Help Canadian businesses diversify their markets • YouBetcha

Current Status

Status: Not Started

No concrete actions have been taken by the Carney government to expand or pivot the CanExport program as promised.

Background

Canadian businesses have long relied heavily on the U.S. market, making diversification a key economic priority to mitigate risks from trade tensions, economic shifts, or policy changes south of the border. During the 2025 federal election, Mark Carney positioned this promise as part of a broader strategy to bolster Canada's global competitiveness, emphasizing the need to leverage trade agreements like the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Europe and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to open new avenues for exports. Fulfilling this would require specific expansions to the CanExport program, which provides funding for small and medium-sized enterprises to explore international markets, including targeted shifts away from U.S. dependence toward these underutilized deals. Under the previous Trudeau government, initiatives like the Export Diversification Strategy aimed for a 50 percent increase in overseas exports by 2025, but these efforts fell short of that goal as global trade patterns evolved.

Evidence

No qualifying actions by the Carney government appear in available records. Government websites detail ongoing diversification tools and resources, such as toolkits for exporters and market intelligence support [1][2], but these reflect pre-existing frameworks without evidence of new expansions or pivots under Carney. An AgriMarketing Program opened intake on February 13, 2026, offering funding for market diversification in agriculture, with contributions planned through 2030-2031 [3], yet this program is distinct from CanExport and shows no linkage to the promised changes. Broader trade diversification strategies, including references to CETA and CPTPP, continue from prior initiatives aiming for export growth by 2025 [4], but no documented steps by the Carney administration since its formation in early 2026 indicate expansions to CanExport or a specific focus on shifting from U.S. markets. Other legislative texts, such as the Western Economic Diversification Act [5] and the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act [6], outline general economic support and diversification duties, but lack any reference to CanExport modifications. Additional sources on racial inequality in the economy [7] and departmental plans for 2026-2027 [8] provide context on broader economic priorities, but offer no evidence of tangible actions toward this promise.

Assessment

Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has yet to deliver on its campaign pledge to help Canadian businesses diversify markets through an expanded and refocused CanExport program. Despite the availability of general export resources and ongoing programs, no verifiable steps have emerged to specifically enlarge CanExport, redirect it away from U.S. reliance, or enhance its use of trade deals like CETA and CPTPP. This absence of action leaves the promise unaddressed more than a year into Carney's term, even as economic pressures underscore the need for such diversification.

With today's date marking March 26, 2026, and no deadlines specified in the original promise, the lack of progress stands out against the backdrop of inherited strategies that have not been built upon. Businesses seeking to reduce U.S. dependence continue to navigate existing tools without the promised enhancements, highlighting a gap between election rhetoric and government follow-through. Until concrete measures materialize, this commitment remains stalled, potentially exposing Canadian exporters to ongoing vulnerabilities in an uncertain global landscape.

Current Status

Background

Evidence

Assessment

Sources