A new report from the Business Council of Canada is calling on the federal government to implement a comprehensive trade and resource strategy aimed at strengthening Canada’s economic resilience amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

Titled Selling to Our Strengths, the report argues that Canada has a limited window of opportunity to grow its exports in energy, agriculture, and critical minerals. It recommends a series of measures to enhance the country’s global market share, improve trade infrastructure, and better align foreign policy with economic objectives.

“Canada has a unique and time-bound opportunity to increase its energy, agriculture and critical mineral exports,” the report states. “Selling to our strengths reflects the views of business leaders who are prepared to work with the government to seize this generational opportunity.”

The Council points to a disconnect between Canada’s international trade agreements and actual economic outcomes. Despite signing deals that grant access to over 60% of the global economy, the report notes, “Canadians are no better off today than they were a decade ago.” A lack of export infrastructure — both physical and regulatory — is identified as a key barrier to fully utilizing Canada’s natural resources.

Among the recommendations, the Council calls for the development of a global trade strategy, the appointment of trade envoys, and the creation of an Expert Trade Advisory Panel to provide market intelligence. It also suggests that foreign policy should evolve to prioritize economic and national security interests.

In terms of energy policy, the report encourages the federal government to consider a North American energy alliance with the United States and Mexico. “Canada’s energy capacity—not just oil and gas but also critical minerals, uranium, nuclear technology—should be leveraged for the country’s strategic advantage,” it says.

“The world has changed,” the report concludes, “and if we play our cards right, it may be changing in Canada’s favour. Selling to Our Strengths seeks to provide a roadmap to ensuring that we can get what we have to those who want it — in a way that increases both economic security and economic growth.”