Canada's trade minister on Monday launched a promotional tour of Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and the Czech Republic to tout its nuclear technologies.
The four-country tour aims to "open doors" for Canadian companies and raise the profile of Canadian energy sector technologies, International Trade Minister Stockwell Day said in a statement.
"The Baltic states and Romania have energy needs, and Canadian businesses have solutions," he said.
"These countries represent significant opportunities for Canada's nuclear industry, including the Visaginas nuclear project in Lithuania and the Cernavoda project in Romania — and these opportunities will translate into jobs back home in Canada."
During his visit, Day will meet with key officials in all four countries, including Lithuania's Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, his office said.
Arms-length government-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Limited said it is hoping to sell Lithuania its first CANDU reactor, while it is pitching a fourth CANDU to Romania.
Lithuania is to shut down its Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant at the end of this year, and aims to build a new nuclear facility in partnership with Latvia, Estonia and Poland.
Lithuania's government has already met representatives of reactor manufacturers Areva (France), Endesa (Spain), General Electric-Hitachi and Westinghouse (US), Nukem (UK) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan).
Canada currently holds 10 percent of the world nuclear reactor market.
Its nuclear energy industry generates approximately 6.6 billion Canadian dollars (5.6 billion US) in annual revenues and employs 31,000 people in 150 firms.
Canada exports about 1.2 billion dollars (1.0 billion US) worth of nuclear energy products and services each year.
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