NASSAU, The Bahamas – Mark Berman, High Commissioner of Canada to The Bahamas, will lead the Canadian delegation headed to the Canada-Bahamas Innovation Trade Mission from February 26-28, 2025, in Nassau, hosted by the government of The Bahamas in partnership with the government of Canada, The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC). This trade mission will deepen commercial ties and unlock new economic opportunities between the two nations.
“I am honoured to lead one of Canada’s largest delegations of Canadian companies to The Bahamas for this Trade Mission,” said High Commissioner Berman. “Expanding trade and investment in this region not only benefits Canadian businesses but also drives job creation and economic growth for Bahamians. Strengthening our economic ties is a win-win for both nations.”
This will be High Commissioner Berman’s first official working visit to The Bahamas since presenting his credentials last year. The trade mission underscores Canada’s commitment to fostering stronger economic and diplomatic relations with The Bahamas, Canada’s second-largest trading partner in CARICOM.
Opportunities for Canadian businesses
Bringing together over 40 business leaders from 18+ Canadian companies and organisations, this trade mission is designed to support export-ready Canadian businesses—including diverse exporters—looking to establish and expand their presence in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean region.
Participating Canadian companies will engage in high-level networking sessions with Bahamian business and government leaders, gaining direct access to key decision-makers. They will benefit from market briefings, industry overviews and roundtable discussions with trade commissioners, senior government officials, and local industry representatives, providing insights into the Bahamian market. Additionally, pre-arranged business-to-business (B2B) meetings will facilitate potential partnerships.
The trade mission will feature companies from a range of priority sectors where Canada holds a competitive advantage. These include agri-food and agri-tech, clean technologies and clean energy, fintech, tourism and hospitality investment, and academic partnerships, reflecting key areas of mutual interest between Canada and The Bahamas.
Strengthening Canada-Bahamas relations
In addition to business development, High Commissioner Berman will engage with Bahamian stakeholders on shared priorities, including climate change, clean technology, and advancing women’s leadership and entrepreneurship.
As part of Canada’s global #SheLeadsHere campaign on gender equality, he will appoint five Bahamian young leaders as #SheLeadsHere advocates and recognise three industry leaders as leading Women in Energy, further reinforcing Canada’s commitment to empowering women in key industries.
Canada-Bahamas relations
Canada and The Bahamas share strong diplomatic, trade, and people-to-people ties, built on decades of economic collaboration, education partnerships, and cultural exchanges. Canada is a major investor in The Bahamas, particularly in financial services, tourism, and infrastructure, and remains committed to expanding bilateral trade and investment opportunities.
The Bahamas is Canada’s second-largest trading partner within CARICOM, with bilateral merchandise trade amounting to $295 million in 2023 ($284.5 million exports; $11 million imports); bilateral trade in services amounting to $528 million in 2022 ($313M exports; $215M imports). Canadian direct investment, primarily by Canadian banks, constitutes the pillar of our commercial relations and amounted to $27.1 billion in 2022. Canada’s expertise in renewable energy, clean technology and infrastructure can provide effective solutions to the reconstruction needs of The Bahamas.
The post Canadian high commissioner leads trade mission to The Bahamas appeared first on Caribbean News Global.
