Canada Needs Better Ports to Reduce US Trade Reliance Amid Tariff Threats

As tariffs push Canada to diversify its exports, transportation infrastructure is becoming a critical competitive advantage.

Over the 12 months ending in May 2026, road transport carried 36 percent of Canada’s export value, more than any other mode. That dominance reflects the country’s deep reliance on the United States, the only market Canadian trucks can reach. For exports to all other destinations, the ranking reverses, with water carrying 54 percent of export value, air another 41 percent, and road just 3 percent. Ottawa’s goal of doubling exports to non-US markets by 2035 will therefore depend on marine gateways – which lag international peers on performance. Reaching that target means building out the port and marine capacity Canada’s export networks currently lack.

For more see this recent C.D. Howe Intelligence Memo.