Italy–Canada Business Forum in Toronto: Strengthening Bilateral Relations with the Support of the OpportunItaly Platform

The high-level Toronto gathering serves as a strategic catalyst for joint industrial ventures, bridging North American industrial demand with advanced European manufacturing and business opportunities

TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Italy–Canada Business Forum is being held today in Toronto at The Globe and Mail Centre, hosted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in collaboration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

The event is designed to deepen bilateral trade and investment flows across high-tech sectors: Advanced Industry, Energy, Mining, Infrastructure, Defence, Aerospace, and Cybersecurity.

The economic landscape confirms the strength of the bilateral partnership. According to the latest data from the MAECI Economic Observatory (dated October 16th), Italy ranks as Canada’s 8th largest supplier, holding a 1.8% market share recorded during the January - August 2026 period.

Bilateral trade reached €5.47 billion during the January - July 2026 period (+5.5% year-on-year), supported by Italian exports totaling €3.81 billion (+4.2%) and a trade surplus of €2.16 billion. The primary driver of Italian exports to Canada is industrial machinery and equipment (€832.9 million, accounting for 21.8% of the total). In terms of financial flows, Italy’s net foreign direct investment (FDI) stock in Canada stood at €5.61 billion as of 2025, compared to a Canadian FDI stock in Italy of €2.36 billion.

In support of the Forum’s objectives and serving as a continuous touchpoint for international business operators, OpportunItaly (opportunitaly.gov.it) operates as the government business acceleration program promoted by MAECI and the Italian Trade Agency. The initiative targets 20 priority markets - including Canada - and focuses on 10 strategic Made in Italy sectors.

Conceived as a true “Fair Beyond the Fair”, OpportunItaly enables Canadian buyers, distributors, and investors to extend business engagement well beyond the timeframe of the Forum.

Through access to advanced digital business-matching tools and a curated directory of Italian Companies, the platform facilitates high-value B2B connections. By joining the OpportunItaly Buyers Club, Canadian professionals also gain access to personalized visits alongside ICE Trade Analysts during major international exhibitions, as well as priority status to attend premier trade events in Italy.

OpportunItaly

OpportunItaly is the business acceleration programme promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), designed to foster the development of commercial connections between foreign buyers, distributors, and entrepreneurs, and Italian companies, through digital business-matching services and content on the strategic sectors of the Made in Italy brand. opportunitaly.gov.it

For further media enquiries, please write to: mediarelations@opportunitaly.gov.it