2026 is poised to be a game-changing year for Canada. A year where we take the anxiety-inducing events of 2025 and early 2026 (global conflict, growing geopolitical tensions and upended trade rules…) and keep taking the reins of what’s in our control.
With respect to trade, a dual-track remains necessary. Our government rightfully remains steadfast in its determination to get the best deal for Canada as it continues to navigate tariffs and upcoming CUSMA re-negotiations. But, what more – and what can truly shape a new course for our economy and sovereignty? PM Mark Carney‘s commitment to double Canadian exports to non-US markets in the next decade.
Exciting and necessary stuff. Now, how do we make that a reality?
Produce more to sell more
One, we’re going to have to make, mine, harvest and grow more things in Canada to sell. Metals and minerals. Wood products. Agrifoods. Energy. Manufactured goods.
The good news? We have the resources and we’re getting on track to get more projects built to meet that goal. New levers, including facilitation support from the Major Projects Office can help; and whereby regulatory modernization is the biggest opportunity.
Looking West for customers
Two. We’re going to need billions of new customers to buy those products. Here…more good news. We have what the world wants.
Grain to feed families. Potash to fertilize increasingly non-arable land. Critical minerals to make batteries and clean tech. LNG to power economies.
Plus, Canada’s making a concerted effort to strengthen relationships with key trading partners. ASEAN and APEC nations like South Korea, Japan and China. India. The Indo-Pacific region will represent 50% of the globe’s GDP by 2040. That’s why we – as BC Premier David Eby and Minister Ravi Kahlon often say – we must “look west”.
Getting products to market
Three. We’re going to have to get the products we make to where they need to go…when they need to get there.
At a recent Greater Vancouver Board of Trade event, Canada’s Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon was clear – Canada will be amping up a shipper-centric approach to strengthening transportation networks.
We must, therefore, build more trade-enabling infrastructure. Invest more in port and rail infrastructure. Bridges. Tunnels. Digital tools and tech to help optimize and data-share. And, we must address labour stability. Our current and prospective customers are watching. Performance is key.
A competitive advantage
And lastly, it goes without saying, to be successful, we must be bold, ambitious and nimble. But, equally important, we must renew our commitment to doing things right.
To minimize environmental impacts. And, to work with Indigenous communities. Here, Canada is already a leader. Let’s keep making ‘how’ we do things, a competitive advantage.
All in all, it’s about rising to the occasion. And I’m looking forward to the role the Port of Vancouver and our team at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will play in making 2026 the year we show the world we’re charting our own course. And, that we’re open for business.
#TeamCanada
This article was first published by Alexa Young on her LinkedIn account and is reprinted here with permission.
