Jackson, Miss. (June 28,2024) – Mississippi companies interested in exporting goods and services to Canada are invited to participate in the upcoming Southeastern U.S.– Canadian Provinces Business Forum. The event will be held August 4-6 at the Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi.

“Canada is one of Mississippi’s top trade partners, and this yearly event provides unique opportunities for Mississippi businesses to connect with Canadian business leaders in a variety of sectors,” said Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork. “While this year’s forum will focus heavily on advanced manufacturing and the blue economy, opportunities for growth and forging strategic partnerships are available for all Mississippi exporters.”

The SEUS-CP Alliance is a strategic partnership that promotes trade and investment opportunities between its member states and provinces. In addition to Mississippi, member states include Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Member provinces include Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Québec.

This year’s forum focuses on advanced manufacturing and the blue economy, which includes a range of ocean technologies and related industries such as shipbuilding, uncrewed autonomous vehicles, smart ports, fisheries and aquaculture, innovative materials and innovative technologies. Advanced manufacturing and the blue economy form a significant portion of SEUS-CP members’ economies.

The event will feature the Business-to-Business Matchmaking Program, which provides opportunities for small- to medium-sized businesses to engage in high-quality meetings with chief procurement officials from globally recognized companies that are seeking new suppliers of goods, services and innovative technologies. Business-to-business appointments will take place onsite each day of the event and will be offered at no additional charge to registered attendees. The appointments are a cost-effective, convenient opportunity to meet with vetted companies from Canada and the Southeast U.S.

To facilitate the appointments, a designated matchmaker is assigned to work with companies from SEUS-CP member states and provinces to identify business interests and ensure that all matchmaking appointments are qualified and mutually beneficial. Serving as “anchor” companies for the business-to-business appointments will be leading entities from the sectors of focus. These include Airbus, HII-Ingalls Shipbuilding, Mississippi Polymer Institute at The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi Power, Port of Pascagoula, Skydweller Aero Inc., and The Coca-Cola Company.

The cost to register for the SEUS-CP Business Forum is $350. To register, please visit www.seuscp-b2b.com. For more information, contact MDA International Trade Office Director Vickie Watters at (601) 359-3155 or vwatters@mississippi.org or International Trade Manager – Canada and Europe Aggie Sikora at 601-359-9342 or asikora@mississippi.org.

JACKSON, Miss. (WLOX) – The Mississippi Public Service Commission has announced that a new area code has been approved to be assigned to the same area occupied by the 662 code.

At some point in the future, area code 471 will serve all of the Public Service Commission Northern District counties:

• Alcorn
• Attala
• Benton
• Calhoun
• Carroll
• Chickasaw
• Choctaw
• Clay
• Coahoma
• Desoto
• Grenada
• Itawamba
• Lafayette
• Lee
• Leflore
• Lowndes
• Marshall
• Montgomery
• Monroe
• Oktibbeha
• Panola
• Pontotoc
• Prentiss
• Quitman
• Tallahatchie
• Tate
• Tippah
• Tishomingo
• Tunica
• Union
• Webster
• Winston
• Yalobusha

In addition, the 471 area code will also serve a large area of the Public Service Commission Central District, which includes the following counties:

• Holmes
• Humphreys
• Issaquena
• parts of Kemper
• Noxubee
• Sharkey
• Sunflower
• Washington
• Yazoo

Existing 662 customers will keep their current telephone numbers, but new customers or requests for additional lines may be assigned the new 471 area code once it’s activated.

Customers will continue to use 10-digit dialing — the area code plus the seven-digit phone number — to make local calls.

No changes need to be made by customers at this time. Further updates will be announced as the implementation process begins in late 2025 or early 2026.

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