Ottawa’s strained relations with Washington are having a noticeable ripple effect on Ireland’s commerce with Canada, said Ontario’s environment minister, Todd McCarthy. Speaking to RTÉ News, McCarthy highlighted that while trade between the two countries has been on an upward trajectory for the past ten years, recent U.S. tariff measures have accelerated that growth.
Ireland is poised to give final approval to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) next week, a move that follows Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent visit to Dublin. Although CETA has been provisionally applied by Ireland since 2017, formal ratification has been delayed by a series of procedural setbacks. Since its provisional launch, bilateral trade with Canada has risen by 98 %. The Irish whiskey sector illustrates the broader trend.
Eoin Ó Catháin, director of the Irish Whiskey Association, reported a “huge growth” in Canadian sales, noting that exports now exceed 420,000 cases – a sharp increase compared with figures from two years earlier. He attributed part of the surge to the “instability in the global trading environment” and a growing appreciation for partners perceived as more reliable.
One factor influencing the surge is the recent ban on American‑origin alcohol in Ontario, a province that ranks among the world’s largest alcohol consumers. Ontario Premier Do ordered the removal of more than 3,600 U.S.‑produced alcohol items from retail shelves and hospitality menus as a retaliatory step, creating a vacuum that Irish producers have been quick to fill. Because of the U.S. tariff pressure and Ontario’s crackdown, Canadian importers are turning to Irish suppliers for greater supply certainty.
McCarthy said the trade relationship “has definitely escalated” as businesses seek alternatives to the United States. With CETA’s anticipated ratification, the Ireland‑Canada trade corridor is expected to strengthen further.
The agreement, which eliminates most tariffs on goods moving between the EU and Canada, will solidify the legal framework that currently underpins the rapid expansion of Irish exports. Analysts note that the coming weeks will be pivotal. The combination of U.S. tariff policy, Ontario’s alcohol boycott, and the formal adoption of CETA creates a dynamic environment in which both Irish and Canadian firms will be closely monitoring developments.
Continued growth will likely depend on how quickly the two governments can translate provisional arrangements into fully ratified commitments. In summary, heightened U.S.–Canada tensions are inadvertently boosting Ireland’s trade with its North‑American partner.
With CETA set to be ratified and Canadian buyers seeking stable supply sources, the bilateral relationship appears set for further expansion, underscoring the interconnected nature of modern trade politics.
