Dubai-Ontario agricultural cooperation set to deepen after Dubai Chambers meeting with Ontario minister in Toronto
Dubai Chambers and Ontario officials agree to deepen Dubai-Ontario agricultural cooperation, boosting food trade, agri-tech partnerships and investment ties.
Dubai Chambers led a high-level delegation to Toronto this week to advance Dubai-Ontario agricultural cooperation, meeting with Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Trevor Jones to explore partnerships in food, agri‑tech and related supply chains. The visit underscores a mutual intent to expand trade and investment links between Dubai and Canada, with particular emphasis on sectors that can benefit from technology transfer and joint ventures. Delegation leaders said the discussions are part of a broader strategy to create long-term, value‑added economic ties that support exporters and investors on both sides.
Dubai delegation meets Ontario minister in Toronto
The delegation was headed by Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, and included Mohammed Ali Rashid Lootah, Director General of Dubai Chambers, who held formal talks with Minister Trevor Jones. Officials discussed practical mechanisms for partnership, including pilot projects, bilateral working groups and pathways for private sector collaboration. The meeting aimed to convert strategic intent into concrete business opportunities for companies in both jurisdictions.
Focus on food trade and agri‑tech collaboration
Delegates emphasised food security, supply chain resilience and adoption of agri‑tech as priority areas for cooperation, citing mutual benefits from knowledge exchange and investment. Conversations covered technologies such as controlled‑environment agriculture, cold chain innovations and food processing solutions that can scale across the Middle East, North America and beyond. Both sides identified opportunities for Canadian expertise in agri‑business to complement Dubai’s role as a regional trade and distribution hub.
Dubai’s competitive advantages for Canadian firms
Dubai Chambers presented the emirate’s competitive proposition to Canadian businesses, highlighting strategic geographic location, advanced logistics infrastructure and a business‑friendly regulatory environment. Officials noted Dubai’s connectivity to markets in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia as a compelling channel for Canadian exporters seeking wider market access. The delegation also outlined incentives, special economic zones and facilitation services designed to reduce entry barriers and accelerate commercial partnerships.
Trade surge underlines growing economic ties
Trade data referenced by the delegation points to a rising economic relationship, with non‑oil bilateral trade between Dubai and Canada reported at AED 12.6 billion in 2025, a 23.2 percent increase on 2024. Dubai Chambers used the statistic to illustrate the momentum behind the push for deeper sectoral links, arguing that stronger agri‑food cooperation could help sustain that upward trajectory. Officials said targeted agreements can convert headline trade growth into stable, diversified commercial networks that benefit SMEs and larger investors alike.
Dubai Chambers’ Toronto office drives local engagement
Delegates stressed the practical role of the Dubai Chambers’ Toronto representative office, which opened in June 2025 as the organisation’s first presence in North America. The office has been positioned to support Canadian companies seeking to establish a foothold in Dubai and to provide market intelligence, networking and matchmaking services to prospective investors. Dubai Chambers described the Toronto office as central to building relationships with public and private stakeholders across Canada and facilitating inward and outward business missions.
Next steps under the Growth Corridors initiative
The Toronto meeting forms part of the Growth Corridors initiative, a series of international commercial missions organised by Dubai Chambers to link Dubai with priority global markets. As a next step, both sides outlined plans for sector‑specific working groups, joint trade missions and pilot investment projects designed to fast‑track agri‑food collaboration. Dubai Chambers indicated that follow‑up activities will prioritise tangible outcomes such as memoranda of understanding, joint pilot programmes and business‑to‑business matchmaking events in the coming months.
The Toronto discussions signal a calibrated effort by Dubai and Ontario to translate strategic complementarities into marketable projects and investment flows, leveraging Dubai’s logistics and market access with Canada’s agricultural expertise. Participants said the objective is pragmatic: to create commercial partnerships that expand market opportunities for exporters, enable technology transfer in agri‑food systems, and support sustainable growth across both economies.
