For the first time in more than 25 years, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador last year had more people moving in than moving out due to the wealth derived from newly discovered oil and natural gas reserves off its coast in the Atlantic Ocean.

If it were not for its strengthening economy, its capital, St. John’s, formerly the center of a diminished cod fishing industry, would seem an unlikely locale for this year’s Southeastern United States-Canadian Provinces Alliance.

But with last year’s budget surplus of more than $1.6 billion USD and a willingness to compete for “insourcing” and tourism business, the province extended the invitation to representatives of six Southeastern states including Alabama, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee as well as Georgia.

Newfoundland also is expected to sign an agreement with a consortium of oil companies including Exxon Mobil Corp. that is to pump an additional $8 billion USD into the province and help finance a wide array of infrastructure development.

Georgia has been a prime mover in fostering the alliance since it was first formed in 2007 in Montreal with seven Canadian provinces.

Gov. Sonny Perdue confirmed to GlobalAtlanta that he would be leading a Georgia delegation for the July 26-28 meeting, which the state is to co-host this year because it was held in Savannah last year.

But in the meantime, state officials both in Atlanta and Toronto have been laying the foundation for what is ultimately to be a business more than governmental alliance.

Although St. John’s population of less than 200,000 is expanding, it still has a way to catch up to Toronto’s more than 2.7 million. The province of Ontario where Toronto is located also has Canada’s leading manufacturing sector.

Maria Arbulu, managing director of Georgia’s office in Toronto, and Alice Carson, an international trade manager for the state who is based in Atlanta, are organizing matchmaking meetings for Georgia companies interested in first going to Toronto.

“We want them to make the most of their trip to Newfoundland,” Ms. Carson said on a conference call including Ms. Arbulu in Toronto on July 1, Canada National Day. “We really are looking for companies that already are exporting to Canada.”

“We always encourage companies to try Canada first before going halfway around the world,” Ms. Arbulu added, saying that this visit would be an opportunity to discuss the possibility of forming a partnership with a Canadian company or sealing a business relationship.

While several hundred government officials and businesspeople are expected in St. John’s, the delegation going to Toronto is small.

It currently includes representatives from Conarc Inc., a software developer; Georgia Hydraulics Inc., a cylinder manufacturer; Osborne Wood Products Inc., a supplier of custom wood turnings and the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority representing Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade and Walker counties.

To learn more about the alliance or how to register for the matchmaking meetings in Toronto, call Ms. Carson at acarson@georgia.org or call (678) 640-4365.

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