These firms are scattered around the region geographically, but they are all interconnected.

The interconnectedness of firms in this industry can be seen through the ways in which they interact and support one another. In the export markets, the trade industry supports the resource extraction industries that are the backbone of the regional economy. Goods coming into port are cleared through customs by brokers, and shipped to the rest of Canada and to the U.S. via trucks and trains. For any given set of goods passing through the port, multiple companies are involved in the shipping or in the processing of the paperwork relating to the shipments. The government also becomes involved on several fronts, from trade promotion to customs to the management of the main ports (border, airport and sea port), creating more jobs. The economy becomes self-sustaining because trade brings people from around the world together. In this...
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