Canada Eyes November Finish as Philippines and ASEAN Trade Talks Reach 90% Completion

Canada's trade negotiations with the Philippines and ASEAN are 90% complete, targeting a November finalization during Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit.

Editorial Desk

September 22, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Ottawa, Canada — Canadian trade officials announced on Tuesday that ongoing negotiations for separate free trade agreements with both the Philippines and the broader ASEAN bloc have surpassed the 90% completion mark.

Ottawa is actively pushing to finalize both comprehensive trade accords in time for Prime Minister Mark Carney to travel to Manila for official visits scheduled in November.

Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu highlighted that mutual energy and dedication from all participating governments have been instrumental in driving the extensive negotiations forward.

Canada is aggressively pursuing these two critical Asian commercial partnerships, with a broader objective of expanding economic horizons beyond traditional borders.

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Securing a bilateral pact with the wider ASEAN network is projected to inject over $1.5 billion directly into the Canadian economy while granting access to nearly 700 million consumers within a $5 trillion market.

Currently, approximately 75% of all Canadian exports are shipped directly to the United States, underscoring the strategic necessity of diversifying national trade channels.

Canada and the Philippines are officially targeting a November conclusion to their free trade agreement talks following four rigorous rounds of negotiations.

Any remaining outstanding policy issues are scheduled to be resolved during upcoming follow-up diplomatic meetings ahead of the anticipated late-year deadline.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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