Joint Review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)

On this page

• What is CUSMA
• Why it matters
• What is the CUSMA Joint Review
• Trade by the numbers
• Engaging Canadians
• Advisory Committee on Canada–U.S. Economic Relations
• Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator to the United States

What is CUSMA

The Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is the cornerstone of North American trade. It is a landmark agreement that governs the flow of goods, services, and investment across one of the most integrated economic regions in the world.

Spanning a market of over 500 million people and representing nearly 30 per cent of the global economy in 2025, CUSMA establishes the rules-based, predictable trading environment that Canadian workers, businesses, and communities depend on every day.

The Agreement came into force on July 1, 2020, succeeding the North American Free Trade Agreement and modernizing the terms of trade between Canada, the United States (U.S.) and Mexico. It provides North American businesses with preferential access, while establishing clear and enforceable rules that protect the interests of Canadians, Americans and Mexicans at every step.

CUSMA is not just a trade agreement, but also a framework for shared prosperity. It reflects the deeply interconnected nature of our three economies and affirms that when the rules of trade are fair, transparent, and mutually respected, all three nations are stronger for it.

Why it matters

Trade between North American partners is woven into the very fabric of our shared economy and integrated supply chains. This deep integration is a strategic asset for all three countries.

A vehicle assembled in the U.S. may cross the border multiple times during production. Aerospace components may be designed in one country and manufactured in another.

This is particularly true in automotive manufacturing, aerospace, steel, aluminum, agriculture, defence, semiconductors, and advanced technologies, sectors where Canadian, American and Mexican companies operate within shared production systems that lower costs, support productivity, and reduce exposure to unstable or adversarial suppliers.

CUSMA continues to demonstrate its value under pressure, with goods and services trade having increased by nearly 39% – or $741 billion – since coming into force.

By building on the strength of our longstanding trade agreement, we can ensure that the framework continues to benefit workers, farmers and businesses on both sides of the border.

What is the CUSMA Joint Review

As the cornerstone of North American trade, the CUSMA provides a stable, rules-based framework for our continental economy.

A critical feature of the Agreement is the mandatory Joint Review. The first Joint Review must take place on the 6th anniversary of the Agreement’s entry into force, which is July 1, 2026.

The 2026 Joint Review is not an expiry date, but rather a scheduled check-in, designed for the three Parties (Canada, the United States, and Mexico) to review the operation of the Agreement, and offers an opportunity to adapt it to a changing world that is seeing unprecedented shifts, such as in digital trade, artificial intelligence, and energy stability.

The review process allows the three Parties to assess the Agreement’s effectiveness and to take stock and, potentially, agree on any appropriate actions, including modifications to ensure the agreement keeps up with the changing nature of trade.

Importantly, CUSMA remains in force until 2036, but this upcoming joint review marks the first opportunity for the Parties to decide whether to extend the Agreement’s term for another 16-year period . If all the Parties agree to extend, the next Joint Review would take place in six years.

Trade by the numbers

Together, Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. represent:

• A market of 517 million consumers in 2025.
• A combined GDP of $48.8 trillion in 2025.
• Canada and the U.S. exchanged nearly $3.5 billion in goods and services every day in 2025.
• Since the CUSMA entered into force, Canada-U.S. goods and services trade has increased by more than 27% – or $275 billion. Canada-Mexico goods and services trade rose by 56.6% or $19.7 billion (2025 vs 2019 data).

Engaging Canadians

The CUSMA Joint Review serves to ensure the Agreement continues to provide the stability, predictability, and rules-based framework our workers and businesses need.

This is why, in 2024 and 2025, the Government of Canada held consultations to hear from Canadians across the country on their views on how the Agreement is working.

In the 2024 public consultations, 137 submissions were received:

• 109 businesses and industry associations
• 8 provinces and territories
• 13 civil society organizations, labour, and Indigenous groups
• 7 academia and individuals

In 2025, a total of 5,143 submissions were received:

• 184 businesses
• 238 industry associations, councils, and labour unions
• 4,670 individuals
• 10 provinces and territories
• 8 public sector organizations
• 26 civil society, NGOs, and public policy groups
• 7 Indigenous groups

This due diligence was an opportunity for the Government of Canada to hear directly from Canadian businesses, industry, farmers, labour organizations, Indigenous and provincial/territorial partners who have a vested interest in the process and, more importantly, the outcomes.

What we heard is that Canadians, businesses and industry support the trade agreement and that it is important, for all three countries, to:

• Preserve market access and stability, so that we can ensure rules-based market access between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. By having predictable market access, we can all benefit from investments across integrated sectors, be it manufacturing, energy, agrifood or forestry.
• Modernize rules and procedures so that all three countries can benefit from a more consistent, user-friendly operating environment without unnecessary barriers to improve predictability.
• Strengthen trilateral value chains that support a stable, rules-based North American trading environment that is clear, consistent and efficient in the face of global economic uncertainty.

Further engagement continues to happen at every level, highlighted by a series of targeted roundtables held across critical sectors of the Canadian economy, including oil & gas, steel, aluminum, softwood lumber, agriculture, and the automotive sector, among others.

These sessions provide the government with direct input  from industry leaders, small business owners, and key stakeholders. By capturing these diverse perspectives, Canada can better identify emerging trade barriers, protect supply chain resilience, and directly inform its strategic approach leading up to the joint review.

Advisory Committee on Canada–U.S. Economic Relations

On April 21, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced the newly formed Advisory Committee on Canada–U.S. Economic Relations to bolster the nation's strategic approach toward its most significant trading partner. This diverse group of leaders helps ensure that Canada’s economic interests are not only protected but advanced within a rapidly shifting North American trade landscape.

The committee is chaired by the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy. Under his direction, the group acts as a critical sounding board for the government, offering expert perspectives on issues ranging from cross-border supply chain security to emerging industrial policies.

By leveraging the specialized knowledge of its members, who represent key sectors like energy, technology, and manufacturing, the committee plays an essential role in navigating bilateral challenges and securing a stable, prosperous economic future for all Canadians.

Find all members forming the committee and additional information on the official page of the Advisory Committee on Canada–U.S. Economic Relations.

Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator to the United States

Learn more about the Honourable Janice Charette, Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator to the U.S. and her appointment.