The trade relations between Qatar and Canada have grown exponentially over the past years, aided by friendly relations between the two countries. After the bilateral relations gained momentum since the beginning of diplomatic relations in 1974, the volume of trade and investment have risen substantially.
The relations got another fillip as Qatar opened its embassy in Canada in 2011 while Canada opened its embassy in Qatar a year after in 2012.
The volume of trade between the two country reached QR633.8m at the end of 2017. The total number of Canadian companies operating in Qatar has reached 265, of which 12 are wholly owned by the Canadian side and 253 are joint ventures with Qatari companies. These companies are engaged in engineering, construction, engineering consultancy, real estate development, energy and oil and gas services, healthcare, education services, and other fields.
Canadian expatriates are making positive contribution in strengthening the bond between the two countries. These expatriates are working in a wide range of sectors, including oil and gas, infrastructure, health and education. A lot of Canadian companies are also involved in implementing projects related to 2022 FIFA World Cup and Qatar National Vision 2030.
The bilateral trade volume between Qatar and Canada is likely to grow significantly in the coming years with the commercial ties between the two countries expanding rapidly.
Last year, Qatar Airways introduced an additional weekly flight to its Doha - Montreal route from December 17, providing even more flexibility for both business and leisure passengers travelling to and from the Canadian city.
The organisations are also playing crucial role by bringing the people of two countries together. The Canadian Business Council Qatar (CBCQ), a not-for-profit association of organizations, is working in Qatar to promote bilateral trade and investment between Canada and Qatar and promote mutual commercial, economic, technical, sport and cultural relationships between the two countries.
CBCQ is made up of a diverse group of business people representing Canadian and Qatari companies. One of its objectives is to provide a forum for member Canadian business executives representing Canadian companies with a presence in Qatar and member Canadian executives working in Qatar to identify, discuss and pursue common interests regarding their activities.
