Calgary firms pivot as U.S. trade share hits record low: Calgary Economic Development

Some local businesses are proving they don't need to rely on our neighbours to the south to thrive.

One year after President Donald Trump’s administration imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, small and medium-sized businesses in Alberta are aggressively diversifying their exports to reduce reliance on the United States.

New data released Tuesday by Calgary Economic Development (CED) reveals a significant shift in trade patterns.

In 2025, only 24 per cent of trade deals supported by the agency involved U.S. customers—a sharp decline from 35 per cent in 2024.

The figures represent the lowest share of U.S. trade deals on record for the organization.

While the U.S. still accounted for roughly 68 per cent of total Canadian exports nationally in 2025, Calgary-based firms are increasingly looking toward Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

“Alberta companies are not shying away from growth in the face of uncertainty,” said Brad Parry, Calgary Economic Development president and CEO.

Parry said a year of renewed trade friction has triggered a decisive shift toward future-proofing growth.

“Businesses are intentionally expanding into new global markets, taking advantage of Canada’s trade agreements and forming strategic partnerships at levels we haven’t seen before,” he said.

Bigger deals, broader reach

The push for diversification appears to be paying off in contract value.

Companies supported by CED secured $60 million in trade revenue through 45 international deals in 2025.

The report states the revenue per contract increased by approximately 500 per cent year-over-year, as businesses prioritize larger, high-value international contracts over smaller, high-frequency U.S. sales.

‘Unreliable’ neighbours

For many local entrepreneurs, the pivot was born of necessity.

Sergio Llerena, Casa Bonita owner, said his company began looking for new commercial partners after realizing their neighbours became unreliable.

Llerena said a trade mission to Japan helped his company secure partners in Korea, Thailand and Australia.

“The U.S., our former main export market, is now in a very distant place for our products and efforts,” Llerena said.

Similarly, Norm Bogner, ZeroSound Systems CEO, said his company used the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) to establish an international presence.

“We’re already active and have deployments in Latin America and the Chilean market, with projects just starting in the E.U., Germany and Italy. Plus, we’re setting up a regional HQ in both Australia and the United Arab Emirates,” said Bogner.

While his firm still converts U.S. opportunities, the focus has shifted.

“We continue our efforts with the good relationships that we have there. But the importance of the diversification into other markets where they’re, frankly, welcoming us with open arms, is something really that we’re focusing on and leveraging now,” said Bogner.

Calgary Economic Development

In response to the shifting economic landscape, CED plans to launch supplemental trade programming in the second quarter of 2026 to help Alberta companies enter priority markets even faster.

More information about CED programs can be found here.