{"id":492407,"date":"2026-06-10T12:12:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T12:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/492407\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T12:12:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T12:12:10","slug":"so-much-opportunity-ireland-canada-trade-increases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/492407\/","title":{"rendered":"‘So much opportunity’ – Ireland-Canada trade increases"},"content":{"rendered":"

The trading relationship between Ireland and Canada has increased due to tensions between Ottawa and Washington, according to an Ontario minister.<\/p>\n

Todd McCarthy MPP, Minister of the Environment for Ontario, told RT\u00c9 News that while trade between the two nations has grown over the last decade, US tariffs have given it a boost.<\/p>\n

“It has definitely escalated,” he said.<\/p>\n

His comments come as RT\u00c9 News understands that Ireland is on track to approve a major EU-Canada trade deal next week, known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Ireland.<\/p>\n

Trade between Ireland and Canada is governed by CETA but Ireland has not ratified it due to a series of delays<\/a>.<\/p>\n

CETA has been provisionally implemented by Ireland since 2017 and since then trade with Canada has grown by 98%.<\/p>\n

\"Irish
\nThe Ontario ban on US alcohol has been an opportunity for Irish whiskey<\/p>\n

One sector that has seen a noticeable change is Irish whiskey, which continues to face the standard 15% tariff that applies to EU goods entering the US.<\/p>\n

However Eoin \u00d3 Cath\u00e1in, director of the Irish Whiskey Association, said there has been “huge growth” year on year in Canada.<\/p>\n

“Our export value to Canada has improved. We sell over 420,000 cases. That’s a huge jump, even when you compare it to two years ago,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We’re seeing the direct impact of that instability in the global trading environment. And again, I suppose a greater appreciation for those trading partners who are a bit more certain on whom each country can rely.”<\/p>\n

A growth factor is an American alcohol ban in the Canadian province of Ontario, one of the biggest buyers of alcohol in the world.<\/p>\n

More than 3,600 US made alcohol products were pulled from shelves and taken off the menus at bars and restaurants in a retaliatory move made by Ontario Premier Doug Ford against President Donald Trump’s tariffs.<\/p>\n

The US’s loss has been Ireland\u2019s gain.<\/p>\n

We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences<\/a><\/p>\n

“It’s not even top of mind for people anymore. They’ve changed their habits to something else that is similar and I think we’ve moved on honestly,” said Kristen Bradley from the Heart and Crown, an Irish pub in Ottawa.<\/p>\n

“It gave us an opportunity to highlight different products so whether it be a Canadian spotlight or an Irish spotlight, of course, for an Irish pub.<\/p>\n

“It took people out of their comfort zone from ordering the thing that they know and trying something different because they have to,” she added.<\/p>\n

Canada is trying to diversify its investment and trading relationships as the turbulent times with the US continue.<\/p>\n

\"Kristen
\nCanadians are willing to try new tastes, says Kristen Bradley from the Heart and Crown in Ottawa<\/p>\n

Part of that strategy is deepening links with Europe, one of the reasons why Prime Minister Carney is visiting Ireland this week.<\/p>\n

As well as taking the opportunity to celebrate his Irish heritage, Canadian MP James Maloney said it is about business too.<\/p>\n

According to the Canadian government, bilateral merchant trade between Canada and Ireland totalled $6bn in 2025, with Canadian exports to Ireland valued at $1.1bn and imports at $4.9bn.<\/p>\n

\n

An economic report published last year said Irish-Canada trade could grow by a further half a billion dollars a year.<\/p>\n

“It’s important because the relationship has great historical significance, but it’s probably never been more important than it is right now,” said Mr Maloney.<\/p>\n

The chair of the Canada-Ireland Parliamentary Group also said the trading numbers have gone up, and there is “still so much opportunity”.<\/p>\n

\"James
\nIreland is an English-speaking gateway to Europe, says James Maloney<\/p>\n

He said that with “everything that\u2019s going on in the world”, Ireland represents the English-speaking gateway to Europe for Canada.<\/p>\n

Irish companies have been navigating changing trade policies in North America, meaning it is now more expensive to do business across the Atlantic.<\/p>\n

Combilift, the largest manufacturer of multi-directional side loading and articulated forklifts globally, has been one of the companies hit by US tariffs.<\/p>\n

However, it has been bolstered by a government effort to supercharge home building.<\/p>\n

\"Combilift
\nCompanies like Combilift are expanding rapidly in Canada<\/p>\n

“Combilift have had a presence here in the market for many years. We’ve continued to grow year on year. And this year it’s been no different,” said Gear\u00f3id O’Hare from Combilift in Toronto.<\/p>\n

“Our sales are actually up 40%, which is quite remarkable considering the global economy and the challenges that we’re facing here as a result of what’s going on south of the border,” he said.<\/p>\n

Mr McCarthy said that one of the “great things” that has come from the US-imposed trade and tariff war is that Canada has looked to strengthen partnerships elsewhere, including its relationship with Ireland.<\/p>\n

“It’s going to be permanent. Ireland is going to continue to be and will be even more of an enhanced trading partner and ally because of this,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Even when we make amends with the US, when that time comes in a few short years, we will still continue to look to and have a strong friendship and relationship with Ireland,” Mr McCarthy added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The trading relationship between Ireland and Canada has increased due to tensions between Ottawa and Washington, according to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":492408,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[61,60,43],"class_list":["post-492407","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492407","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=492407"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/492407\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/492408"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=492407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=492407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=492407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}