The latest dollar total also reflects a 10.5% increase compared to $504 billion over the 5-year period starting in 2021.
Based on the average exchange rate for 2025, the Canadian dollar weakened by -2% against the US dollar from 2024 to 2025. Canada’s diluted local currency made Canadian exports paid for in stronger US dollars relatively less expensive for international buyers starting from American money.
The Dominion of Canada’s 5 most-valuable export products by value in 2025 were crude oil, unwrought gold, cars, refined petroleum oils, then petroleum gases. In aggregate, those major exports represent over one-third (34.8%) of the Canada’s overall export sales. That percentage suggests a relatively concentrated portfolio of exported goods.
Canada ranks among world-leading nations for exporting sawn wood, crude oil, cars and gold.
Canada’s Best Trade Customers
The latest available country-specific data shows that 91.4% of products exported from Canada was bought by importers in: United States of America (72.5% of the Canadian total), United Kingdom (6.0%), mainland China (4.4%), Japan (1.9%), Netherlands (1.2%), Germany (1.2%), Mexico (1.1%), South Korea (0.9%), France (0.65%), Italy (0.5%), India (also 0.5%) and Hong Kong (0.49%).
From a continental perspective, 73.7% of Canada exports by value was delivered to fellow North American countries while 12.2% was sold to Europe importers. Canada shipped another 11.2% worth of goods to buyers in Asia.
Smaller percentages went to customers in Latin America (1.5%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.9%) then Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given Canada’s population of 41.6 million people, its total US$556.6 billion in 2025 exports translates to roughly $13,400 for every resident. That per-capita metric is lower than the $13,800 average for 2025.
Canada’s Top 10 Exports
The following export product groups categorize the highest dollar value in Canadian global shipments during 2025. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Canada.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$136.7 billion (24.6% of total exports)
- Vehicles: $52.6 billion (9.5%)
- Gems, precious metals: $44.4 billion (8%)
- Machinery including computers: $41.9 billion (7.5%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $17.2 billion (3.1%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $14.7 billion (2.6%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $13.7 billion (2.5%)
- Wood: $12.2 billion (2.2%)
- Aluminum: $11.9 billion (2.1%)
- Ores, slag, ash: $11.8 billion (2.1%)
Canada’s top 10 exports accounted for 64.2% of the overall value of its global shipments.
Gems and precious metals represent the fastest grower among the top 10 export product categories, up by 30.1% since 2024.
In second place for improving export sales was the aircraft and spacecraft category which grew by 4%.
Canada’s shipments of machinery including computers posted the third-fastest gain in value, up by 2.3% year over year.
The leading decliner among Canada’s top 10 export categories was wood via a -9.7% decline.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level.
For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section below.
Canada’s Most Valuable Export Products: Detailed View
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, the following listing showcases 20 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Canada during 2025.
Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease compared to the prior year.
- Crude oil: US$100.7 billion (down -6.3% since 2024)
- Gold (unwrought): $38 billion (up 35.8%)
- Cars: $29.1 billion (down -8.5%)
- Processed petroleum oils: $13.3 billion (down -10.9%)
- Petroleum gases: $12.6 billion (up 27.7%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $12.6 billion (down -4.3%)
- Turbo-jets: $9.7 billion (up 26%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $9.1 billion (up 4%)
- Wheat: $8.1 billion (up 7.1%)
- Medication mixes in dosage: $8 billion (down -18.3%)
- Aluminum (unwrought): $7.5 billion (down -9.8%)
- Potassic fertilizers: $6.5 billion (up 11.1%)
- Iron ores, concentrates: $6.1 billion (down -5.1%)
- Sawn wood: $6.1 billion (down -9%)
- Trucks: $6 billion (down -22.7%)
- Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries: $5.5 billion (down -3.7%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $5.4 billion (down -23.9%)
- Copper ores, concentrates: $4.5 billion (up 19.6%)
- Rape/colza/mustard oil: $3.8 billion (down -12.1%)
- Rape/colza seeds: $3.8 billion (down -12.5%)
These 20 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$296.4 billion or over half (53.2%) by value for all products exported from Canada during 2025.
Products Generating Trade Surpluses for Canada
The following types of Canadian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$102.4 billion (Down by -7.2% since 2024)
- Gems, precious metals: $18.2 billion (Up by 21.9%)
- Wood: $9 billion (Down by -10.8%)
- Cereals: $8.8 billion (Up by 8%)
- Ores, slag, ash: $8.1 billion (Up by 0.4%)
- Aluminum: $6.6 billion (Down by -11.5%)
- Oil seeds: $6.5 billion (Down by -2.4%)
- Fertilizers: $4.62 billion (Up by 13.2%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $4.59 billion (Up by 4%)
- Woodpulp: $4.55 billion (Down by -11.7%)
Historically, Canada is noted for positive net exports in the international trade of crude oil, petroleum gas, coal, petroleum residues including coke, and electricity. These positive cashflows indicate Canada’s strong competitive advantages under the mineral fuels-related category.
Products Causing Trade Deficits for Canada
Canada incurred a -US$7.2 billion trade deficit for 2025, reversing a $15 billion surplus one year earlier in 2025.
Below are exports from Canada that are negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Canada’s goods trail Canadian importer spending on foreign products.
- Machinery including computers: -US$45.6 billion (Up by 9.4% since 2024)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$34.7 billion (Up by 0.3%)
- Vehicles: -$34.3 billion (Up by 6%)
- Pharmaceuticals: -$9.4 billion (Up by 22.2%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$7.3 billion (Up by 2.1%)
- Articles of iron or steel: -$7 billion (Up by 28.4%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$5.6 billion (Up by 4%)
- Fruits, nuts: -$5.4 billion (Up by 3.9%)
- Toys, games: -$4.7 billion (Up by 17.9%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: -$4.5 billion (Up by 29.8%)
Canada has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for machinery products including computers comprising myriad types and sizes for business and personal purposes. Red ink under the machinery including computer category also arose from trade in bulldozers and similar heavy construction equipment.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Canada’s competitive disadvantages in the international machinery market including computer-related goods, but also represent key opportunities for Canada to improve its position in the global economy through targeted innovations.
Canadian Export Companies
Wikipedia lists many of the larger international trade players from Canada.
- Barrick Gold (diversified metals, mining)
- Bombardier Inc. (aerospace, transit vehicles)
- Cameco (uranium)
- Canadian Natural Resources (oil, gas)
- Encana (oil, gas)
- Magna International (automotive parts)
- Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (specialized chemicals)
- Saputo (dairy products)
- Suncor Energy (oil, gas)
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following smaller companies are also examples of leading Canadian exporters.
- Interex Forest Products (wood, strand board)
- West Fraser Mills (wood, chemical woodpulp)
- Weyerhaeuser (wood, chemical woodpulp)
In macroeconomic terms, Canada’s total exported goods represent 20.4% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2025 (US$2.73 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 20.4% for exports to overall GDP per PPP in 2025 compares to 22% one year earlier. Those percentages suggest a decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Canada’s total economic performance, albeit based on a limited timeframe.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Canada’s unemployment rate averaged 6.597% for 2025 according to International Monetary Fund statistics, higher than the average 6.375% in 2025.
See also Canada’s Top 10 Imports, Canada’s Top Trading Partners, Top Canadian Trade Balances, Canada’s Top 10 Major Export Companies and World’s Top Food Exports Special Data Report
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on February 27, 2026
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on February 27, 2026
Government of Canada, Trade Data Online, Total exports, Distribution by province. Accessed on February 27, 2026
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on February 27, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on February 27, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on February 27, 2026
Richest Country Reports, Key Statistics Powering Global Wealth. Accessed on February 27, 2026
SHIPHUB, HS Code for Food. Accessed on February 27, 2026
Wikipedia, Cosmetic industry. Accessed on February 27, 2026
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on February 27, 2026
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on February 27, 2026
X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Canadian Dollar to US Dollar (monthly average 2025). Accessed on February 27, 2026