Nearly 7 in 10 Canadian employees surveyed expect trade with China to increase over the next two years, reveals CCCC 2026 survey

48% view China as a strategic market for their sector or business, growing from 31% in 2025.

Toronto, Sept. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almost 7 in 10 (68%) expect trade with China to increase in the next two years, growing from 52% in 2025, according to the new Canadian business community survey released by the Canada-China Chamber of Commerce (CCCC). The survey also found that 48% view China as a strategic market for their sector or business. 

The findings outlined a growing recognition of China as both an investment partner and a strategic market for Canadian businesses. Four in ten (42%) see China as a more reliable trade partner for Canada over US (22%), growing from 29% in 2025. Additionally, 64% of respondents believe Chinese investment in Canada will ultimately be advantageous for the Canadian economy, up from 48% in 2025, and almost 60% would be willing to work with Chinese counterparts to make products and services more accessible to Canadians, up from 47% in 2025.

Respondents increasingly see opportunity in engagement with China. Three in four view the opportunities and risks of engaging with China as at least equally beneficial, while opportunities outweigh the risks for 35% of Canadian employees. At the same time, the perceived difficulty of accessing the Chinese market has declined year over year: 29% say it is difficult for Canadian businesses in their industry to do business with China, down from 41% in 2025. In fact, more respondents now see doing business with China as easy, rising from 24% to 41% within their industry and from 33% to 49% for Canadian businesses overall.

Canadians surveyed also continue to see broader benefits from stronger trade ties with China. Eight in ten (80%) believe trade with China will benefit the average Canadian consumer, citing greater access to a variety of products (68%), increased product availability (64%) and decreased cost of living (45%) as key benefits. And while the sentiment has shifted considerably towards the ease of doing business with China, some barriers were still identified - respondents outlined political climate (51%), trade policies (47%), differences in business values and practices (46%) and regulatory challenges (43%) as the leading barriers to doing business with China. Further recognizing regulatory guidance (44%), logistics and supply chain guidance (41%), market intelligence and insights (40%) and business matchmaking and partnerships (37%) as most valuable support to Canadian businesses exploring opportunities with China.

“The results show a clear year-over-year increase in the Canadian business community’s confidence in the opportunities presented by China,” said Dr. Jun Deng, President of the Canada China Chamber of Commerce. “As Canada and China enter a new phase of their bilateral relationship, more businesses see China as a strategic market, expect bilateral trade to grow and recognize the potential benefits of greater trade and investment between the two countries. At CCCC, we see these findings as an important signal of where Canadian businesses see opportunity. Our role is to help turn that interest into meaningful engagement by providing businesses with the information, connections and support they need to navigate the market and build mutually beneficial relationships.”

Methodology

These findings are from a survey undertaken by the Canada China Chamber of Commerce and conducted online by The Harris Poll Canada from July 27 to August 8, 2026. The survey included 1,008 randomly selected Canadian adults employed at the middle-management level or above by a business with a Canadian office. Results for Manitoba/Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada should be interpreted directionally because their sample sizes are below 100.

This is the second edition of the survey; the first one ran in July 2025. 

About the Canada China Chamber of Commerce

The Canada China Chamber of Commerce (CCCC) is a non-profit, member-driven organization dedicated to strengthening trade, investment, and cultural ties between Canada and China. Representing businesses across industries and sizes, CCCC provides its members with advocacy, market insights, and networking opportunities to help them succeed in both markets. Through research, events, and strategic partnerships, the Chamber serves as a trusted platform for dialogue and collaboration, supporting the growth of bilateral economic relations and fostering a more connected global business community.

Paulami Mehta
Canada China Chamber of Commerce
paulami@yprcanada.com