Sylvain Charlebois: Canada Remains Hooked on US Food

Recent Statistics Canada figures show that Canadian agri-food imports from the United States declined by 0.7 percent between January and August 2026 compared to the previous year. However, Canada’s total agri-food imports decreased by 1.2 percent during the same period. This resulted in an increase in the U.S. share of Canada’s agri-food imports from 47.09 percent to 47.33 percent.

• Canadian agri-food imports from the United States saw a 0.7 percent decline between January and August 2026.
• Canada’s total agri-food imports decreased by 1.2 percent during the same period.
• The U.S. share of Canada’s agri-food imports increased from 47.09 percent to 47.33 percent.
• Changing where Canadians buy and sell food is more difficult than changing their feelings about the United States.