(The Center Square) – The Land of Maple will now have an official presence in the desert.

Arizona will soon have a Canadian trade office as Gov. Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Commerce Authority and Canadian Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development Mary Ng announced on Tuesday morning.

“The new trade office represents a significant step forward in the Arizona – Canada partnership,” Hobbs said, according to a news release. “As one of Arizona’s strongest trading partners, this new trade office will serve as a hub for promoting trade and investment between Arizona and Canada, while fostering economic growth and creating new opportunities for cross-border collaboration.”

According to the United States Trade Representative, Arizona had $2.7 billion in exports to Canada in 2023. The country comes behind Mexico, which saw $8 billion exported from Arizona. Meanwhile, there were $2.6 billion in imports from Canada to the Grand Canyon state in 2023, according to the University of Arizona.

Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, who chairs the House International Trade Committee, also praised the move, saying it would be mutually beneficial.

“Canada is the biggest contributor to foreign direct investment in Arizona, and our bilateral trade has helped fuel the state’s economic growth,” Cook said, according to a news release. “The establishment of a Canadian Trade Office here will strengthen our trade and investment ties. The office will be a hub for Canadian businesses seeking opportunities in Arizona, and vice versa, ultimately benefiting both economies.”

Arizona has trade offices of its own abroad. There are offices in Germany, Taiwan, South Korea, and Israel, according to the Arizona Commerce Authority.