US vs EU: who is leading as Canada’s aluminium trading country in 2026

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Canada's aluminium import trends in 2026 point to different trajectories for its two key Western suppliers. The United States remains Canada's main source of imported aluminium, although shipments have continued to fall. At the same time, aluminium exports from the European Union have been moving higher, even if they are still well below US volumes. The latest trade figures show how Canada's sourcing pattern is changing this year.

US aluminium trade declines 

The United States exported 110,166.32 tonnes of aluminium to Canada during January-May 2026, compared with 169,305.50 tonnes in the same period of 2025 and 203,403.73 tonnes a year earlier. The decline follows the broader trend seen in annual exports, which dropped from 449,626.34 tonnes in 2024 to 331,049.36 tonnes in 2025 (fell 26.4 per cent).

Even with lower shipments, the US remains Canada's largest aluminium supplier by a considerable margin. No other supplier currently matches the volume of aluminium moving from the US into the Canadian market.

US import data also points to weaker aluminium trade with Canada. During January-May 2026, the United States imported 945,165.35 tonnes of aluminium from Canada, down from 1,225,771.56 tonnes in the same period of 2025 and 1,348,851.15 tonnes in 2024. Annual imports also fell from 3,153,009.05 tonnes in 2024 to 2,397,545.69 tonnes in 2025, a decline of 24 per cent. The figures indicate that aluminium shipments from Canada to the US have continued to soften this year. 

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EU trade continues to grow 

The European Union, meanwhile, recorded higher aluminium exports to Canada. Official trade data shows exports reached 18,476.93 tonnes during January-April 2026, up from 15,629.99 tonnes in the same period of 2025 and 11,566.70 tonnes in 2024.

Based on the January-April trend, EU exports for January-May 2026 are estimated at 23,096.16 tonnes, compared with estimated shipments of 19,537.49 tonnes in 2025 and 14,458.38 tonnes in 2024. Annual exports also increased from 34,349.31 tonnes in 2024 to 49,577.53 tonnes in 2025 (44.3 per cent increase), indicating steady growth in supplies to the Canadian market.

In contrast, aluminium imports from Canada into the European Union increased significantly. Official data shows the EU imported 106,860 tonnes during January-April 2026, compared with 28,562.32 tonnes in the same period of 2025 and 30,611.39 tonnes in 2024. Based on the January-April trend, January-May 2026 imports are estimated at around 133,575 tonnes, up from estimated volumes of 35,702.90 tonnes in 2025 and 38,264.24 tonnes in 2024. Annual EU imports from Canada also rose sharply, increasing from 158,706.01 tonnes in 2024 to 591,796.82 tonnes in 2025, a jump of about 273 per cent. 

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US remains ahead despite declining trends

The latest trade data points to different trends for Canada's two major aluminium suppliers. Imports from the United States continued to decline, while shipments from the European Union increased. Even so, the United States remained Canada's largest aluminium source by a wide margin. During the first five months of 2026, US exports were about 4.8 times higher than the estimated volume shipped from the EU. 

Canada's aluminium exports to the two markets are moving in opposite directions. Shipments to the United States have continued to fall, while imports by the European Union have increased sharply, pointing to stronger demand from the European market. Together, the figures suggest that although the US remains Canada's dominant aluminium trading partner, the EU is playing a larger role in Canada's aluminium trade. 

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Note: EU January-May 2026 figures are estimates based on officially available January-April trade data, while US figures are based on reported January-May data.