Premier Tim Houston is in France for more trade talks.
He’ll be there until Thursday to discuss market and energy opportunities with the Michelin Group.
With tire plants in Bridgewater, Waterville and Granton, Michelin is one of Nova Scotia’s largest employers with nearly 4,000 direct employees.
In a statement, Houston says the company knows that Nova Scotia can provide the talent they need to reach their goals. “As a government, we are pro-business, and we know that Nova Scotia has so much to offer companies that want to innovate and grow. Working together, we can create economic opportunities that make Nova Scotia stronger and more prosperous.”
Michelin has produced more than 230 million tires in the province since 1971 and exports products to more than 150 countries.
The company’s exports account for nearly one per cent of Nova Scotia’s gross domestic product, according to the province.
Michelin is part of Nova Scotia’s advanced manufacturing sector, which represents $4.67 billion of exported goods and 7.6 per cent of total provincial gross domestic product.
In March 2023, Michelin moved forward to modernize and expand its operation in Bridgewater thanks to a provincial tax credit of $61.3 million over five years. The expansion enables the plant to produce in-demand tires for the rapidly evolving electric vehicle market.
The province’s current focus is to make Nova Scotia more self-reliant and develop a trade action plan.
According to a government release, Nova Scotia’s manufacturing infrastructure connectivity and logistics facilities make it the ideal choice for servicing Europe and North America.
Along with the premier, mission delegates this week are Nicole LaFosse Parker, Chief of Staff and General Counsel; Executive Deputy Minister Tracey Taweel; and Mike McMurray, Executive Director, International Relations and Military Relations.
Houston embarked on a trade mission in Spain and the United Kingdom early in May. During those trips he promoted our province, its seafood sector, and attended meetings on defence and security, plus renewable energy.
In April he was in Denmark on a five-day mission where he attended meetings on various sectors and opportunities in healthcare, energy and seafood.
