United Kingdom and Canada
Security, businesses and human connections link Canada and the United Kingdom. The trade continuity agreement has operated since 2021. CPTPP provides another instrument with its own date; its preferences are not automatically identical to those in the bilateral agreement.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07Security and international institutions
Global Affairs Canada describes cooperation through the UN, World Bank and other organizations.
CPTPP and the 2026 update
The British register of agreements in force indicates trade with Canada under CPTPP from September 2026 following ratification.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 45,526.64 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Goods: United Kingdom to Canada | 8,500.1 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Goods: Canada to United Kingdom | 37,026.54 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: United Kingdom to Canada | 1.53 % | 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR |
| Export share: Canada to United Kingdom | ||
| Investment stock: United Kingdom in Canada | ||
| Investment stock: Canada in United Kingdom |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods; full year; GBR reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: United Kingdom to Canada
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods; full year; GBR reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Goods: Canada to United Kingdom
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods; full year; GBR reporter. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the reporter's coverage. No addition of mirror reports.
- Export share: United Kingdom to Canada
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / GBR · Goods share: GBR exports to the partner / the same reporter's exports to the world, same year.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | United Kingdom | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 4 trillion USD2025 · World Bank | 2.32 trillion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 57,601.96 USD2025 · World Bank | 55,697.66 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 1.39 %2025 · World Bank | 1.74 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 2.25 %2026-09-02 · BoC | |
| Inflation · annual average | 3.88 %Annual average · 2025 · World Bank | 2.07 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.1 %Year-on-year · 2026-08 · ONS | 3 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · StatCan |
| Unemployment | 4.75 %ILO est.2025 · World Bank | 6.91 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.4 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -1.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 102.3 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 113.5 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -2.43 %2025 · World Bank | -0.95 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 69,487,0002025 · World Bank | 41,651,6532025 · WB |
| Area | 243,610 km²2023 · World Bank | 9,984,670 km²2012 · StatCan |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2025 · World Bank
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)United Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2025 · World Bank
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Canada: 2026-09-02 · Overnight rate target · Bank of Canada
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)United Kingdom: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2025 · Average annual CPI change (%) · World Bank
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedUnited Kingdom: 2026-08 · Headline CPI; change relative to the same month of the previous year · ONS · Headline CPI, not CPIH or core inflation.Canada: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · Statistics Canada · Published: 2026-09-14 · National headline year-on-year CPI, not monthly inflation or an annual average.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionUnited Kingdom: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)United Kingdom: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Canada: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)United Kingdom: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO general-government estimate. Retains the source’s fiscal year when it differs from the calendar year.Canada: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2025 · World Bank
- Population
- PeopleUnited Kingdom: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2025 · World Bank
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceUnited Kingdom: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; observation period, not download date.Canada: 2012 · Total area of Canada, land and water; archived official geographic reference from 2012 · Statistics Canada · Not an annual measurement for 2025. Replaces an API observation that does not match the national reference.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
United Kingdom to Canada
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 1,982.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 953.1 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 700.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 432.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 385.1 M USD2025 · Source |
Canada to United Kingdom
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 879.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 822.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 327.6 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 283.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 34.4 M USD2025 · Source |
Connections between people
Education, work, visits and community connections have their own records and procedures. Residents are not equivalent to annual arrivals, and visits may be repeated. The tables retain dates, definitions and sources to distinguish these connections from business contracts and government decisions. [1]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from United Kingdom living in Canada | ||
| Residents from Canada living in United Kingdom | ||
| Study and training: United Kingdom in Canada | ||
| Study and training: Canada in United Kingdom | ||
| Academic stays: United Kingdom in Canada | ||
| Academic stays: Canada in United Kingdom | ||
| Travel: United Kingdom to Canada | ||
| Travel: Canada to United Kingdom |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The trade continuity agreement
The Trade Continuity Agreement entered into force on 1 April 2021. It maintains an exchange framework after Britain's departure from the EU. The treaty has its own provisions and rules, distinct from a year's customs data. This page's table retains a single reporting country and does not incorporate expansion expectations as completed exports. [1]
Security and international institutions
Global Affairs Canada describes cooperation through the UN, World Bank and other organizations. Those mechanisms have more participants and objectives distinct from the bilateral channel. Sharing institutions and security ties does not mean identical national decisions. International assistance, business projects and diplomatic cooperation are not added together as a single bilateral budget. [1]
Businesses and civilian connections
The Canadian profile brings together trade, investment and contacts between societies. Business presence includes services and subsidiary activity not always crossing customs borders. Travel, education and work have their own permits and counts. Historical connections do not justify turning a community estimate into an annual mobility figure without a date or definition. [1]
The scale of the two economies
The United Kingdom recorded nominal GDP of 4002.6 billion USD in 2025, compared with 2319.9 in 2025 for Canada. The reference populations were 69.49 million (2025) and 41.65 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, the United Kingdom's nominal GDP was 1.73 times Canada's. The figures contextualize market size; they do not in themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or demographic extrapolations retain their markings in the table. A ratio is not calculated when the periods do not match. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
CPTPP and the 2026 update
The British register of agreements in force indicates trade with Canada under CPTPP from September 2026 following ratification. That multilateral instrument is distinct from the bilateral TCA of 2021. Businesses and products must meet the rules of the framework they use. The existence of two pathways does not allow their exchanges to be added as if they were separate economic flows. [2]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between the United Kingdom and Canada totaled USD 45,526.6 million. Shipments from the United Kingdom to Canada were 8500.1 million USD; those in the opposite direction were 37,026.5 million USD. UK shipments to the partner represented 1.53% of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporter. A single customs declaration is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or subsidiaries' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [3]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- Canada–United Kingdom relations
Global Affairs Canada · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- British trade agreements in force
UK Government · Institutional source · Document: 2026-09 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual TOTAL X/M; 2025; reporter 826; partners 0,643,699,124,36
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- SP.POP.TOTL; country ISO and year preserved; no military data; exact requested country subset independently re-fetched and values compared
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / GBR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / GBR
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 826; partners 643,699,124,36; X/M; annual goods.