Canada and Brazil enjoy relations dating back to 1866, when Canada opened its first trade mission in the country. Diplomatic relations were established in 1941, when Brazil opened its Embassy in Ottawa and Canada followed by opening an Embassy in 1944. Both nations also fought side by side in WWII during the Italian campaign. Today, Canada has an embassy in Brasilia, consulates general in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, trade offices in Belo Horizonte, Recife and Porto Alegre, and an honorary consul in Belo Horizonte. Brazil has an embassy in Ottawa and consulates general in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
Brazil-Canada Bilateral Relations
Brazil-Canada Bilateral trade
Total Imports & Exports: $ 9.8 billion (2021)
Brazil Exports to Canada (Main Commodities): Inorganic chemicals (27.1%), Precious stones and metals (23.5%), Machinery (7.7%) and Iron and steel (4.7%)
Brazil Imports from Canada (Main Commodities): Fertilizers (45.4%), Machinery and parts (11.8%), Mineral fuels and oils (7.1%), and Aircraft and parts (5.9%)
Canadian Direct Investment in Brazil: $17.7 billion (2021)
Key Sectors for Bilateral Partnerships
- Information and communications technology
- Digital technologies
- Clean technology
- Education
- Life sciences
- Power and renewable energy
- Aerospace
- Agriculture and agri-food
- Oil and gas
- Mining
- Defence and security
- Infrastructure
- Ocean technologies
- Automotive
- Forestry
- Machinery and industrial equipment
- Services and tourism
FDI – Main Canadian Investors in Brazil
- Kinross
- Celestica
- Vaaldiam
- Bombardier
- Yamana Gold
- Scotiabank
- Brookfield
- BMO
- SNC Lanvalin
- NEXEM
- Golder & Associates
- CAE
- Quebecor World
- RIM
FDI – Main Brazilian investors in Canada
- Vale
- Votorantim / St Mary’s Cement
- Gerdau \ Ameristeel
- Ambev / Labatt
- 3G (Burger King / Tim Hortons)
Brazil-Canada Bilateral Agreements
The Canada-Brazil Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation
This agreement serves as framework under which Canadian and Brazilian partners from industry, academia and government can collaborate on joint research and development (R&D) projects, scientific conferences and workshops, exchanges and loans of equipment and materials, as well as student and researcher mobility.
Bilateral Development Cooperation Program
Canada and Brazil signed a MOU on International Development Cooperation Effectiveness in 2011, aiming to seek to advance the Canada-Brazil development relationship through policy dialogue, joint policy research, enhanced institutional linkages, and technical cooperation activities in third countries.
Canada also maintains a Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) designed to support small projects that offer direct social, economic or technical assistance to local populations, proposed and implemented by local organizations in Brazil.
Memorandum of Understanding on Academic Mobility and Scientific Cooperation
The Canadian government encourages strengthening people-to-people exchanges for their potential to enrich the Canada-Brazil relationship. This MOU was signed to encourage innovation between the two countries and support joint research projects.
Source: Government of Canada