New Honorary Consul of Finland in Thunder Bay: Pasi Pinta is looking forward to building bridges between Finland and Canada
The short-term void in the Finnish honorary consul network in Canada has been filled. Pasi Pinta has taken over the duties in Thunder Bay, Ontario after Eija Peltokangas retired.
Pasi Pinta MBA, B.Sc., is especially eager to help Finnish and Canadian companies to connect: “We live in similar environments and in likeminded countries. The opportunities to do sustainable, mutually beneficial business are endless,” says Pinta. “We can really learn best practices from each other”.
Thunder Bay has been known as the city with the largest Finnish community outside of Finland. The new honorary consul Pasi Pinta has roots deeply in the soil of Western Finland. He was born in Kauhajoki, but grew up nearby in Thunder Bay´s sister city Seinäjoki, Southern Ostrobothnia region, until the family moved to Canada when he was 13.
After studying management and information technology management at Athabasca University in Alberta and computer science at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Pinta has been working as a senior executive for companies like Copperfin Credit Union, Health E(fx) and EHP Environmental Solutions Canada, where he is currently working as CEO and president. His areas of expertise include information systems, innovation, startups, change management and international trade.
Although the new honorary consul has lived in Canada for over 40 years, he has very strong ties to his birth country – not only for having family there but also for working with Finnish companies and having worked and volunteered actively in several Finnish-Canadian organizations. Pinta speaks both English and Finnish fluently and has dual citizenship.
Pasi Pinta has already been accredited and his family home on Mapleward Road serves as the honorary consulate. The ambassador of Finland for Canada, Roy Eriksson, will pay Thunder Bay an official visit later this year, possibly with a business delegation.
Pinta sees many opportunities for stronger business ties between north-western Ontario and Finland, especially in products and services involving high-tech, environmental monitoring, mining/geotechnical, forestry, construction, and marine technologies. “There is mutual respect between Finns and Canadians, so working together is uncomplicated”, says Pinta and brings up the benefits of the CETA (Link to another website.)trade agreement between Canada and European Union. “And let´s not forget hockey! The love for the game unites us all”.
Honorary Consulate of Finland
4322 Mapleward Road
Thunder Bay
ON P7K 1A3
More info and requests for interviews:
Pasi Pinta
Tel. +1 807 630-6589