Canada–China Trade: 2026 Q1

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Executive Summary 

Using data from Statistics Canada, this report provides an overview of merchandise trade between Canada and China in the first quarter of 2026 at the aggregate, sectoral, and provincial levels. While bilateral trade total was little changed year-over-year, the data reveal several notable underlying trends, including a continued surge in energy exports to China and Alberta overtaking British Columbia as Canada's largest exporting province.

Highlights

• Total Bilateral Trade Increases Slightly as Surging Exports Offset Weaker Imports: Canada-China bilateral trade reached C$32.1 billion in Q1 2026, up 1.1% from Q4 2025 and 0.6% year-over-year. The modest year-over-year increase was driven by Canadian exports to China, which rose 18.1% to C$9.9 billion, while imports from China were 5.6% lower YoY at C$22.2 billion.   

• Energy and Minerals Continue to Drive Export Growth: Growth in Canada’s exports to China was led by energy products (C$3.38 billion, ↑ 67.1% YoY) and metal ores and non-metallic minerals (C$2.37 billion, ↑ 60.2% YoY). 

• Agricultural Exports Remain Weak but Show Intra-Quarter Improvement: Farm, fishing and intermediate food exports fell 34.1% year-over-year to C$1.29 billion in Q1 2026, but the monthly year-over-year decline narrowed from 72.6% in January to 8.3% in March. 

• Alberta Became the Largest Exporting Province to China: Alberta’s exports to China rose 51.3% year-over-year to C$3.6 billion, driven primarily by energy exports, making it Canada’s largest exporting province to China in Q1 2026.

• Total Trade Remains More Geographically Concentrated: Bilateral trade remained concentrated in Ontario and British Columbia, which together accounted for about 61% of total Canada-China trade in Q1 2026. Export growth was concentrated in Alberta, while Ontario accounted for most of the decline in imports from China.  

• Dominant Import Categories Continued to Weaken, Driving Overall  Import Decline: Consumer goods (C$6.37 billion, ↓ 11.3% YoY) and electronic & electrical equipment & parts (C$4.06 billion, ↓ 20.9% YoY) both recorded YoY declines for the third consecutive quarter,  accounting for much of the overall contraction in imports, while remaining the largest import categories from China.