Canada posts $4.2B merchandise trade surplus as imports fall
Statistics Canada says exports rose 2.5% and imports fell 2.0% in August, widening the merchandise surplus to $4.2 billion from $787 million in July.
The story in focus
Statistics Canada reports Canada's merchandise trade surplus with the world widened to $4.2 billion in August from $787 million in July, as exports rose 2.5% and imports fell 2.0%. The agency says it was the first import decline since January, with motor vehicles and parts leading the drop.
- Merchandise exports rose 2.5% in August while imports fell 2.0%, Statistics Canada says.
- The trade surplus widened to $4.2 billion from $787 million in July.
- Imports of motor vehicles and parts posted the largest decline in August.
Surplus widens on falling imports
Canada's merchandise trade surplus with the world widened to $4.2 billion in August from $787 million in July, according to Statistics Canada's Weekly Review for October 5 to 9, 2026. The shift came as exports rose 2.5% and imports fell 2.0% during the month.
The agency said the total import decrease was the first since January. Despite the overall decline, gains were recorded in 6 of the 11 product sections, with imports of motor vehicles and parts posting the largest drop.
Employment and travel revenue also reported
The same release said employment fell by 68,000 (-0.3%) in September, the second consecutive monthly decline, split between full-time (-35,000) and part-time (-33,000) work. The unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage points to 6.5%, and the employment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 60.6%.
Separately, operating revenue for the travel arrangement and reservation services industry group rose 8.8% to $18.3 billion in 2025, following a 9.3% increase in 2024, the agency reported.
What drove the change in Canada's merchandise trade balance in August?
Statistics Canada says exports rose 2.5% while imports fell 2.0%, the first import decline since January, widening the surplus to $4.2 billion from $787 million in July.
Sources & further reading
- The Weekly Review, October 5 to 9, 2026 ↗statcan.gc.ca
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