Export Awards to be held May 17

Nine Nova Scotia companies will be honoured for their accomplishments when the 16th Nova Scotia Export Achievement Awards are presented on Wednesday, May 17 in Halifax.

The awards salute Nova Scotia companies for their exporting performance during the previous calendar year. A special feature on the 2000 program includes the presentation of Millennium Awards to nine manufacturing or processing companies, which have more than 500 employees, and are long-time exporters.

The Millennium Awards recipients are: High Liner Seafoods, Lunenburg; Stanfield's Ltd., Truro; TrentonWorks Ltd., Trenton; Bowater Mersey Paper Company, Liverpool; Scotia Investments, Hantsport; StoraEnso Port Hawkesbury; Michelin, Granton; IMP Group, Halifax, Amherst; Clearwater Fine Foods Ltd., Bedford.

"Both the Export Achievement Awards and the Millennium Awards recognize the contribution made by these Nova Scotia companies to the provincial economy," said Gordon Balser, Minister of Economic Development. "By increasing their exports, these companies are helping to create jobs for Nova Scotians."

Nova Scotia exports reached an all-time high in 1999, when goods worth close to $4 billion were shipped throughout the world. The percentage growth of exports grew at an unprecedented rate of 15.6 per cent, nearly double the previous rate of 8.2 per cent.

The guest speaker for this year's event is Ian Gillespie, president and CEO of the Export Development Corporation Canada.

The private sector is playing a significant role in this year's program, as all seven award categories will be sponsored by Nova Scotia companies. MTT will present the Global Opportunity Award, which matches a small exporting company with an MBA student for a summer work term.

The awards dinner and presentation will be held at the Sheraton Halifax Hotel, beginning at 6:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, please contact the Alliance of Manufacturers and Exporters at 902-422-4477, or e-mail: <[email protected].>