CUSMA: The Case for Team Atlantic

Why this matters now 

The process is now formally underway. Canada has written to the United States and Mexico to confirm it wants the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) renewed, putting the 2026 joint review squarely on the agenda. For Atlantic Canada, this is not just another federal trade protocol, it is about market access, cost pressure, competitiveness and confidence. From seafood exporters and aquaculture operators to forestry producers, agri-food businesses, manufacturers, and ports, this region feels trade volatility quickly and often more acutely than central Canada. And with the national economy having slipped into a technical recession, the margin for absorbing further shocks is thinner than it has been in years. When fuel costs rise, fertilizer prices climb or replacement equipment becomes harder to source, the impact is felt on the wharf, in the yard, on the farm and across the shop floor. For companies doing business in the Atlantic region, the issue is not simply whether trade continues; it is whether the new protocols stay stable enough to plan, invest and grow. 

The politics around CUSMA are heating up 

CUSMA - known in the United States as USMCA- replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and came into force in 2020. CUSMA’s first formal joint review is expected to begin this July 2026 and is unfolding at the same time as a high-stakes U.S. political cycle. As Washington moves closer to the midterm elections, trade policy can become more politically charged and less predictable. Even when the fundamentals of North American integration remain strong, U.S. domestic politics can still shape the tone, timing and substance of trade discussions. In practical terms, that can mean more pressure around tariffs, sharper talk on specific industry disputes, more use of executive tools, and less room for a clean, orderly process.  

The case for Atlantic Canadian businesses is simple. This review of CUSMA will be shaped as much by politics as by trade law, which makes early positioning and disciplined engagement more important than ever. Public reporting and expert analysis have pointed to the upcoming 2026 review as a period when the United States may seek to preserve leverage amid uncertainty rather than move quickly toward a clear long-term outcome. 

Atlantic Canada has a story to tell 

Atlantic Canada has a particular stake in how this unfolds because our economy is deeply connected to cross-border trade. Seafood is an obvious example. Export Development Canada reports that the United States remains the dominant market for Canadian fish and seafood exports, underscoring the exposure of coastal businesses to policy shifts and border friction. The same is true across parts of aquaculture, forestry and wood products, agri-food, advanced manufacturing, transportation and logistics. In many of these sectors, companies are already absorbing higher costs for fuel, fertilizer, inputs and replacement equipment while also trying to manage tariff risk, customs friction and supply chain uncertainty. For a business shipping lobster out of southwest Nova Scotia, moving forest products through New Brunswick, serving U.S. customers from a plant in PEI or supporting offshore energy and ocean sector supply chains from Newfoundland and Labrador, predictability matters just as much as access. This is not just about defending trade flows. It is about protecting the conditions that allow businesses to keep hiring, investing and planning with confidence. 

A Team Atlantic approach 

If Ottawa is building a “Team Canada" position, Atlantic premiers should arrive with their own coordinated view of what this region needs for protection, advancement, or better understood. This is where the Council of Atlantic Premiers can play a meaningful role. The Council’s mandate is to promote Atlantic Canadian interests on national issues and to improve regional coordination. That makes it a natural vehicle for shaping a “Team Atlantic” approach that reflects the realities of this region, not just the priorities of larger provinces. There is also a role for Atlantic premiers to carry those priorities into the Council of the Federation (COF), where national positioning takes shape and trade pressures are already a top concern for premiers across the country.  

And there is a timely cross-border opportunity as well. The Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers has long focused on shared regional interests, including trade, energy, climate change, food security, and innovation. The 2025 conference in St. John’s highlighted affordability, trade impacts, energy collaboration, food security and technology as shared priorities on both sides of the border. That is exactly the kind of venue where Atlantic leaders can reinforce regional priorities directly with U.S. counterparts and help ensure our regional story is reflected in the wider Canada-U.S. conversation. 

What smart engagement looks like from here 

For organizations across Atlantic Canada, the message is clear. This is the time to be at the front of the line, shaping the conversation rather than reacting to it later. CUSMA will be shaped by politics, economics and regional advocacy all at once, and the organizations that understand how those forces come together will ultimately be in the best positions when the outcomes are decided. At Iris Communications, we work at that intersection every day. We help clients understand where decisions are really being shaped, in Ottawa, in provincial capitals, and across the cross-border channels that connect Atlantic Canada to the U.S. and engage with purpose. With stakes like these, timing and judgment matter, and so does knowing the region. If your organization is thinking about how to protect its interests, shape the conversation and engage strategically in the months ahead, this is exactly the kind of work we do. 

What your organization should do now 

• Understand your organization’s exposure and where the greatest risks or opportunities may emerge. 
• Get clear on the outcomes that matter most to your business, sector or community. 
• Watch for the right moments to engage as regional and national positions take shape. 
• Ensure your perspective is framed in a way that connects to broader Atlantic Canadian priorities. 
• Work with advisors who understand the policy landscape, the political dynamics and the regional context.