US Shutdown Leaves Canada in Dark on Major Chunk of Exports
Country Might Not Be Able to Proceed With Nov. 4 Release of Trade Figures
Key Takeaways:
- Statistics Canada said it has not received September data on Canadian exports to the U.S. due to the U.S. government shutdown that began Oct. 1.
- The missing figures may force the agency to delay its Nov. 4 release of trade data, preventing calculation of key metrics on Canada’s largest trading partner.
- The disruption underscores how the shutdown is hindering efforts to measure trade flows as the Trump administration pursues changes to global trade policy.
[Stay on top of transportation news: .]
Canada’s statistics agency says it hasn’t received any data on U.S. imports of Canadian goods for September, raising the possibility that it won’t be able to proceed with a scheduled release of trade figures on Nov. 4.
Government agencies collaborate to share information on the shipment of goods across borders. But when the U.S. government began apartial shutdownOct. 1, “no data on Canada’s exports to the United States for September 2025 had been received,” Cristobal D’Alessio, a spokesperson for Statistics Canada, said by email.
RELATED: What DOT’s Shutdown Plan Means for Trucking
Without those inputs, the agency won’t be able to calculate key trade metrics relating to Canada’s largest trading partner. The agency hasn’t yet decided to postpone the November release. The “situation remains fluid,” D’Alessio said.
հܳ
The missing trade data captures another complication of the U.S. shutdown. The Trump administration is focused on changing perceived imbalances in global trade — but with U.S. government employees off the job, it will be difficult to measure trade deficits and surpluses.
RELATED: Canada’s Exports Rise Despite Trump Tariffs
Canada’s trade surplus with the U.S. narrowedin August to C$6.4 billion ($4.6 billion) as exports fell 3.4%, while imports from the U.S. declined 1.4%. Exports to the U.S. represented nearly 73% of Canada’s goods shipments abroad that month.
The last time a U.S. government shutdown caused adelayin Canadian trade statistics was in early 2019, during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Want more news? Listen to today's daily briefing belowor go here for more info:
