How Much In Funding?

To help further growth in the Canadian recreational boating industry, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Canada announced it received $114,773 in funding from Global Affairs Canada through its Global Opportunities for Associations (GOA) program. The funding will support the efforts of Canadian recreational marine manufacturers to expand their business into new markets through opportunities at the 2018 Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS), 2018 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), and 2018 Sydney International Boat Show.

The funding will help support up to 13 Canadian companies that would like to exhibit at METS in Amsterdam November 13-15, 2018. METS is the world’s biggest and most visited B2B leisure marine equipment show with 16,000+ attendees and more than 1,500 exhibiting companies. The show provides an ideal opportunity for Canadian manufacturers to build business relationships overseas and increase exports.

The funding will also help to support up to nine Canadian companies that would like to exhibit at IBEX in Tampa, FL October 2-4, 2018. The event – the largest marine trade event in North America – provides Canadian manufacturers the opportunity to meet face-to-face with more than 5,000 marine industry professionals from more than 50 countries. Five Canadian companies had the opportunity to attend the Sydney International Boat Show from August 2-6, 2018 through the GOA program. Two of those companies exhibited at the show. The Sydney International Boat Show is considered Australia's biggest boat show. The 2018 show had 65,000 visitors, with more than 250 exhibitors and over 1,000 boats on display.

“NMMA Canada is thrilled to once again receive funding from Global Affairs Canada, which will open doors for our Canadian manufacturers through three of the largest and most influential trade and consumer marine events in the world. The industry appreciates the support the federal government has given to further the success of recreational marine manufacturing in Canada,” said Sara Anghel, president of NMMA Canada. “METS and IBEX continue to be great places for Canadian marine companies to build new business around the world, and this funding will give more manufacturers the opportunity to exhibit at the show this year, expanding Canadian presence. We also look forward to sending companies to the Sydney International Boat Show, which has great market potential for Canadian manufacturers.”

The funding contribution comes from Global Affairs Canada and their Global Opportunities for Associations (GOA) program, which aims to provide opportunities for Canadian manufacturers to pursue business opportunities outside of Canada. GOA provides assistance across a wide range of sectors of the Canadian economy and matches funding of up to 50 percent of eligible expenses to support national associations for the benefit of the entire industry. NMMA Canada has now received more than $280,000 in GOA funding over the past six years to support Canadian marine manufacturers and their international pursuits.