MacDonald promotes Canadian seafood, agri-food at Boston trade expo

Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald travelled to Boston this week to promote Canadian seafood and agri-food products at Seafood Expo North America, the largest seafood trade show on the continent.

MacDonald was joined by Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson, along with provincial premiers and ministers, as Canada showcased its seafood industry to an international audience of more than 20,000 attendees.

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Canada featured 133 exhibitors from eight provinces at the event, highlighting products ranging from Arctic char and lobster to caviar and sea urchin under the national Canada Brand.

The Canada Pavilion was officially opened alongside Rob Lantz, with Prince Edward Island serving as this year’s ceremonial host.

During the expo, MacDonald met with exporters and harvesters, attended provincial events and participated in seafood demonstrations. He also connected with several Canadian companies, including Clearwater Seafoods and Cooke Aquaculture.

MacDonald and Bernadette Jordan also hosted roundtable discussions with industry leaders focused on trade stability, supply chains and cross-border opportunities.

The Canada–United States agri-food and seafood relationship remains significant, with bilateral trade reaching $100.2 billion in 2025. Canadian fish and seafood exports to the U.S. accounted for $6 billion of that total.

While in Massachusetts, MacDonald also met with representatives from Stop & Shop, a major New England grocery chain, to reinforce Canada’s role as a reliable supplier, and Bay Street Milling, which recently upgraded its Saskatoon facility that processes gluten-free oats.

MacDonald said the visit strengthened relationships with U.S. partners and created new opportunities for Canadian producers.

“The strong connections made during our visit will reinforce trade ties on both sides of the border,” he said. “This will deliver more opportunities for fish and seafood harvesters, as well as for agriculture and agri-food producers in both countries.”