The Canada Nevada Business Council (CNBC) is developing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Sudbury-based businesses and organizations in the areas of health care, education and tourism.

The city originally connected with the council during MINExpo, the Las Vegas mining conference, this past September. Council members were invited by Sudbury Mayor Marianne Matichuk to visit Sudbury.

“The state of Nevada has a long and proud history in mining,” said Bob Groesbeck, the council’s vice-president of government affairs and general counsel, in a news release.

“Through Mayor Matichuk’s leadership, we were able to experience firsthand why Greater Sudbury businesses are recognized globally as leaders in the mining supply and service sectors. That expertise, we believe, lends well to the needs of Nevada businesses in the mining sector and elsewhere.”

Canada is Nevada’s largest trading partner, exporting $1.3 billion in goods to Canada and importing $813 million in goods from Canada. The largest percentages of goods from Canada are equipment and machinery, making up 20 per cent.

In Nevada, 60,300 jobs depend on trade with Canada, while 9,700 people are employed by 150 Canadian-owned businesses operating in Nevada, mostly in mining.

“By working together with the Canada Nevada Business Council, Sudbury’s mining innovation cluster — which includes CEMI and NORCAT,as well as MiRARCO, CAMIROand SAMSSA — can build on our strong foundation and help implement novel technologies and new solutions that will make our industry more productive and safer as we operate in ever more difficult conditions and remote locations,” CEMI CEO Doug Morrison said in the release.