Canadian international merchandise trade, August 2026

Released: 2026-10-06

In August, Canada’s merchandise exports rose 2.5%, while imports were down 2.0%. As a result, Canada’s merchandise trade surplus with the world widened from $787 million in July to $4.2 billion in August. This was the sixth consecutive monthly trade surplus.

Consult the “International trade monthly interactive dashboard” to explore the most recent results of Canada’s international trade in an interactive format.

The appreciation of the Canadian dollar and its impacts on import and export values

A large proportion of import and export transactions are completed in US dollars and must be converted to Canadian dollars to compile monthly trade statistics. All other things being equal, when the Canadian dollar appreciates against the US dollar, monthly trade values expressed in Canadian dollars are lower.

In August, the average value of the Canadian dollar increased 1.1 US cents compared with the average value in July. This was the strongest monthly increase since December 2025. When expressed in US dollars, Canadian exports rose 4.0% in August 2026, while imports were down 0.6%.

Exports of energy products rise for the first time since April 2026

After falling 2.6% in July, total exports increased 2.5% in August. Overall, gains were observed in 8 of the 11 product sections. Excluding energy products, exports were up 1.8%. In real (or volume) terms, total exports rose 2.5%.

Exports of energy products were up 4.7% in August, the first increase since April. Exports of refined petroleum energy products posted the largest monthly gain (+17.4%), driven by a rise in diesel exports to Peru, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Netherlands. Year over year, prices for exports of refined petroleum energy products were up more than 50%. Crude oil exports (+2.1%) also rose in August 2026, due to higher prices. Exports of nuclear fuel and other energy products increased 58.4%, driven by higher shipments to Germany and the United Kingdom.

Exports of consumer goods increased 6.6% in August. Higher exports of miscellaneous goods and supplies (+43.3%) contributed the most to the growth, in part because of an increase in shipments of gold and silver coins to the United States. Exports of other products, including some that were targeted by new import tariffs in the United States, also contributed to the increase in exports of miscellaneous goods and supplies in August.

Exports of industrial machinery, equipment and parts rose 10.1% in August, reaching their highest level since January 2025. Exports of other general-purpose machinery and equipment (+12.6%) increased the most in August 2026, mainly on higher exports to the United States. Exports of heating, cooling and air purification equipment (+26.5%) contributed to the gain in this product section as well, also because of higher shipments to the United States.

Exports of electronic and electrical equipment and parts increased 11.0% in August. While gains were observed in all product groups, electrical components (+24.3%) posted the largest increase in August. Various products within this category were targeted by new tariffs in the United States in August and significantly contributed to the increase in the month. Some of these tariffs were subsequently removed in September.

Merchandise imports post first decrease in seven months

Total imports decreased 2.0% in August, the first decline since January. Despite the decrease, gains were observed in 6 of the 11 product sections. Imports of motor vehicles and parts posted the largest decline in August. Excluding this product section, imports fell 0.5%. In real (or volume) terms, total imports were down 1.1%.

Following an 8.3% increase in July, imports of motor vehicles and parts fell 8.8% in August. After reaching an all-time high in July due to shorter seasonal production stoppages in the United States this year, imports of passenger cars and light trucks decreased 15.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis in August.

Imports of metal and non-metallic mineral products (-7.0%) were also down in August. The main contributor to the decline was imports of unwrought gold, silver and platinum group metals and their alloys (-40.0%), due to lower purchases of gold in Canada held by US residents.

In August 2026, imports of metal ores and non-metallic minerals decreased 15.5% to their lowest level since November 2025. Imports of other metal ores and concentrates (-17.1%) posted the largest monthly decline in August 2026. Decreases in imports of lead and zinc ores and concentrates from Australia and Peru—and in imports of gold, silver, and platinum group metal ores and concentrates from Brazil, Peru and Mauritania—contributed the most to the decline in this product group.

Exports to the United States rebound amid new tariffs

Exports to the United States rose 8.1% in August, while imports were down 2.5%. As a result, Canada’s trade surplus with the United States widened from $6.1 billion in July to $11.2 billion in August. This is the largest positive monthly change ever observed in Canada’s trade balance with the United States.

On July 22, the United States announced its intentions to impose new tariffs on a range of Canadian products and raise tariff rates on others. These took effect at the end of August. The announcement of tariffs may influence trade patterns and prompt importers to increase shipments before the tariffs take effect in order to avoid additional costs. New Canadian tariffs on select American goods were subsequently announced at the end of August.

After posting a record high, exports to countries other than the United States fall in August

After increasing 8.2% in July, exports to countries other than the United States fell 8.5% in August. The largest contributors to this decline were exports to the United Kingdom (unwrought gold), the Netherlands (energy products) and France (aircraft and crude oil). The share of Canadian exports destined to countries other than the United States stood at 30.2% in August, down from 33.9% in July.

Imports from countries other than the United States decreased 1.4% in August. Lower imports from Saudi Arabia (crude oil), Japan (passenger cars and light trucks) and South Korea (passenger cars and light trucks) were partly offset by higher imports from Germany (aircraft and passenger cars) and China (various products).

Canada’s trade deficit with countries other than the United States widened from $5.3 billion in July to $7.0 billion in August.

Revisions to July merchandise export and import data

Imports in July, originally reported at $75.4 billion in the previous release, were revised to $75.2 billion in the current reference month’s release. Exports in July, originally reported at $76.1 billion in the previous release, were revised to $76.0 billion in the current reference month’s release.

Monthly trade in services

In August, monthly service exports rose 0.7% to $21.1 billion. Meanwhile, imports of services decreased 0.4% to $20.7 billion.

When international trade in goods and services are combined, exports increased 2.1% to $99.1 billion in August, while imports decreased 1.7% to $94.4 billion. Canada’s total trade surplus with the world went from $988 million in July to $4.6 billion in August.

Products

The International trade statistics portal is now available on the Statistics Canada website.

The product “International trade monthly interactive dashboard” (Catalogue number71-607-X) is now available. This interactive dashboard is a comprehensive analytical tool that presents monthly changes in Canada’s international merchandise trade data on a balance-of-payments basis, fully supporting the information presented every month in the Daily release.

The product “The International Trade Explorer” (Catalogue number71-607-X) is now available online.

The updated “Canada and the World Statistics Hub” (Catalogue number13-609-X) is available online. This product illustrates the nature and extent of Canada’s economic and financial relationship with the world using interactive charts and tables. It provides easy access to information on trade, investment, employment and travel between Canada and a number of countries, including the United States, Mexico, China, Japan, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain.

The product “Canada’s international trade and investment country fact sheet” (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available.

The online Canadian International Merchandise Trade Database is no longer available. It has been replaced by the Canadian International Merchandise Trade Web Application (Catalogue number71-607-X), a modern tool that provides trade data users with a number of enhancements.

Contact information

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).