Global Affairs Canada

Global Affairs Canada uses the audit process as an important way to ensure the efficient use of public funds. The Office of the Chief Audit Executive leads this work by reviewing and assessing management practices and controls. Once the audit engagement is complete, the audit team recommends...

Global Affairs Canada uses the audit process as an important way to ensure the efficient use of public funds. The Office of the Chief Audit Executive leads this work by reviewing and assessing management practices and controls. Once the audit engagement is complete, the audit team recommends...

This audit reviewed the honorary consul program at Global Affairs Canada, and found that sufficient management practices were in place and working effectively to support program delivery.

This internal audit is about the Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) regional operations. The objective of the audit was to determine whether there is an effective management framework in place to support service delivery and the achievement of the TCS’s strategic objectives in the Regional Offices...

This internal audit is about the Application Portfolio Management which covers IT applications, the most significant technology component that departments are responsible for managing. The objective of the audit was to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the management framework and...

This report looks into how trade barriers affect the participation of women-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in exporting. In order to understand the reasons underlying those findings, this report analyzes the gender differences in selected business characteristics of SMEs, namely size,...

This report presents an analysis of majority women-owned, equally owned and men-owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that export. Prior research found that women-owned SMEs were underrepresented amongst exporters. The implications are that businesses owned by women would not benefit as much...

The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed interest in international supply chains. While international supply chains proved to be very robust in the pandemic period of closed borders, restrictions on movement of people and goods, and closures of businesses, the pandemic proved the need for better tools,...

In order to analyze the vulnerability and risks of a supply chain disruption to Canada, it is important to understand where Canada and Canadian firms fit into GVCs. On the one hand, if Canada’s production mainly happens at the beginning—or upstream—of a GVC, the primary concern would be a...

There have been many studies that examine the Canada-U.S. trade relationship; this is deservedly so as the U.S. is Canada’s dominant trading partner. In 2018, the minister of international trade diversification announced a target to increase overseas exports by 50% by 2025.Footnote1 China is the...

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, global supply chains are at the risk of major disruptions. This report provides a cursory analysis of products that have limited international supply for Canada. These products could be especially susceptible and may require extra attention from policy makers...

Largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s merchandise trade —and merchandise trade around the world—has been volatile in the last two years. Business closures to control the spread of the virus, shifts in spending patterns, volatile commodity prices, and lingering supply chain issues have...

Stay apprised of Canada’s economy and benefits – 3 editions per year

This report reviews of the characteristics of Indigenous small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in international trade, and identifies opportunities for enhanced federal policy and program design to support Indigenous business performance in international markets. Exporting is one of the...

Canada has a large, diverse, and highly educated immigrant population that makes an important contribution to the Canadian economy. This study examines the contribution of immigrant-led businesses to Canada’s export performance and study find that Canada’s foreign-born population is more...

This paper builds on the previous limited supply products study and provides an updated framework for identifying Canadian imports that are vulnerable to foreign disruptions. Several limitations from the previous study are addressed, including the consideration of domestic production capacity and...

Find out how exports need to grow to achieve Canada's objective.

This study focuses on the diversity of merchandise and commercial services exports by destination. Export diversity is important to hedge against the risk of an economic downturn in partner economies, but it also helps to protect against the threat of trade protectionism. Protectionism is...

Canada’s Export Diversification Strategy facilitates efforts to help Canadian businesses reduce the uncertainties and potential disruptions they may face in international trade, as well as help them seize the opportunities created by diversifying to new global markets.

This paper explores the volatility of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows coming into Canada, and how some increases which may seem extremely significant, such as the 64% growth in flows from 2017 to 2018, can be misinterpreted without proper context and a broader, historical view of FDI flows.