Nafta 2.0: Dealing with the Devil
Despite being such a prominent component of the trade relationship, energy has hardly come up in Nafta talks. That could change
It's well known that Canada and the US share the longest undefended border in the world. What's less acknowledged is that they also share the world's largest bilateral trading relationship, amounting to almost $1 trillion a year, a partnership which has more than doubled since the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) was implemented in 1993. A substantial chunk of that trade is in oil. Energy alone accounted for a fifth of all Canadian exports to the US in 2016—and that was in a year when oil prices were down, according to the Energy Information Administration. Now, President Donald Trump is threatening to upend a status quo that began with the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement in 1988 a
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal






