Canadian international merchandise trade, July 2025
Released: 2025-09-04
In July, Canada's merchandise exports rose 0.9%, while imports were down 0.7%. As a result, Canada's merchandise trade deficit with the world narrowed from $6.0 billion in June to $4.9 billion in July.
Due to the implementation of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) digital initiative, estimates were added to the reference months from November 2024 to July 2025. Please see the Note to readers below for more information.
Consult the "International trade monthly interactive dashboard" to explore the most recent results of Canada's international trade in an interactive format.
Chart 1
Merchandise exports and imports
Exports of energy products and motor vehicles increase
Total exports were up 0.9% in July, the third consecutive monthly increase. Since the sharp decline of 11.2% observed in April, merchandise exports have risen 3.0%. Total exports for the first seven months of 2025 were up 1.0% compared with the same period in 2024. Overall, increases were observed in 7 of the 11 product sections in July 2025. In real (or volume) terms, total exports rose 1.6%.
Chart 2
Contribution to the monthly change in exports, by product, July 2025
Following five consecutive monthly declines, exports of energy products (+4.2%) posted the largest increase in July. After falling 1.8% in June, crude oil exports were up 2.3% in July, with both prices and volumes contributing to the increase. Exports of nuclear fuel and other energy products (+49.7%) and coal exports (+28.6%) also contributed to the upswing in exports of energy products in July.
Chart 3
Exports of energy products
Exports of motor vehicles and parts increased 6.6% in July, a month that is normally marked by temporary closures at automotive assembly plants in Canada for summer holidays. However, because of the production slowdown caused by, among other things, tariffs imposed by the United States, the effects of the seasonal stoppages in July were less severe this year. As a result, a sharp increase in exports of passenger cars and light trucks (+10.8%) on a seasonally adjusted basis was observed in July.
Chart 4
Exports and imports of passenger cars and light trucks
Lower exports of metal and non-metallic mineral products (-8.0%) partially offset the overall increase in exports in July. The decline was mostly due to lower exports of unwrought gold, silver, and platinum group metals and their alloys (-12.2%), a category largely composed of unwrought gold. Despite a second consecutive monthly decrease, which followed a record high in May, unwrought gold exports were more than 25% higher in July 2025 than in July 2024. Exports of unwrought aluminum and aluminum alloys (-31.0%) also contributed to the downturn in July 2025. In the context of US tariffs on Canadian aluminum, this is a fourth consecutive monthly decline for this product group and its lowest level since May 2019.
Chart 5
Exports of unwrought aluminum and aluminum alloys
Imports down in July after a one-time high-value import in June
After increasing 0.8% in June, total imports were down 0.7% in July. This decrease was driven by imports of industrial machinery, equipment and parts, for which a one-time high-value shipment observed in June did not repeat in July. Excluding this product section, total imports were up 2.2%. Despite the overall decline, increases were observed in 10 of the 11 product sections. In real (or volume) terms, total imports fell 0.9% in July.
Chart 6
Contribution to the monthly change in imports, by product, July 2025
Imports of industrial machinery, equipment and parts (-18.8%) were by far the largest contributor to the overall decline in total imports in July. This was driven by a drop of more than $2.0 billion for imports in the logging, construction, mining, and oil and gas field machinery and equipment product group. This decrease follows the one-time import in June of a module destined for an oil project off the coast of the island of Newfoundland.
Chart 7
Imports of industrial machinery, equipment and parts
A number of product sections posted sizable increases in July, which partially offset the overall decline in imports. These include aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts (+11.0%), motor vehicles and parts (+2.2%), consumer goods (+1.6%) and farm, fishing and intermediate food products (+7.8%).
Please see the Note to readers below for more information on the impacts of the CARM digital initiative on Canada's import statistics.
Exports to the United States rise for a third straight month, while imports from the United States fall
Exports to the United States increased 5.0% in July, in part because of higher exports of crude oil and passenger cars. Exports to the United States were down 2.9% in the first seven months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, imports from the United States fell 2.2% in July 2025, a fourth decrease in five months. As a result, Canada's trade surplus with the United States widened from $3.7 billion in June to $6.7 billion in July, the largest surplus since March 2025.
Chart 8
Merchandise trade with the United States
Exports to countries other than the United States decrease
Exports to countries other than the United States were down 8.6% in July, a second consecutive monthly decline. Compared with the same month in 2024, exports to countries other than the United States were up 14.0% in July 2025. Lower exports to the United Kingdom (unwrought gold), the Netherlands (unwrought aluminum and crude oil) and Spain (various products) contributed the most to the monthly decrease. Meanwhile, imports from countries other than the United States increased 1.3% in July. Canada's trade deficit with countries other than the United States widened from $9.7 billion in June to $11.7 billion in July.
Chart 9
Merchandise trade with countries other than the United States
Chart 10
International merchandise trade balance
Revisions to June merchandise export and import data
Imports in June, originally reported at $67.6 billion in the previous release, were revised to $67.3 billion in the current reference month's release. Exports in June, originally reported at $61.7 billion in the previous release, were revised to $61.3 billion in the current reference month's release.
Monthly trade in services
In July, monthly service exports were up 2.6% to $18.7 billion. Meanwhile, imports of services were down 1.3% to $18.2 billion.
When international trade in goods and services are combined, exports increased 1.3% to $80.6 billion in July, while imports decreased 0.9% to $85.0 billion. As a result, Canada's total trade deficit with the world went from $6.2 billion in June to $4.4 billion in July.
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Note to readers
Information on concepts and methods used for the monthly release of Canada's international merchandise trade is now available online. Please see "Notes on the monthly release of Canadian international merchandise trade" for more details.
For a detailed overview of the Canadian International Merchandise Trade program, please see "Guide to Canadian International Merchandise Trade Statistics."
Important notice to users of import statistics following the implementation of CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM)
Statistics Canada's primary data source used in the compilation of import statistics has undergone a significant transition as a result of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) digital initiative, implemented on October 21, 2024. The CARM transition has led to delays in the receipt of import data at Statistics Canada, affecting the completeness and quality of import statistics.
While the timely collection of import data is progressively improving and patterns stabilizing, Statistics Canada's monthly estimates for data that will be received after collection deadlines remain larger than they were prior to the CARM transition. In light of this greater use of estimation and the ongoing refinement of estimation methods, revisions related to the CARM transition remain possible for the reference months of November 2024 through July 2025. Statistics Canada will provide further updates as the situation evolves.
Real-time data table
The real-time data table 12-10-0165-01 will be updated on September 15.
Next release
Data on Canadian international merchandise trade for August will be released on October 7.
Products
The International trade statistics portal is now available on the Statistics Canada website.
The product "International trade monthly interactive dashboard" (71-607-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" (71-607-X) is now available online.
The updated "Canada and the World Statistics Hub" (13-609-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" (71-607-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 (71-607-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).
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