Gov. Josh Shapiro touts Canada-Pennsylvania relationship in Toronto

Gov. Josh Shapiro went north of the border this week to promote Pennsylvania and its economic partnership with Canada. 

On Wednesday, Shapiro met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, leader of Canada’s most populous province, before the two signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen economic relations. 

“Today is a chance to honor and celebrate the enduring friendship between Pennsylvania and Ontario … We are America’s closest allies and top customer for more than half the U.S.,” Ford said Wednesday at a press conference in Toronto. “With this agreement, Ontario and Pennsylvania also recognize the vital importance of the Great Lakes economy and the need to protect this vital resource for future generations. We’re going to keep working with great partners like Gov. Shapiro to support workers, make life more affordable and grow the economy on both sides of the border.”

Shapiro called out President Donald Trump for “reckless and disrespectful rhetoric” related to Canada and for undermining the two countries’ relationship, adding that the U.S. and Canada are both guided by “shared values rooted in freedom and opportunity for all.” 

“I know that many Canadians, to many of them, the United States does not feel very welcoming right now,” Shapiro said Wednesday. “I respect Canadian sovereignty, period.”

Shapiro went on to say Pennsylvania’s partnership with Canada should continue to be collaborative and mutually beneficial, as it has been. 

“There’s only 29 miles between the Port of Erie and Port Dover. There’s not a lot of room between us, separating us, and there’s an opportunity for us to strengthen our ties and come even closer together,” Shapiro added Wednesday. “This MOU is going to deepen that relationship by doubling down on the areas where we see the biggest opportunity for mutual growth. That includes the five industries that we’ve made central to our economic development strategy in Pennsylvania: energy, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, life sciences, and technology and innovation.”

Maple roots

The U.S.’s northern neighbor is Pennsylvania’s largest international trading partner. 

Shapiro said the commonwealth and Canada exchange a similar number of imports and exports. He noted that Pennsylvania imports about $13.5 billion in goods from Canada each year, with imports from Ontario accounting for nearly half of that total. 

According to the PA Chamber of Business and Industry, the commonwealth exports roughly $1.7 billion in services and $14 billion in goods to Canada annually – making up more than a quarter of Pennsylvania’s total exports. 

Pennsylvania sells more goods to Canada than to its next four largest foreign markets combined, with top exports including minerals and materials – such as steel and aluminum – pharmaceuticals, and yes, chocolate. 

And the commonwealth also welcomes roughly a half-million Canadian visitors annually, with more than one-third of all international travelers in Pennsylvania coming from north of the border. 

Shapiro’s stop 

Shapiro’s itinerary this week includes visits with Canadian manufacturers and financiers, where he’ll pitch Pennsylvania as an investment destination. He’s also scheduled to meet with Dave McKay, CEO of the Royal Bank of Canada, and, on Thursday, is set to take part in a keynote panel discussion at the U.S.-Canada Summit in Toronto. 

First held in 2023, the summit is hosted by the Royal Bank of Canada and the Eurasia Group, a risk-consulting firm whose clients include some of the world’s largest companies. It has hosted influential governors as well, including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who, like Shapiro, are considered Democratic presidential hopefuls. 

Shapiro has previously promoted Pennsylvania’s economic ties with Canada, attending the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Leadership Summit in October 2025 in Québec City.