Saskatchewan’s merchandise exports increased 15.1 per cent in the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to the latest Statistics Canada figures released by the provincial government.
The province’s year-to-date international merchandise exports totalled $36.7 billion for January through September, ranking Saskatchewan second among the provinces for export growth, the provincial release states.
What’s driving the gains
Merchandise exports represent the dollar value of goods sold from Saskatchewan to other countries, excluding services.
Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said the numbers reflect the province’s role in supplying food and energy abroad.
“Merchandise exports help ensure food and energy security to over 160 countries worldwide,” Kaeding said. “With strong exports comes even stronger communities and an economy that ensures we have the ability to provide the crucial programs and services the people of Saskatchewan rely on.”
Agriculture and oil and gas remain the province’s two largest export sectors, and both have had an active year in the Lloydminster area.
Producers across the region pushed through a harvest that stood at 82 per cent complete by early October, according to the province’s crop report, with grain movement feeding directly into the export totals now being reported by Ottawa.
Heavy oil sector adds to the total
The Lloydminster area’s heavy oil industry has also contributed to the province’s trade performance this year.
Industry representatives highlighted sector growth at the Heavy Oil Show in September, where producers pointed to strong demand and continued investment in the region’s oil patch.
Provincial Crown land sales tied to oil and gas have also posted strong results through the year, including a $4.5-million Crown land sale centred on the Lloydminster area in August.
Broader economic picture
Statistics Canada’s latest GDP figures show Saskatchewan’s 2025 real GDP reached an all-time high of $85.4 billion, a 2.2 per cent increase that outpaced the national average of 1.7 per cent, the province said.
Private capital investment in Saskatchewan rose 12 per cent last year to $13.6 billion, the highest among the provinces, which officials credit in part to the Securing the Next Decade of Growth investment attraction strategy.
More information on the province’s investment strategy is available at InvestSK.ca.
