International Trade Tension Impacting Homefront

Feb 06, 2020

Some of the ongoing issues Canada has with countries like China, Saudi Arabia and India are starting to impact confidence back here at home.

According to Reuters, trade confidence among Canadian exporters fell to its lowest level in nearly 10 years.

The numbers are from Canada's export credit agency. In the bi-annual survey of 1000 Canadian exporters, the trade confidence index fell to under 70 per cent the lowest levels since 2012 and 6 per cent below the survey's historical average.

A spokesman said trade barriers are now the number 1 challenge bigger than issues like finding skilled talent and financing.

The survey was done between mid-November and mid-December before the US and China signed phase 1 of their new trade agreement which could serve to ease some of those concerns this year.

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