Carney targets new trade agreements with ASEAN, India and other Asian partners by year-end

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada aims to finalize new trade agreements with ASEAN member states, India, Thailand and the Philippines by the end of 2026, a move the federal government says would give Canadian businesses access to markets representing nearly three billion consumers.

Speaking to reporters in Red Deer, Alta., Carney said the government intends to conclude free trade agreements with India and other key partners before the end of the year. According to the prime minister, the agreements are expected to create new opportunities for Canadian businesses in some of the Asia-Pacific region's fastest-growing economies.

Carney said expanding Canada's trade partnerships is part of the federal government's strategy to reduce reliance on traditional markets, including the United States, while opening new global markets for Canadian goods and services.

The prime minister also said Canada is in a stronger position than it was when the trade dispute began, adding that the country is creating jobs at roughly twice the pace of the United States. He said the government aims to double Canada's non-U.S. exports over the next decade.