Find out how exports need to grow to achieve Canada's objective.

Archived and Outdated Information: This publication is out of date and should be referenced for research or recordkeeping purposes only. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. This report examines how federal trade promotion services can help Canadian businesses—especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—compete globally. It highlights challenges such as risk aversion, financing gaps, and barriers to accessing foreign markets. The Committee reviews key tools like the Trade Commissioner Service, Export Development Canada, and the Business Development Bank of Canada, and proposes strategies to improve trade missions, branding, global supply chain integration, and mentorship programs. Recommendations focus on enhancing resources, streamlining processes, and creating single-window access to trade services to strengthen Canada’s global competitiveness.

Canada’s Export Diversification Strategy facilitates efforts to help Canadian businesses reduce the uncertainties and potential disruptions they may face in international trade, as well as help them seize the opportunities created by diversifying to new global markets.

The State of Trade document is the Department's report card on the performance of our economy. This comprehensive document reviews and analyzes the key developments in Canada’s international trade and investment performance against the background of economic trends at home and abroad.

2019: This report provides a comprehensive summary of the main developments in Canada’s commercial activities during the previous year. It describes the events that took place in the global economy and trade in 2018, the main developments in Canada’s economy and those of its most important partner economies and regions. It reports the developments in Canada’s trade in goods and services, as well as flows and stocks of foreign direct investment and Canadian direct investment abroad. 2020: This report gives Canadians a snapshot of our economic activities in 2019 while recognizing the unprecedented global uncertainty of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This report highlights how Canadian innovation and resilience has allowed our businesses to continue to compete in the global marketplace and our government’s commitment to supporting trade through turbulent times. 2021: This report captures the story of the incredible sacrifices made and resilience demonstrated by Canadians and businesses through an unparalleled chapter in our country's history, and charts a path forward as we step into our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022 : This report highlights Canada's robust trade and investment recovery, which has displayed remarkable resilience during another challenging year. This year's report focuses on free trade agreements, which will continue to be vital tools for Canadian businesses as they enter this new phase of the post-pandemic recovery.

The Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development appeared before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade on their study on the Canadian Foreign service and elements of the Foreign Policy Machinery within Global Affairs Canada on December 15, 2022.

Understand how small and medium-sized enterprises may expand Canadian SMEs business footprint by accessing global markets.

The Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) program, administered by Global Affairs Canada since 2013, was introduced to facilitate the international expansion of high-potential Canadian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Previous reports, including the "Results and Outcomes Report 2019-2020" and the program evaluation for the Federal Government budget renewal in 2023, have highlighted positive outcomes such as increased revenue, job creation, and capital raised for CTA firms. This study starts by finding similar correlations. Firms that participated in the CTA experienced accelerated growth in revenue, assets, payroll, expenditures, Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SRED) expenditures, and investment in machinery and equipment.