A high-profile Canadian trade delegation is currently in Mexico to explore new business opportunities, with Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc leading the mission. Over 370 Canadian delegates and 200 businesses are participating in the visit to Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara. In 2024, Canadian trade with Mexico reached $56 billion, marking a significant increase since NAFTA’s inception in 1995. LeBlanc emphasized the potential for further growth in trade relations between the two countries.
The trade mission, which also includes Heritage Minister Marc Miller and Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald, aims to forge new business connections that could materialize into concrete opportunities by the end of March. Chad Watson, CEO of Quickmill based in Ontario, highlighted the importance of diversifying customer bases amid trade uncertainties, especially with discussions surrounding CUSMA renegotiations.
Jorge Rave from Export Development Canada noted a shift in mindset among Canadian businesses towards exploring new export markets beyond traditional ones like the U.S. Andrés Friedman, CEO of Solfium, shared his positive experience expanding his cleantech startup in Mexico due to the country’s favorable demographics and market size.
Despite security concerns following the recent kidnapping incident involving Canadian workers in Sinaloa, LeBlanc assured that Canadian and Mexican authorities are closely collaborating to ensure the safety of citizens and investments. He expressed confidence in Mexico’s progress in enhancing security measures under President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration.
