Governor Shapiro Speaks at US-Canada Summit to Promote Pennsylvania’s Economic Competitiveness, Attract Investment, and Highlight Strong Economic Ties with Canada

Toronto, Ontario – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro spoke at the US-Canada Summit to outline his vision for our two countries’ cross-border relationship while meeting with business leaders, policymakers, and senior Canadian government officials to highlight Pennsylvania’s economic competitiveness and commitment to expanding opportunities for workers, businesses, and local communities on both sides of the border.

Since taking office, the Governor has worked to both highlight the importance of maintaining the Commonwealth’s strong, working relationship with Canada and promote Pennsylvania’s competitive edge as a destination for economic investment, innovation, and growth. In 2025, Canadian companies supported more than 32,000 jobs throughout the Commonwealth.

“While I know the United States hasn’t always felt like a welcoming place for Canadians in the last year, Pennsylvania is proud of the working relationship we have with our northern neighbors,” said Governor Shapiro. “Canada has not only been our country’s closest ally, but the Commonwealth’s strongest trading partner. Our economic futures remain connected and I’m committed to strengthening our historic ties to ensure our economies grow, invest in innovation, and welcome visitors from across the border to benefit Pennsylvanians and Canadians alike.”

As part of the summit, the Governor met with the CEOs of Canadian pension funds and the Royal Bank of Canada — and spoke with the CEOs of manufacturing, logistics, and financial services companies in a roundtable discussion. As leading voices in business, Governor Shapiro took the opportunity to promote the Commonwealth’s growing economy, skilled workforce, and strategic location.

Governor Shapiro also met with senior leaders in Canada’s federal government, including Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly, Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade Dominic LeBlanc, Ambassador to the US Marc Wiseman, and Chief Trade Negotiator to US Janice Charette.

By highlighting Pennsylvania’s wide-ranging opportunities for investment, infrastructure, energy, and business advantage for international institutions, the Governor is once again working across borders to attract investment, create jobs for hard working Pennsylvanians, and position the Commonwealth as a national leader on economic development.

Governor Shapiro also participated in a fireside conversation with Dr. Janice Stein from the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto to discuss the changing relationship between the US and Canada:

• “I think these tariffs have been really reckless, and the tariffs the President has imposed have, in effect, raised costs on the American people, raised costs on Pennsylvanians, and been non-discriminatory between allies and enemies. Imposing tariffs across the board, to effectively raise costs on the American people,” said Governor Shapiro. “I think we’ve got to find a way out of this mess the President created, to reduce costs on the American people and to ensure that industries on both sides of our border can prosper and flourish.”
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• “We need to get back to being a beacon of hope, democracy, and freedom. I think we need to get back to strengthening our alliances, not tearing them down, and not imposing tariffs on countries that we should instead be finding ways to work and cooperate with. I think we should not be ceding ground to China and Russia, as the President seems to want to do more and more,” said Governor Shapiro. “So, I’d like to see us strengthen our alliances. I’d like to see us be honest with our allies, make sure our allies are paying their fair share, carrying their own weight, but I think we’ve got to get back to building alliances.”

The Governor has spent his trip encouraging Canadian companies to expand their investments into the Commonwealth while strengthening the economic partnership with Canada — including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ontario Premier Doug Ford to enhance the economic relationship with Pennsylvania’s leading provincial trading partner.

Pennsylvania’s Strong Working Relationship with Canada

Canada is Pennsylvania’s largest international trading partner, accounting for $13.9 billion in exports in 2025 and $13.4 billion in imports. Ontario is Pennsylvania’s leading provincial trading partner, with Pennsylvania companies engaging extensively with Ontario firms in sectors like manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and energy.

Canadian companies have also invested substantially in the Commonwealth. In 2025, 812 Canadian business locations supported approximately 32,000 jobs throughout Pennsylvania.

Since taking office, the Governor has worked to strengthen Pennsylvania’s historic ties with Canada, focusing on expanding trade, creating economic opportunities for Pennsylvanians, and encouraging more foreign direct investment in the Commonwealth:

• This week, Governor Shapiro and Ontario Premier Ford signed an MOU to enhance and strengthen economic relations between the Commonwealth and Ontario after participating in a bilateral meeting.
• Following the Governor’s directive to allocate more than $219.9 million in additional capital funding to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in November 2025, SEPTA purchased 24 rail cars from Exo in Quebec, Canada to support safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements for the transit authority.
• In October 2025, the Governor visited Quebec City, where he was elected Chair of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers and met with Premier Ford.
• In May 2024, Governor Shapiro met with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss Canada and Pennsylvania’s strong partnership spanning a wide range of economic sectors and cultural ties.

Tourism also remains an important pillar of the Commonwealth’s relationship with Canada. Nearly half a million Canadians are expected to visit Pennsylvania in 2026, supporting the 500,000 jobs and $84 billion in economic activity driven by the Commonwealth’s tourism industry.

By continuing to strengthen international relations with Canada, Governor Shapiro is reaffirming Pennsylvania’s commitment to remaining a welcoming, open destination for Canadian businesses and travelers, while bolstering the Commonwealth’s economy.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Governor’s Press Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov

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