Inside Track: Three Things We’re Watching in 2026

At Canaan, we pride ourselves on delivering for our clients efficiently in the present while also helping our clients plan for the future. As we look toward 2026, here are three things we’re watching closely.

💸 Ongoing trade disputes and tariffs

Unfortunately, the trade disputes initiated in 2025 will continue into the new year, meaning ongoing operational challenges for Canadian shippers.

Canada’s supply chains are deeply integrated with the United States, with over 70% of exports flowing south and a significant portion of imports transiting through U.S. ports. This interdependence means that any shift in U.S. trade posture—whether through tariffs, quotas, or enforcement—has immediate and amplified consequences for Canadian businesses.

This exposure becomes more pronounced as USMCA (CUSMA) reaches its first mandatory joint review in August. While the agreement does not automatically expire, the review introduces meaningful uncertainty around enforcement standards, sector-specific rules, and the long-standing assumption of duty-free North American trade.

For many Canadian companies, particularly in manufacturing, energy, forestry, and construction, tariffs now influence landed costs, sourcing strategies, pricing, and long-term customer commitments. Companies that continue to manage trade reactively—responding only after goods are in transit or costs are already incurred—face increasing margin erosion and operational disruption.

As a result, trade management is shifting from a back-office function to a strategic capability. Customs brokers and trade advisors are playing a more central role, helping companies anticipate policy changes, assess exposure, and adjust sourcing or origin strategies before disruption occurs. At Canaan Group, this trade expertise is integrated directly into logistics execution, allowing compliance, customs, and freight decisions to be made together.

Western Canadian companies, particularly in British Columbia and Alberta, are already adapting—diversifying supply chains, reducing reliance on single-country origins, and building resilience ahead of 2026.

In an era of persistent trade volatility, the future of Canada’s tariffs will not be defined solely by policy decisions, but by how early and how well Canadian companies prepare. The competitive advantage will belong to those that make informed trade decisions before change arrives—not after.

🧠 How Canadian Companies Should Think About AI in Their Supply Chains

For Canadian companies, AI in logistics is no longer about experimentation—it’s about execution. As mentioned in a previous Inside Track article, though there is much still to be decided about which AI companies and applications will survive the hype cycle, AI is already delivering value that needs to be captured if companies are to stay competitive.

Margins are tighter, trade and customs complexity is rising, and customers expect predictability. In this environment, AI only creates value when it helps answer practical questions: Which shipment is at risk? Where will costs escalate? What decision needs to be made now—not later?

Companies should be cautious of AI that stops at dashboards. Visibility alone doesn’t reduce cost or risk. The real advantage comes from decision support—AI that connects shipment data, customs information, routing, and cost signals to predict problems before they occur, whether delays, demurrage, or compliance exposure.

There are three areas companies should be watching closely:

Exception prediction – identifying risks before they disrupt operations
Landed cost and trade modeling – understanding exposure before committing to suppliers or lanes
Flow optimization – reducing dwell, empty moves, and inefficiencies without adding assets

At Canaan Group, AI is applied directly within customs, forwarding, and execution workflows—so insights lead to action, not just reporting.

Looking ahead, industry gatherings such as Manifest and Web Summit Vancouver 2026 (formerly Collision), where Canaan and Trakking have participated, reflect a clear shift: AI is moving from concept to core infrastructure.

The companies that succeed will be those using AI to act earlier, decide faster, and reduce avoidable risk—not those chasing technology for its own sake.

🌏 Expanding Beyond North America: Why 2026 Is the Year Canadian Companies Look Outward

As global trade patterns shift, Canadian companies are being encouraged to think beyond traditional North American corridors. This message has been increasingly reinforced by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has emphasized the importance of diversification, resilience, and reducing over-dependence on any single market.

For Canadian exporters and importers, this creates a clear opportunity: 2026 is not the year to explore new markets—it’s the year to be present in them.

The Canadian government has been actively promoting market expansion through programs and on-the-ground support, particularly via Canadian Trade Commissioner Service. Trade Commissioners offer practical assistance—local market intelligence, partner introductions, regulatory guidance, and risk mitigation—that can significantly shorten the learning curve when entering unfamiliar regions.

Several markets stand out as priorities:

China – still critical for manufacturing, sourcing, and consumer demand despite geopolitical complexity
India – rapidly expanding middle class, manufacturing growth, and supply-chain diversification
Middle East – infrastructure, energy, and logistics investment creating demand for Canadian expertise
European Union – stable, regulated, and accessible through CETA for Canadian companies

Canadian companies without a presence or strategy in these regions risk being structurally behind competitors who are already building local relationships.

At Canaan Group, supporting customers through market entry—customs, trade strategy, logistics execution, and local partnerships—is becoming as important as moving freight.

In 2026, growth will favour companies that move early, diversify intelligently, and execute globally with confidence.