market share.”
Key Facts:
- Since 1997, Barrie and Zweibrücken have maintained a close sister-city relationship, fostering robust exchanges in culture, sports, tourism, and education. Many personnel from Base Borden, who served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, were stationed in Zweibrücken, deepening the connection between the two cities over the years.
- In 2021, two-way trade between Ontario and Germany reached $12.7 billion, with $18.2 billion in German direct investment in Canada and 260 German companies in Ontario.
- Baden-Württemberg, Germany’s third-largest economy with a GDP of $750 billion, is home to prominent multinationals like SAP, Daimler, and Porsche, with over 100 Baden-Württemberg companies having invested in Ontario.
