Business summit aids Chinese-Canadians

Chinese immigrants to P.E.I. are getting help with their business plans this week at an event in Charlottetown aimed at teaching them how to establish new businesses or invest in existing ones.

"Their whole background is doing business and they're looking for opportunities here. This is why we set this up, so that they could see what opportunities that are available on the Island," said Craig MacKie, the executive director of the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada.

More than 300 Chinese immigrants have registered for the two-day event at the Delta Hotel in Charlottetown. Dozens of them packed into a room at the hotel on Wednesday to listen to government and business presentations through translators.

Sherry Huang, who came to P.E.I. seven years ago and bought a business in the province, said there are many more services available now than when she arrived.

"If you look at the services that are available in Chinese now, in banking and in all stores, that's very helpful," she said.

Huang added that the availability of Chinese groceries at local supermarkets was also helpful.

Don Norcott, whose company develops new plant varieties, said he was at the summit looking for new partners.

"I'm just looking to see whether or not there's some synergy with some of the new folks that are living in Prince Edward Island," Norcott told CBC News.

"Whether there's an opportunity to develop some business opportunities with them either for local development or for business for their field."

The summit is sponsored by the provincial government, the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada and the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce.