Canada launches new task force to make trade faster, simpler and more efficient

Canada will work with industry to modernize trade and make it easier for businesses

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 30, 2026 /CNW/ -- Canada's businesses depend on a transportation and trade system that can move goods quickly, reliably and securely. As global trade evolves and competition increases, Canada needs to modernize how trade information moves across businesses, governments and borders.

Today, the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons announced that the Trade Digitalization Task Force has begun its work, holding its first meeting on October 29th.

The Task Force will bring government and industry together to identify barriers, provide practical solutions, and accelerate the digitalization of trade in Canada.

Trade digitalization can help Canada to:

• streamline and accelerate trade processes
• reduce shipping delays, costs and administrative burden,
• enhance the security of trade information, and
• improve the efficiency and predictability of shipments.

A key part of this is a "Tell Us Once" approach, where businesses submit information once to be securely shared across federal departments and agencies. This would reduce duplication, save businesses time and money, and make it easier to move goods within Canada and across its borders.

The Task Force will hear directly from industry about the challenges businesses face and identify opportunities to simplify and modernize trade processes. Its advice will help guide the Government of Canada's work to advance trade digitalization.

The Task Force will bring together representatives from:

• Air Canada
• Canada Border Services Agency
• Canadian Federation of Independent Business
• Canadian National Railway (CN)
• Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)
• Canadian Trucking Alliance
• Digital Trust Canada
• DP World
• Finance Canada
• Global Affairs Canada
• Livingston International
• Merck Canada
• Payments Canada
• Port of Halifax
• Port of Montréal
• Port of Vancouver
• Rio Tinto
• Sobeys
• University of Ottawa

The Task Force will continue for as long as collaboration between government and industry is needed to advance trade digitalization across the transportation sector.

By bringing partners together to identify barriers, share best practices and develop practical solutions, the Task Force will help make trade faster, simpler and more efficient, strengthen Canada's supply chain and help Canadian businesses compete and grow.

"Canadian businesses should be able to spend less time navigating paperwork and more time growing, competing and reaching new markets.

By bringing government and industry together, we can modernize how trade works, cut duplication and make it faster and easier to move goods acrossCanada and around the world. The Trade Digitalization Task Force is about identifying practical solutions that deliver real results for Canadian businesses."

"Trade-enabling infrastructure is how we connect businesses across Canada and to global markets. As we move at speed to diversify our trade relationships to create new opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers, the Trade Digitalization Task Force will strengthen Canada's connectivity and supply chains, moving us closer to our goal of doubling non-U.S. exports over the next decade."
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu
Minister of International Trade

"At a time when Canada must strengthen its economic foundations and improve its productivity, we need to make it easier for businesses to trade, grow and compete. Modernizing how trade information moves across our economy will reduce red tape, lower costs and strengthen supply chains. The Trade Digitalization Task Force is an important step toward a more efficient and competitive trading system that helps Canadian businesses reach new markets and seize new opportunities."
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne
Minister of Finance and National Revenue of Canada

• Relevant recent Government of Canada investments:
  1. Trade Diversification Corridors Fund: $5 billion program designed to build and improve trade infrastructure that connects Canada. This will unlock access to new global markets and help double non-U.S. exports.
  2. National Trade Corridors Fund: $4.6 billion over 11 years (2017-2028) to make important investments in transportation supply chain projects across Canada. These investments improve trade gateways, resulting in significant advantages for the Canadian economy.
  3. Major Projects Office: Fast-tracks nation-building projects such as the Contrecœur Container Terminal Project, which will give Eastern Canada the trading infrastructure it needs to keep goods moving, meet growing demand, and diversify trade routes. It will strengthen supply chains, create thousands of jobs, and generate approximately $140 million annually in local and national economic benefits across Quebec and Canada.

• One Canadian Economy 
• Prime Minister Carney announces first-ever Canada Investment Summit
• Prime Minister Carney launches new measures to protect, build, and transform Canadian strategic industries
• Trade Diversification Corridors Fund

Visit Transport Canada's website.

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SOURCE Transport Canada - Ottawa

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