ALBERTA BUSINESSES DIVERSIFY MARKETS AMID U.S. TRADE UNCERTAINTY

CALGARY, AB, Feb. 10, 2026 /CNW/ - One year after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, Alberta small-and-medium-sized businesses – particularly in the Calgary region – are moving faster than ever to diversify beyond the U.S. market, securing higher-value international contracts and reducing exposure to any single trading partner.

New data from Calgary Economic Development (CED) shows 24 per cent of CED-supported trade deals in 2025 found customers in the U.S., compared to 35 per cent in 2024. This represents the smallest share of trade deals with the U.S. on record for CED with the majority exploring markets across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Oceania.

By comparison, roughly 68 per cent of Canada's exports went to the U.S. in 2025, highlighting the strong diversification of local firms.

"Alberta companies are not shying away from growth in the face of uncertainty," said Brad Parry, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development and CEO, Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund. "A year after renewed trade uncertainty reshaped global markets, we're seeing a decisive shift towards continued market diversification. Businesses are intentionally expanding into new global markets, taking advantage of Canada's trade agreements, forming strategic partnerships and future-proofing their growth at levels we haven't seen before."

CED-supported companies secured $60 million in trade revenue through 45 international trade deals and created 187 jobs through business expansions in 2025. This activity signals a clear move up the value curve, as the revenue for trade deals increased by approximately 500 per cent year-over-year as firms concentrated on larger contracts and new markets.

CED-supported companies expanded into 21 countries across six continents last year, spanning key sectors such as clean energy, advanced manufacturing, agri-food, digital technologies, life sciences and aerospace.

Several Calgary companies reported international markets now outperforming U.S. sales, while others established first-time footholds abroad that are expected to generate long-term revenue and job growth at home.

Calgary Economic Development plays a central role in supporting businesses navigate new markets with confidence through its suite of trade services, including the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP), which is supported by funding from the Government of Alberta. TAP equips export-ready companies with export planning, market intelligence, international connections, regulatory guidance and facilitated access to global partners.

In 2025, CED also delivered targeted trade missions, in-bound and outbound delegations, global trade events and sector specific programming to lay the groundwork for expanded trade support in the year ahead. This suite of services will be expanded in 2026, with supplemental trade programming launching in Q2, designed to help Alberta companies diversify faster and enter priority markets amid ongoing economic shifts.

Learn more about how CED supports local companies expand to new markets at https://www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com/export/.

QUOTES

"Once realizing that our neighbors became unreliable, we started looking elsewhere for new commercial partners. Participating in FoodEx Japan with Calgary Economic Development was a fantastic opportunity. Through the mission, we secured partners in Japan, Korea, Thailand and Australia that share our same principles and value long standing relationships, leaving the US,  our former main export market in a very distant place for our products and efforts.  The support, introductions and market intelligence helped us move faster."

Sergio Llerena, Director, Casa Bonita Inc.

"As ZeroSound scales globally, the Trade Accelerator Program has been a key partner in our journey. Over the last year, TAP has supported our plans to establish a regional presence in the UAE and Australia, close a high‑profile engagement in Italy, deliver impactful projects in Chile, and convert major U.S. opportunities. That guidance and network have allowed us to expand with purpose, speed and a clear path to long‑term international growth."

Norm Bogner, CEO and co-founder, ZeroSound Systems Inc.

ABOUT CALGARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Calgary Economic Development is an opportunity-maker, helping to spark and fuel Calgary's growth. Our job is to connect people with resources that can help them grow their careers or businesses, thrive in new locations or markets and feel at home in our community. We steward the economic strategy, Uplook: An Action Plan for Our Economy with the mandate to position Calgary for long-term economic success by supporting the expansion, retention and acquisition of companies, capital and talent. We offer a wealth of information to help everyone succeed and we tirelessly promote Calgary, in Canada and around the world. For more information, visit www.calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Calgary Economic Development
Grace Fullerton, Communications Manager
Media Line: 403 880 7040 | [email protected]

SOURCE Calgary Economic Development Ltd.