Beyond Barriers: The Business Case for Alberta–Ireland Trade and Investment Growth

In September 2025, the Conference Board of Canada released "Beyond Barriers – Deepening Canada–Ireland Trade and Investment," a landmark report commissioned by Team Ireland in Canada. It provides the most detailed analysis to date of the economic relationship between the two countries—and it tells a clear story. 

Trade between Canada and Ireland has nearly doubled since 2016, reaching US $9.6 billion in 2023, with bilateral investment flows rising sharply. Canadian firms in Ireland now employ over 22,000 people, while Irish-owned companies support more than 34,000 jobs in Canada. Canadian investment into Ireland is up 131 percent and Irish investment into Canada has increased by 35 percent since CETA came into effect. 

For Alberta, these are not distant statistics—they point directly to opportunity. The report identifies US $2 billion in additional annual trade potential across 13 goods and 5 services categories. When viewed through an Alberta lens, the report highlights high-growth potential in technology, life sciences, agriculture, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, where Alberta’s innovation capacity complements Ireland’s established global strengths. 

Why Alberta and Ireland Fit 

Alberta and Ireland may be an ocean apart, but they are remarkably aligned in scale, ambition and capability. Both regions are export-driven, innovation-focused and energy-intensive, with highly educated workforces and strong global outlooks. 

Ireland offers Alberta companies a trusted, English-speaking gateway to the EU’s 450 million consumers, with a business environment renowned for its ease of establishment, R&D incentives and depth of talent. Alberta offers Irish firms access to North America’s fastest-growing market—a province anchored by resources, clean-energy leadership and a growing innovation economy. 

The combination is powerful: complementary strengths rather than competing ones. 

Energy and Clean Technology

Energy remains the foundation of Alberta’s economy—and a driver of Ireland’s transition. 

Alberta produces roughly 2.5 million tonnes of hydrogen each year and leads Canada in carbon-capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) infrastructure. The province’s ACTL pipeline alone has a capacity of 14.6 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, positioning Alberta as a global demonstration hub for low-carbon fuels. 

Ireland, meanwhile, is targeting 80 percent renewable electricity by 2030, backed by major offshore wind, solar and storage projects. Under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)—which shifts from reporting to paid certificates in 2026—importers will actively seek verified low-emission inputs. 

Opportunity: Low-carbon fuels, hydrogen, ammonia and CCUS know-how from Alberta align directly with Ireland’s decarbonization agenda. Alberta firms can supply clean energy solutions; Irish utilities and ports can serve as EU offtake points. 

Life Sciences and Biopharma 

Ireland is the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical exporter, home to 14 of the top 15 global medtech companies, and continues to attract major life-sciences investment. 

Alberta is expanding rapidly in biotech, digital health and clinical research through clusters in Calgary and Edmonton. Between 2016 and 2023, Canadian exports of R&D services to Ireland grew eightfold, from US $79 million to US $644 million. 

Collaboration in training and workforce development offers another bridge. Ireland’s National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) is the global benchmark for biomanufacturing training; its curriculum is delivered in Canada through the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL). 

Opportunity: Joint R&D, workforce partnerships and supply-chain integration between Alberta’s biotech ecosystem and Ireland’s established pharma base can create a competitive transatlantic value chain in life sciences. 

Digital and Technology Services 

Ireland is a global digital powerhouse—headquarters to the European operations of Google, Meta and Apple—and the leading exporter of computer services in the OECD. 

While younger, Alberta’s technology sector is one of Canada’s fastest-growing, spanning AI, fintech, SaaS, digital health and ag-tech. The Beyond Barriers report shows Canadian computer-services exports to Ireland surged 1,046 percent since 2016, yet Ireland still accounts for only 3 percent of Canada’s total imports in this category—meaning substantial headroom for growth. 

Opportunity: Alberta technology firms can use Ireland as an agile base for EU market expansion, while Irish software and cybersecurity companies can leverage Alberta’s innovation hubs and North American networks. 

Aerospace 

Ireland manages around 60 percent of the world’s leased aircraft and is a recognized leader in aviation finance and MRO. Alberta, centred in Calgary, has strengths in maintenance, autonomy and geospatial technology and serves as a western Canadian logistics and air-cargo hub. 

The report identifies more than US $145 million in potential annual growth in Canadian exports of aircraft and parts to Ireland. With air transport services already nearly tripling since 2016, momentum is strong. 

Opportunity: Partnerships linking Alberta’s aerospace innovation with Ireland’s finance and leasing ecosystem can strengthen transatlantic supply chains and generate new opportunities in training, simulation and green aviation. 

Advanced Manufacturing 

Ireland’s advanced-manufacturing sector exports high-value machinery, mining equipment and industrial filtration systems worldwide. Alberta’s manufacturing base—deeply integrated with energy, mining and food-processing supply chains—is modernizing toward automation, robotics and low-carbon production. 

The Beyond Barriers report estimates US $315 million in additional annual trade potential in machinery and equipment exports from Ireland to Canada, much of it relevant to Alberta industries. 

Opportunity: Alberta manufacturers adopting advanced Irish technologies can improve efficiency and meet global emission standards, while Irish firms can use Alberta as a North American production and service foothold. 

Agriculture and Agri-Food 

Agriculture is another area of complementary strength. Alberta is known for beef, pork, cereals and ag-tech innovation; Ireland for dairy, infant formula and premium beverages. 

The report highlights room for US $43 million in additional Canadian meat exports to Ireland, provided facilities secure EU certification, and US $88 million in Irish cereals and dairy-based exports to Canada. 

Opportunity: Shared priorities in sustainability, traceability and food security make this a natural space for co-innovation—particularly in regenerative agriculture and value-added processing. 

Tourism

Tourism and education connect people and ideas—the foundations of long-term trade. In 2023, roughly 180,000 Canadians visited Ireland, spending €1,419 (≈ US $1,500) per trip, among the highest of any market. Direct Calgary–Dublin flights support not just tourism but business travel and academic collaboration. 

Education

The Beyond Barriers report also calls for deeper academic and talent-mobility partnerships. Horizon Europe funding offers Alberta’s universities and colleges an entry point to collaborate with Irish and EU counterparts on clean-tech, ag-food and health projects. 

Opportunity: Strengthen academic exchange and dual-degree programs to sustain the workforce that future trade and investment will depend on. 

Why Now 

The timing could not be better. Alberta’s government has prioritized diversification, clean energy, digital innovation and global market access through its economic strategy and Invest Alberta initiatives. Ireland’s National Development Plan and Climate Action Plan 2025 call for exactly the kinds of technologies and expertise that Alberta firms can supply. 

At the same time, Ireland’s strong capital base and multinational networks give investors and companies a low-risk entry into Canada’s energy transition, food security and infrastructure sectors—many of which are centered in Alberta. 

The Takeaway

The Beyond Barriers report provides more than data—it offers direction. It shows that Alberta and Ireland are natural partners in the global economy: one a hub of resources and innovation, the other a gateway to European markets and capital.

The opportunity is measurable—over US $2 billion a year in additional trade potential—but the real value lies in the partnerships waiting to be formed. 

For Alberta companies looking east, and for Irish companies looking west, the path is clear. The connections already exist. The momentum is real. And the time to build on it is now. 

Read the full report here: Beyond Barriers – Deepening Canada–Ireland Trade and Investment

This has been a Team Ireland partnership between Embassy of Ireland, Canada, Consulate of Ireland, Toronto, Consulate of Ireland, Vancouver, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Bord Bia, Irish Canada Business Association and IBEC.

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