Trade and gender: The Canada-Mexico story

The amount of 2-way merchandise trade between Canada and Mexico fell by 1.6% in 2019, as compared to 2018—the last full year before preferential tariff treatment under CPTPP was applicable. In 2020, with the onset of COVID-19, merchandise trade fell by an additional 18.7% compared to 2019.

In 2020, Canada exported $6,151 million in goods to Mexico and imported $29,893 million worth of goods.

In Canada, 36,388 jobs were directly or indirectly supported by merchandise exports to Mexico in 2019, 11,282 of which were occupied by women.

Top 5 Industries: Number of direct and indirect jobs occupied by women that are supported by goods exports to Mexico –

• Crop and animal production: 1,341 jobs
• Wholesale trade: 1,319 jobs
• Finance and insurance: 861 jobs
• Transportation equipment manufacturing: 787 jobs
• Transportation and warehousing: 748 jobs

The number of Canadian businesses exporting goods to Mexico in 2020 was 1,856, while the number of Canadian businesses importing goods from Mexico was 3,113.

Women-owned and equally-owned businesses in 2017:

• Export value: 8.6%
• Import value: 13.9%
• Exporters: 15.0%
• Importers: 24.7%

Men-owned businesses in 2017:

• Export value: 91.4%
• Import value: 86.1%
• Exporters: 85.0%
• Importers: 75.3%

Women-owned and equally-owned Canadian businesses make up a larger portion of imports than exports, by both number of importers and value.

Notes:

• Women-, men- and equally-owned businesses refer to Canadian-controlled private corporations.
• The reported fractions are those for which data on gender ownership is available.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Employer-Employee Dynamics Database, Trade by Exporter Characteristics, Trade by Importer Characteristics and Canadian Merchandise Trade Database.