For additional information relating to this article, please contact:
April 02, 2026NOVA SCOTIA INTERNATIONAL GOODS EXPORTS, FEBRUARY 2026 Year-over-year (February 2026 vs February 2025, domestic exports on a customs-basis, unadjusted)
Nova Scotia international goods exports were $495.8 million in February 2026, a decline of 4.0% compared to February 2025.
Canada's goods exports were down by 3.9% compared to February 2025. Six provinces reported lower exports year-over-year with Manitoba experiencing the largest decline in exports. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest increase in domestic exports.
Year-to-date (January-February 2026 vs January-February 2025)
In the first two months of 2026 domestic exports fell 16.1% in Nova Scotia compared to the same period in 2025. Canada's exports declined 11.3% for January-February 2026, with every province except Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia reporting declines, led by Manitoba. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest year-to-date exports growth.
Among broad product categories, the largest were farm, fishing and intermediate food products, followed by motor vehicles and parts as well as consumer goods.
Nova Scotia's annual domestic exports were down for most broad product categories. The largest percentage declines were for chemical/plastic/rubber products, as well as motor vehicle parts. Only metal/non-metallic mineral products, machinery/equipment and electronics/electrical equipment exports were up.
The US is by far Nova Scotia's largest destination for international goods exports. Nova Scotia year-to-date exports to the United States were down 13.6%, falling to $691.1 million.
China is Nova Scotia's second largest export destination and exports declined 57.9% to $59.2 million in January-February 2026.
Among the other significant export destinations, year-to-date exports were up most sharply (>20%) to Germany, South Korea, Netherlands, India, Italy, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Peru. The largest declines (<-20%) in February exports were to China, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Türkiye.
Nova Scotia's exports to the US accounted for 72.2% of exports in January-February 2026. Illinois has surpassed Massachusetts as the largest US state destination for Nova Scotia exports. Massachusetts, Illinois and South Carolina each had a larger year-to-date export value than Nova Scotia's shipments to China. Exports were down for seven of Nova Scotia's top ten US state destinations. The largest dollar value decline was for Texas, while Illinois had the largest dollar value increase.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 12-10-0175-01 International merchandise trade by province, commodity, and Principal Trading Partners (x 1,000); Table 12-10-0099-01 Merchandise imports and exports, customs-based, by Harmonized commodity description and coding system (HS) section, Canada, provinces and territories, United States, states (x 1,000)