TORONTO, Ont. – Mayor Rob Ford and his Chicago counterpart Rahm Emanuel renewed the sister city agreement on Wednesday, paired with an additional commitment to enter a “more business-oriented” partnership.

“This renewed commitment will help us both improve our strategic alliances, investment, trade and learning opportunities,” Ford said.

He said re-signing the 1991 commitment will aid the economic development of both cities.

“As Toronto continues to grow as a major international city in the 21st century, we look to our friends in other major urban centres for inspiration and guidance,” Ford said.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said he is pleased with the move to renew the agreement.

“We had a very good meeting talking about the shared opportunities for the business community, but also what we could learn from each other,” he said.

“I’m proud that we are going to renew our sister-city relationship but the ties today are only as good as our opportunities are for tomorrow.”

Ford invited Emanuel to bring a delegation of his own to Toronto.

Wednesday’s signing ceremony was followed by a lunch with the U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Leading a team of more than 70 business leaders and politicians on the three-day, Ford is hoping it will lead to more jobs at home.

“We’re sharing synergies with each other,” Ford told CityNews. “We’re going to meet a lot of their movers and shakers.”

A new report from BMO puts the value of the Ontario-Illinois trade relationship at about $17-billion per year. The state is Ontario’s fifth most significant trading partner.

“It’s about $17-billion worth of goods every year, so anything that can cement that relationship is certainly important for the domestic economy,” BMO economist Robert Kavcic told 680News.

Ford told CityNews Channel he is confident it will pay off.

“Hopefully, we can have many more tax-free trips to benefit the hard-working people of this great city and create more jobs,” Ford said.

“It’s time well-spent. At the end of the day, the taxpayers will benefit from it, the residents of Chicago and Toronto will benefit through jobs.”


Kavcic said Kraft and Wrigley have head offices in Chicago and operations in the GTA, while Porter and CN Rail pump investment dollars into Chicago.

Janet Ecker, president of the Toronto Financial Services Alliance told 680News missions like this one open doors.

“Developing relationships is how you start and grow and maintain business relationships that lead to more jobs and more investment,” Ecker said.

It is Ford’s first official cross-border trade mission. Ten city councillors and senior staff are taking part along with more than 60 business leaders, all paying their own way.

After his arrival in Chicago, Ford experienced a geographical mishap when he confused Winnipeg with Windsor during a conversation with a woman who said she had visited Canada, the part across from Detroit on the river. He later corrected himself.

In light of the flub, Winnipeg’s mayor said Ford likely got confused because both cities begin with ‘W.’