Trade in goods by exporter characteristics, 2025
Released: 2026-04-24
47,948
2025
-88 
(annual change)
The number of Canadian enterprises exporting goods edged down by 0.2% to 47,948 in 2025. A slight decline (-0.3%) in the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that exported was partially offset by growth (+2.7%) in large exporting enterprises. The decline among SMEs was concentrated among medium-sized enterprises with 100 to 499 employees (-4.2%).
Despite their reduced number, medium-sized enterprises saw their value of goods exported rise by 6.1% in 2025, led by gold exports. In contrast, the value of exports by both small (-0.9%) and large (-1.8%) enterprises fell.
Chart 1
Year-over-year percentage change in the number of Canadian exporting enterprises and the value of goods exported, by enterprise size, 2024 to 2025
More enterprises export to destinations other than the United States
There were 542 fewer (-1.3%) enterprises exporting goods to the United States in 2025, the second consecutive annual decline. This was the largest decrease in the number of exporters to the United States since 2020, when trading was significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the number of exporters to non-US destinations increased by 292 (+1.8%), the first increase since 2019. As a result, the share of all Canadian exporting enterprises that exported goods to non-US destinations ticked up from 34.1% in 2024 to 34.8% in 2025.
More enterprises exported to Africa (+175) in 2025, notably to Nigeria and Ghana. Increases were also recorded for the Middle East (+135), led by the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon, and for Europe (+131). On the other hand, the number of exporters to Asia (-40) fell in 2025 despite more enterprises exporting to India. The number of exporters to China declined for a sixth consecutive year, while the number of exporters to South Korea was down for a seventh consecutive year.
Infographic 1
Number of Canadian exporting enterprises, by country of destination, 2025
Chart 2
Year-over-year change in the number of Canadian exporting enterprises, by selected destination, 2024 to 2025
Enterprises exporting to multiple partner countries account for a large share of total export value
In 2025, Canadian enterprises that exported to multiple partner countries made up just over one-quarter (25.3%) of all exporters but generated over four-fifths (82.5%) of all export value. Enterprises with higher employment sizes tended to have broader access to multiple foreign markets. While less than one-quarter (23.0%) of small exporting enterprises sold to multiple partner countries, this share rose to nearly one-half for medium-sized (45.8%) and large (48.3%) enterprises.
Over one-third of manufacturing exporters (35.1%) sold to multiple partner countries in 2025. The shares varied substantially between different sectors. In other sectors, for example, fewer than 1 in 10 exporters in arts, entertainment and recreation (6.6%) and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (6.7%) sold to multiple partner countries.
Chart 3
Share of Canadian exporting enterprises, by employment size and number of partner countries, 2025
More exporters in retail trade, fewer exporters in wholesale trade and manufacturing
An enterprise can have multiple establishments located in different provinces or territories and operating in various industries.
There were 53,276 Canadian exporting establishments in 2025, 172 fewer than in 2024. The decline was primarily driven by Ontario (-143) and British Columbia (-52), due to fewer establishments exporting to the United States. On the other hand, Saskatchewan (+45) and New Brunswick (+27) were among five provinces that posted increases. There were more exporters in Saskatchewan's agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector (+42) following a large decline in 2024, while New Brunswick's increase was concentrated in the retail trade sector (+19).
Nationwide, an increase in exporters in retail trade (+256) was outweighed by declines in wholesale trade (-193) and manufacturing (-132) in 2025. The decline in wholesale trade was largest in Ontario (-107), while Quebec registered the largest drop in manufacturing (-104).
Chart 4
Year-over-year change in the number of Canadian exporting establishments, by province or region, 2024 to 2025
One in four exporters in census metropolitan areas export to multiple partner countries
The number of exporting establishments in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) was essentially unchanged in 2025 (-7; -0.0%), while the number of exporters outside CMAs declined slightly (-165; -1.4%). A decline in the number of exporters in Canada's largest CMA of Toronto (-71; -0.6%) was offset by growth in several other CMAs, led by Halifax (+33; +6.4%), Moncton (+26; +16.9%) and Chilliwack (+26; +15.9%).
Exporters in CMAs were more likely to export to multiple partner countries (24.9%) than exporters outside of CMAs (17.0%) in 2025. Among CMAs, Trois-Rivières (31.4%) had the highest share of exporting establishments that sold to multiple partner countries, followed by Ottawa–Gatineau (29.9%). On the other hand, Thunder Bay (9.5%) and Lethbridge (11.6%) had the lowest shares.
Note to readers
The Trade by Exporter Characteristics: Goods and Trade by Importer Characteristics: Goods programs are an initiative at Statistics Canada undertaken to analyze the business characteristics of exporters and importers in Canada. These estimates are formed by linking customs trade data records to business entities in Statistics Canada's Business Register.
Statistics Canada's primary data source used in the compilation of import statistics underwent a major transition with the implementation of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM) digital initiative on October 21, 2024. The CBSA established a number of transition measures providing importers with additional flexibility in how they could submit their import declarations, impacting the quality of the data related to the Trade by Importer Characteristics: Goods program during the transition. As a result, data on Trade by Importer Characteristics: Goods for 2024 and 2025 are not available. Statistics Canada continues to assess the impact of CARM on this program and will provide additional information on its status when available. More information about CARM transition measures is available on the CBSA website: Customs Notice 24-27: CARM October Implementation – Transition Measures.
Survey definitions
This release contains information at both the enterprise and establishment levels. An enterprise is defined as the statistical unit that directs and controls the allocation of resources relating to its domestic operations, and for which consolidated financial statements are maintained. An establishment is the smallest statistical unit within an enterprise structure and better reflects the primary industrial activity and the province of the exporter and importer. The two measures generate a different number of exporting and importing units, as well as a different industry allocation of these units.
Small enterprises have fewer than 100 employees, including those that did not report any employment. Medium-sized enterprises have 100 to 499 employees, while large enterprises have 500 or more employees.
A census metropolitan area (CMA) is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities clustered around a population centre (known as the core). A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000, of which 50,000 or more must live in the core, based on adjusted data from the Census of Population Program. In the 2021 Census, there were 41 CMAs in Canada.
Detailed information on concepts and methodology relating to this release is available on the Trade by Exporter Characteristics: Goods survey page.
Survey coverage
In this release, the total value of exports refers to the part of the annual domestic export value (customs basis) that can be linked to specific entities in the Business Register each year. Therefore, it differs slightly from the annual domestic export values (customs basis) published as part of the Canadian International Merchandise Trade program, which can be obtained from the Canadian International Merchandise Trade Web Application and Table 12-10-0175-01. Additional information and definitions related to domestic merchandise exports are available on the survey page for Canadian International Merchandise Trade (Customs Basis).
Export data are available for the reference period from 2000 to 2025, while import data are available for the reference period from 2005 to 2023.
Products
The International trade statistics portal is available on the Statistics Canada website.
The data visualization product "Trade in Goods by Exporter and Importer Characteristics: Interactive Tool," which is part of Statistics Canada – Data Visualization Products (71-607-X), is now available.
The product 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 graphs and tables. This product provides easy access to information on trade, investment, employment and travel between Canada and a number of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, China and Japan.
The Methodological Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts (13-607-X) is available.
The User Guide: Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts (13-606-G) is also available. This publication will be regularly updated to maintain its relevance.
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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