Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard met with Cuban President Raul Castro on Tuesday during a trade mission to the country.
The meeting between the two politicians was not in Couillard’s original schedule for the visit.
Forty representatives of companies took part in a trade mission organized by Export Québec, with the focus of discussions on construction, food processing, renewable energy, science and technology, and tourism.
An agreement was reached between the Quebec Institute of Tourism and Hotel and the Cuban Ministry of Tourism during the visit.
According to Radio-Canada, Couillard also reached a verbal agreement in principle to have a permanent Quebec representative stationed in the country.
The meeting with Castro marks the last day of a quick two-day trip to Cuba for Couillard, the first time a Quebec premier has gone on an official visit to the country.
Couillard hoped Quebec could take advantage of the nation’s economic recovery as former diplomatic tensions thaw between the communist island and the United States.
Despite a slight increase in trade between Quebec and Cuba, there is still room for more. In 2014, the country of 11.4 million people was only Quebec’s 45th largest trading partner. Last year, Quebec exports to Cuba were only $84 million, which is about one per cent of total provincial exports abroad.
