Canada maintains high dependence on U.S. agri-food trade

Recent data from Statistics Canada indicates that Canada’s dependence on the United States for agri-food trade remains high, despite efforts to diversify markets and calls for boycotts of American products.

Between January and August 2026, Canada’s total agri-food imports fell by 1.2 per cent. However, imports from the U.S. only declined by 0.7 per cent, causing the American share of Canadian agri-food imports to rise from 47.09 per cent to 47.33 per cent.

The export market shows similar concentration. The United States accounted for approximately 61.98 per cent of Canada’s agri-food exports between January and August 2026, compared to 61.92 per cent during the same period in 2025. For Canadian farmers and food processors, the U.S. remains a critical customer, receiving roughly $62 of every $100 in agri-food export value.