New Delhi, Feb 20: Seeking to boost investment and trade and develop linkages in life sciences, information technology (IT) and education with India, Canadian province Ontario on February opened a new international marketing centre at the Canadian High Commission here.

"We will strive to help Canadian companies to invest in India as we recognise that our firms need to grow globally and India is one of the rapidly growing economies," said Ontario Minister for Economic Development and Trade Joseph Cordiano.

"Similarly, we would like to encourage Indian companies to invest in Ontario, which is a gateway to North America," Cordiano told select journalists.

Ontario, with a 500,000 population of people of Indian origin, is the first Canadian province to open an office in India. It will be headed by veteran trade envoy Ron Bollman as the new commercial counsellor for Ontario.

The centre is being opened ahead of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty's likely visit in January next year.

"We are working with people of Indian origin to expand ties with India for a more intimate relation and not just commercial ties," Cordiano said.

He said that currently Indian investment in Ontario is $54 million while foreign direct investment from the province to India is $218 million. Among the Ontario companies active in India are Sun Life Insurance in partnership with Birla, and Lea International.

Similarly, several Indian companies like Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, Satyam Infosys and ICICI Bank operate in Ontario.

"We expect the marketing centre to boost strategic partnership for two-way trade and investment in areas like auto component sector, emerging strengths in life-sciences, IT and other areas," he said.

On a five-day trip to India, the minister will hold talks with central minister Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal and Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath Tuesday to identify areas of cooperation and discuss ways to boost bilateral trade and investment.

During Sibal's visit to Canada last year, a memorandum of understanding had been signed for cooperation in life science research and development.

Cordiano cited the example of Medical and Related Sciences (MARS) department of University of Toronto, which acts as a convergence centre for commercialisation of research findings and has a health network for research.

Ontario, known for Toronto and Niagara Falls, is the business and economic heart of Canada. It represents 42 percent of Canada's GDP and has 47 percent of the country's high-tech industries.

Ontario currently has international marketing centres in New York, Munich and Shanghai and is planning more centres in Tokyo, London and Los Angeles.