Canada Signs Trade Deal With Ecuador and Finalizes UAE Pact

The government of Canada executed a strategic trade expansion on July 24, 2026, by signing a free trade agreement with Ecuador in Ottawa and concluding negotiations for another deal with the United Arab Emirates in Toronto.

The agreement with Ecuador, signed by Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu and Ecuadorian Minister Luis Alberto Jaramillo, allows 99.6% of Ecuador's exportable products, such as bananas, shrimp, and cocoa, to enter Canada duty-free. The pact includes 29 chapters covering labor, environment, and Indigenous peoples, though 227 strategic agricultural items like rice and corn remain excluded. This deal ensures Canada has trade agreements with every country on the South American Pacific Coast.

Simultaneously, Canada finalized negotiations with the United Arab Emirates after a 47-day process. This agreement aims to boost industrial productivity and non-oil sector growth, coinciding with a UAE pledge to invest approximately $70 billion in Canadian mines, ports, and LNG projects. Prime Minister Mark Carney is utilizing these agreements to pursue a goal of doubling non-U.S. exports over the next decade.

While the Ecuadorian Ministry of Production called the pact a milestone, some Canadian civil society leaders criticized the government for prioritizing trade over human rights and environmental protections in Ecuador.