Quebec merchandise exports edge lower in August as aircraft shipments fall

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Quebec exports drop August 2026

Highlights

Quebec's seasonally adjusted merchandise exports in constant dollars declined 0.9% in August 2026, led by a 49.0% fall in aircraft shipments.
Exports to the U.S. dropped 3.5% in the first eight months of 2026, while exports to countries other than the U.S. rose 15.5%.
Canada's seasonally adjusted merchandise exports increased 4.8% in August, with year-to-date exports up 1.2% compared to the same period in 2025.

August trade data and product trends

As reported by Institut de la statistique du Québec, seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars fall 0.9% in August 2026 from the previous month, after rising 7.7% in July. International merchandise imports decline 5.7% in August.

The largest contributors to the monthly export decrease are aircraft, down 49.0%, commercial and service industry machinery and equipment, down 23.0%, iron ores and concentrates, down 10.1%, and aviation fuel, down 38.7%. Products posting increases include heavy fuel oils, up 134.4%, diesel and biodiesel fuels, up 104.8%, other transportation equipment, up 115.1%, and unwrought copper and copper alloys, up 39.9%.

For the first eight months of 2026, Quebec's exports are down 2.7% from the same period in 2025, indicating that the province's external goods trade remains under pressure despite some category-level gains in August.

U.S. exposure and wider Canadian comparison

Quebec's exports to the U.S., measured on a non-seasonally adjusted basis in current dollars, are down 3.5% in the first eight months of 2026 from the same period of 2025. Over the same span, exports to countries other than the U.S. rise 15.5%, helping total exports, including U.S. shipments, increase 2.0% on that basis.

National data published by Statistics Canada on October 6 show Canada's seasonally adjusted merchandise exports in constant dollars increase 4.8% in August from the previous month, while imports decrease 1.1%. For the first eight months of 2026, Canada's merchandise exports are up 1.2% and imports rise 2.0% compared with the same period in 2025.

In our earlier article on the WTO’s view of lasting trade impacts from the Ukraine and Middle East wars, we noted that repeated disruptions are pushing companies to redesign supply chains and shipping routes for resilience, even at higher cost. The WTO also highlighted sharp contractions in Middle East trade alongside a broader shift toward more regionalized trade, while AI-related demand was seen helping to offset some of the drag on global merchandise trade growth.

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