Québec, March 27, 2026. – Québec’s international merchandise exports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, were down 8.1% in January 2026 after two consecutive monthly increases (+4.1% in December 2025 and +3.3% in November 2025). This finding comes from the most recent international merchandise trade data for Québec released today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
The products that contributed the most to this monthly decrease are aircraft
(-29.6%), unwrought aluminum and aluminum alloys (-22.1%), unwrought gold, silver, and platinum group metals and their alloys (-99.8%), and iron ores and concentrates (-16.2%).
Some of the products whose exports increased in January are motor gasoline, including blending components and ethanol fuel (+70.0%), nickel ores and concentrates and copper ores and concentrates, which had very low exports in December 2025, and buses and special-purpose vehicles (+38.2%).
Exports to the United States down
In January 2026, Québec’s non-seasonally adjusted exports in current dollars were down from December 2025, both to the United States (-33.3%) and to other countries (-34.3%). As a result, total exports were down 33.6%.
Consult the tables on international merchandise trade with the United States for information about the product structure of Québec’s exports and imports with that country.
Québec’s international merchandise imports up 1.5% in January 2026
Québec’s international merchandise imports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, were up 1.5% in January 2026 from December 2025 (-7.9% in December 2025).
The products that contributed the most to this increase in imports are basic and semi-finished products of non-ferrous metals and non-ferrous metal alloys, except gold, silver, platinum group metals and aluminum (+262.4%), motor gasoline, including blending components and ethanol fuel (+93.0%), other miscellaneous crop products (+126.0%), and electricity (+145.3%).
In contrast, imports of certain products were down in January. This was the case for light trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles with electric motor and hybrid engine (-41.8%), lead and zinc ores and concentrates (-96.3%), conventional crude oil
(-26.4%), and aircraft parts and other aerospace equipment (-6.0%).
The situation in Canada
According to data published by Statistics Canada on March 12, 2026, Canada’s seasonally adjusted merchandise exports in constant dollars declined by 7.7% in January 2026 from the previous month. Meanwhile, imports were up 0.1%.
| 2025 | 2025 | 2026 | Cumulative change2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual change | December | January | |||||
| Monthly change | |||||||
| Québec | |||||||
| Exports | -3.9 | 4.1 | -8.1 | -16.2 | |||
| Imports | 4.9 | -7.9 | 1.5 | -0.5 | |||
| Canada | |||||||
| Exports | -1.0 | 2.1 | -7.7 | -15.6 | |||
| Imports | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | -3.1 | |||
|
|||||||
For more information about the principal economic indicators for Québec, see our economic highlights (in French only).
Useful links
International trade (monthly data)
International Trade Data Online: A tool for generating customized reports
Next release: April 21, 2026
The Institut de la statistique du Québec is the public body responsible for providing reliable, objective statistical information about Québec society. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.