Business and policy leaders from Michigan, Ohio and Canada are set to hammer out an action agenda to boost trade and transportation at a Great Lakes International Trade and Transport Hub Summit that begins October 16 and runs through October 18 at Michigan State University.

The group will be developing action plans to increase trade and economic development in the region and address the shared goals between the states and Canada.

Summit hosts are Michigan State University, Prima Civitas Foundation and Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

“Leaders from the U.S., the Midwest, Ontario and Nova Scotia in Canada will share their best ideas of advancing trade across the international border,” said David Hollister, initiative chair and Senior Vice President of Prima Civitas Foundation. “The centerpiece of the meeting will be strategies for working collaboratively to break down the barriers to doing business together.”

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will join with government leaders, economic developers and trade specialists from the two counties to develop action steps needed to help businesses move trade across borders. He and experts at the summit are expected to make priority recommendations on the strategy.

Sessions begin at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16 at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Center and will continue through Tuesday, Oct. 18. Also at the event will be:

·        Doug Rothwell, CEO and president of Business Leaders of Michigan.

·        Past Premier of Nova Scotia Russell MacLellan.

·        Roy Norton, Consul General of Canada in Detroit.

For more information, please see canadianstudies.isp.msu.edu. For registration, go to http://bit.ly/pi4nGM.