Trade between Canada and Belgium has grown sharply over the past decade, and officials on both sides are working to deepen an economic partnership that already ranks Belgium among Canada's top trading partners in Europe.
Bilateral trade in goods and services reached roughly 8.5 billion euros in 2025, more than 13 billion Canadian dollars, after growing by over 80 percent since 2016. That places Belgium fifth among Canada's trading partners within the European Union.
Much of that trade moves through Belgian ports. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges, the second largest port in Europe, together with North Sea Port, serve as key gateways linking Canadian goods to European markets and back.
Critical minerals and battery materials are emerging as a growth area. Belgian firms Umicore and Solvay process and refine materials used in battery supply chains and advanced manufacturing, sectors where Canada holds significant raw material reserves.
Renewable energy is another point of focus. Belgian companies DEME, Jan De Nul, and Tractebel are established players in offshore wind and maritime infrastructure, and officials on both sides have pointed to hydrogen production as a further area of potential cooperation.
Life sciences round out the picture. Belgium is home to a major pharmaceutical industry, and Belgian drugmaker UCB has recently expanded its investment in Canada, a move officials point to as a sign of confidence in the Canadian market.
Defence and security cooperation also feature in the relationship, with both countries founding members of NATO and sharing overlapping strategic interests.
The trade relationship is underpinned by the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union, which took effect in 2017 and remains the legal framework for much of the commercial exchange between the two countries.
Belgium's ambassador to Canada, Karl Dhaene, has argued that the relationship still has considerable room to grow. Plans are already underway for Queen Mathilde to lead an economic mission to Canada in October 2027, aimed at building on that momentum.