Team Canada Trade Mission to Mexico: boosting creative exports and collaboration

In February 2026, a creative industries delegation joined the Team Canada Trade Mission (TCTM) to Mexico to pursue high-impact business opportunities for exporting to Mexico. Their participation was delivered under the auspices of the Creative Export Strategy, in close collaboration with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Trade Commissioner Service in Mexico.

Led by GAC, this TCTM was the largest government trade mission in decades, connecting nearly 400 participants across five key sectors with hundreds of Mexican partners in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.

About the creative industries delegation

The creative industries delegation included 28 export-ready Canadian companies from the audiovisual, interactive and digital media, live music, and performing arts sectors, representing a diverse mix of small and medium-sized enterprises. It also brought together five industry associations and non-profit organizations, as well as key federal cultural institutions such as Telefilm Canada, the National Film Board of Canada, the Canada Council for the Arts, the National Arts Centre, and the Canada Media Fund.

The delegation was led by the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, and Parliamentary Secretary David Myles, who engaged with senior Mexican officials, notably President Claudia Sheinbaum, to advance cooperation on trade, culture, Indigenous collaboration, and audiovisual coproduction.

Mission activities

Participants engaged in a packed program featuring:

395 curated business-to-business meetings with potential partners
Six networking events with key industry and government leaders from Canada and Mexico
Market briefings in Mexico City and Guadalajara with industry experts
Six sector-specific site visits at studios, venues, and innovation hubs

These activities provided delegates with first-hand insight into Mexico’s market, operational practices and sector-specific trends while opening doors to new partnerships in audiovisual production, live touring, immersive media, and cultural exchange. The mission also created valuable cross-sectoral networking opportunities and generated strong early commercial results, with 33 deals signed or in advanced negotiation, valued at between $6.5M and $9.4M.

Why Mexico?

Mexico has quickly become one of Canada’s top six creative export markets, driven by a booming film and TV sector, world-class cultural venues, major festivals, and strong demand for live music, digital experiences, and cross-cultural programming.

The mission was strategically timed, following several months of high-level bilateral engagements in 2025-2026, including the launch of a new Canada-Mexico Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and shared priorities under the Canada-Mexico Action Plan 2025–2028. It reflected Canada’s commitment to diversifying trade and strengthening economic cooperation within North America, while marking an important milestone in advancing bilateral cooperation in culture and the creative industries.