Canadian international merchandise trade, September 2026

Released: 2026-11-04

In September, Canada’s merchandise exports edged up 0.2%, while imports decreased 0.3%. As a result, Canada’s merchandise trade surplus with the world widened from $5.0 billion in August to $5.4 billion in September.

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

Crude oil and gold are behind the increase in exports in September

Following a 3.2% increase in August, total exports edged up 0.2% in September. Despite the slight monthly increase, declines were observed in 8 of the 11 product sections. Exports of energy products and metal and non-metallic mineral products increased the most in September. Excluding these two product sections, exports fell 5.6% in September. In real (or volume) terms, total exports were down 4.0%.

Exports of energy products rose 8.2% in September, a second consecutive monthly gain. Despite the two monthly increases in August and September, exports of energy products were down 5.0% in the third quarter. Exports of crude oil and bitumen (+10.2%) increased the most in September, due to higher prices. Higher exports of natural gas (+32.1%) also contributed to the monthly increase. Following a record high in August, exports of refined petroleum energy products decreased 13.9% in September and partially offset the overall increase in the product section.

Exports of metal and non-metallic mineral products increased 8.6% in September. Exports of unwrought gold, silver and platinum group metals and their alloys—a category largely composed of unwrought gold—increased 16.8% and contributed the most to the monthly gain. Higher purchases of Canadian-held gold by US residents were behind the sharp increase in exports of unwrought gold, silver and platinum group metals and their alloys in September. This was partially offset by lower shipments of gold to the United Kingdom.

In September, several product sections posted notable decreases, which moderated the increase in total exports. These product sections included consumer goods (-7.1%); electronic and electrical equipment and parts (-13.9%); industrial machinery, equipment and parts (-9.0%); motor vehicles and parts (-4.9%); and forestry products and building and packaging materials (-9.8%). Several products included within these categories were targeted by new tariffs in the United States and posted significant increases in August.

Imports of motor vehicles and parts decrease for a second consecutive month

Following a 2.2% decline in August, total imports fell 0.3% in September. Despite the decrease in September, gains were observed in 6 of the 11 product sections. As was the case in August, imports of motor vehicles and parts posted the largest decline in September. Excluding this product section, imports increased 1.5% in September. In real (or volume) terms, total imports were down 2.5%.

Following a 9.3% decrease in August, imports of motor vehicles and parts fell 9.1% in September. These declines followed a record high in July that coincided with shorter seasonal production stoppages in the United States this year. Lower imports of passenger cars and light trucks (-13.2%) contributed the most to the decrease in the product section in September. Supply issues caused unplanned production stoppages in the United States in September, resulting in fewer imports of passenger cars and light trucks. Imports of motor vehicle engines and motor vehicle parts (-5.6%) were also down, which coincided with reduced light truck production in Canada, as well as lower exports of passenger cars and light trucks (-7.0%).

Imports of consumer goods were down 2.9% in September, mainly because of lower imports of miscellaneous goods and supplies (-18.3%). Decreased imports of battery energy storage systems from China, as well as lower imports of jewelry, cut gems and articles of precious metals from India, Hong Kong and Switzerland were observed in September.

These decreases in imports were largely offset by a sharp rise in imports of electronic and electrical equipment and parts (+10.3%), which reached a record in September. Imports of computers and computer peripherals increased 29.4% in September, mainly because of higher imports of processing units (of the type used in data centres) from the United States. Imports of computers and computer peripherals were up 53.4% in the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Imports of communication, and audio and video equipment (+5.0%) also posted a monthly increase in September 2026, mainly on higher imports of cell phones from China and the United States.

Exports to the United States increase for the second consecutive month

Exports to the United States increased 0.7% in September, mainly because of higher exports of crude oil and unwrought gold. Meanwhile, imports from the United States were up 0.4%, in part on higher shipments of processing units. Canada’s trade surplus with the United States widened from $12.1 billion in August to $12.3 billion in September.

Exports and imports with countries other than the United States both decline for a second consecutive month

Exports to countries other than the United States fell 1.1% in September, decreasing for a second consecutive month after reaching a record high in July. Lower exports to the United Kingdom (gold), Japan (coal and wheat) and Peru (diesel and wheat) were partially offset by higher exports to South Korea (copper, coal and crude oil). The share of Canadian exports destined to countries other than the United States decreased from 30.1% in August to 29.8% in September.

Imports from countries other than the United States declined 1.4% in September. Lower imports from China, Japan and Mexico contributed the most to the decrease, mainly on lower imports of passenger cars and light trucks.

Canada’s trade deficit with countries other than the United States narrowed slightly from $7.1 billion in August to $7.0 billion in September.

Exports and imports edge up in the third quarter

Exports edged up 0.2% in the third quarter of 2026, a fifth consecutive quarterly increase. There were higher exports of aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts (+15.6%); metal and non-metallic mineral products (+2.1%); and farm, fishing and intermediate food products (+3.7%). These increases were partially offset by lower exports of energy products (-5.0%).

Meanwhile, imports also edged up 0.2% in the third quarter. This was the fourth consecutive quarterly increase. Rising imports of electronic and electrical equipment and parts (+8.2%) and industrial machinery, equipment and parts (+3.3%) were partially offset by lower imports of aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts (-9.1%) and basic and industrial chemical, plastic and rubber products (-3.5%).

Canada’s quarterly merchandise trade surplus was essentially unchanged in the third quarter at $11.2 billion.

Regarding quarterly results in real terms (calculated using 2017 chained dollars), exports were down 0.6% in the third quarter, while imports were down 1.6%.

Revisions to August merchandise export and import data

Imports in August, originally reported at $73.7 billion in the previous release, were revised to $73.5 billion in the current reference month’s release. Exports in August, originally reported at $77.9 billion in the previous release, were revised to $78.4 billion in the current reference month’s release.

Monthly trade in services

In September, monthly service exports rose 0.9% to $21.4 billion. Meanwhile, imports of services increased 1.5% to $21.0 billion.

When international trade in goods and services are combined, exports increased 0.3% to $99.9 billion in September, while imports edged up 0.1% to $94.2 billion. Canada’s total trade surplus with the world went from $5.4 billion in August to $5.7 billion in September.

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).