We are delighted to connect with Consul General Susan Crystal to discuss the work of the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto and the importance of Ontario’s economic and cultural ties with the United States.
Q1. Consul General Crystal, thank you for taking the time to share a window on the work of the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto. To start, would you please share an overview of the scope of work and services that your office undertakes?
My pleasure - and thank you for the opportunity to talk about our work with your members. The U.S. Consulate General in Toronto’s mission is to strengthen and deepen the bilateral relationship between the United States and Canada, with a particular focus on Ontario west of the National Capitol Region. Our activities support the promotion of U.S. foreign policy goals, particularly as we work together with Canada to advance the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership.
At the Consulate, the Political and Economic Section engages local and provincial government representatives, as well as the business community and civil society, in the Greater Toronto Area and in our consular district. The Public Diplomacy Section’s work focuses on informing, engaging, and connecting the people of the United States and the people of Canada.
Our Consular Section provides emergency assistance and passport and citizenship services to U.S. citizens, and processes nonimmigrant visa applications. Our Commercial and Agricultural Service sections assist U.S. businesses and promote U.S. products with the goal of increasing trade between our two countries.
Our law enforcement agencies work with their Canadian counterparts on border and law enforcement issues to keep both our countries safe and secure. We also maintain a large Customs and Border Protection presence at Pearson Airport to facilitate lawful travel to the United States.
Q2. As the head of the Unites States’ presence in the Province of Ontario outside of Canada’s capital city of Ottawa, what are some of your key areas of focus that you’ve established for your term?
My overall goal is to expand engagement with thought leaders and diverse communities in Ontario as my team and I work to advance the Roadmap priorities. Arriving in October 2020, the first part of my three-year assignment in Toronto was consumed by the COVID pandemic. While I wasn’t really able to travel much, I had the opportunity to meet with so many people virtually, from mayors to university students, from NGO leaders to academics, from journalists to entrepreneurs.
In 2022, as things really opened up, my focus has been to expand outreach in the Greater Toronto Area and to travel to other cities and towns. There is really no substitute for meeting with people in person and seeing their environs. Ontario has so much to offer and I can’t wait to see and do more!
Q3. Ontario and the United States share both close economic and cultural ties. Are there examples of each that stand out for you in particular?
Ontario and the United States share highly integrated economies. More than two thirds of all U.S.-Canada land border crossings pass through the province. Ontario alone is the United States’ third-largest trading partner. It is the largest trading partner for 19 states and the second-largest partner of nine other states. For example, in the automotive industry, individual parts might cross the U.S.-Canada border five to eight times before becoming part of a car.
We work closely with partners across Ontario on shared goals, such as advancing inclusive economic growth, and supporting diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion efforts across the full spectrum of society. We support our partners through a robust network of resources, which include a public diplomacy grants program, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural and educational outreach across Ontario.
One of the flagship programs we are proud to support is the Fulbright Canada exchange program, which allows U.S. and Canadian participants to study, teach, and conduct academic research in each other’s countries. At the consulate, we also support professional, youth, and private sector exchanges. Most of these participants are from Ontario or are Americans who conduct their exchanges here.
Q4. With respect to the significant trade and investment relationship between Ontario and the U.S., where are you seeing areas of particular momentum right now and/or opportunities for further growth?
Ontario is a large contributor to our bilateral investment relationship. Canada is the second-largest investor in the United States. Canadian companies have invested USD 570 Billion in the United States and employ over 870,000 Americans. Recently, U.S. Ambassador David Cohen led a delegation of 50 Canadians to the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington DC to explore new opportunities for Canadian companies to expand their operations into the United States. It’s one of the largest delegations we’ve sent in years, and I think it’s a great sign of the growth that Canadian investors are seeing south of the border.
Among the main areas of particular momentum and opportunities relate to our shared priorities in creating a resilient supply chain and addressing the climate crisis. For instance, opportunities stem from the shift in the automotive sector towards Electric Vehicles (EV), where Ontario already started production in light vehicles and commercial vans and is building battery manufacturing plants for EVs.
In addition, the civil nuclear sector’s adoption of Small Modular Reactors (SMR) creates opportunities, with the first SMR and Micro SMR in Darlington and Chalk River in development. Ontario Power Generation recently selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy as its partner for the Darlington New Nuclear Project, which will result in 1,700 highly skilled jobs and export opportunities for Canadians. Opportunities for further growth will come from innovators and small businesses on both sides of the border.
Q5. The Covid pandemic hit Ontario and the United States equally hard. As we jointly pursue a return to ‘life as usual’, are there examples of collaboration that occurred during the pandemic, and perhaps that continue still, that stand out as strong examples of cross-border collaboration?
Under the Roadmap for a Renewed U.S.-Canada Partnership, our two countries continue to make great progress in combating COVID-19, building back better, accelerating climate ambitions, advancing diversity and inclusion, bolstering security and defense, and building global alliances. In 2021, I welcomed the arrival of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Toronto from the United States.
Through our Public Diplomacy grants program, we have partnered with several organizations that support women entrepreneurs and women business owners by expanding mentorship and strategic connection opportunities with their counterparts across the border to accelerate their growth.
The Great Lakes region is unique to Ontario and several U.S. states. I am pleased to share that we are supporting an initiative with the Council of the Great Lakes Region that expands academic research and partnership amongst institutions in the region.
It has been a pleasure to work with the Province of Ontario and other partners in Canada on our shared objective of strengthening cross-border relationships.
Q6. With the U.S. Consulate General being located in Toronto, would you give our readers some perspective on the scope of the American business presence in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)?
Ontario remains the first choice for U.S. companies. The scope of American businesses in the GTA in production, distribution and services covers many sectors from energy, renewable energy, civil nuclear, construction, ITC, to mining, financial services, food and drugs, entertainment, and tourism. This is just an illustration of the wide coverage without being an exhaustive listing.
American tech giants are present in both Waterloo and Toronto. Large U.S. banks and consulting firms have their Canadian headquarters in Toronto and franchises of well-established retailers are spread across major locations of the GTA. The GTA continues to successfully attract foreign businesses, investors, and skilled talent. Due to easy access to America’s financial capital, the GTA will remain one of the primary business destinations for U.S. companies.
Q7. How large is the American diaspora in Ontario and where are there concentrations of American expats?
Conservative estimates of U.S. citizens within our consular district number 600,000 to 1 million. This does not include Americans living in Ottawa and its immediate area. We have found that Americans cross the border for a number of reasons, and for different lengths of time. Some come to Canada to study, some for an employment opportunity, others have pre-existing family ties in Canada, or married a Canadian and moved north. Just as these reasons are varied, we have found that Americans living in Ontario are diffuse, not concentrating in a neighborhood, and seamlessly integrating into Canada’s beautifully diverse society.
Q8. Would you mind sharing with us what exposure you had to Toronto and the Province of Ontario prior to your current post, and what has surprised you most about the region since you began living in Toronto?
My first trip outside of the United States was to Canada in the 1970s when I travelled to Niagara Falls and Toronto with my family. I returned many times over the years on vacation trips. I even spent a few days of my honeymoon in Sudbury, in late January—first time I ever went on a frozen lake!
I had the opportunity to serve at our Embassy in Ottawa about ten years ago, overseeing public diplomacy activities countrywide. It was a wonderful posting. I learned so much about our relationship, both politically, but perhaps even more importantly, at the personal level. There are so many connections between the people of our two countries!
I have been thrilled with my current assignment to Toronto. I had visited Toronto many times previously, particularly during my assignment to Ottawa, so I had a good sense of the city and all it has to offer. Living here has been wonderful. I appreciate the diversity, the festivals, the food. I’ve been impressed by the nature that surrounds us and the terrific ravines and other walking areas. Of course, Lake Ontario is so special and another link between our countries.
Q9. Thank you very much for your time, Consul General Crystal. As a last question, what do you enjoy the most about your work representing the United States as its Consul General in Toronto?
The best part of my work representing the United States in Toronto is the opportunity to pay it forward. I am grateful to those on both sides of the border who have cemented the close relationship that we share. I feel that it is my job to work every day to ensure that future generations share the same relationship. I try to do that by meeting as many people as I can. I listen to what Canadians share about themselves. I work to tell the American story as I look for opportunities to make more connections between our two countries.
For more information on the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto, please visit their website.