Report on CanCham’s “Expanding Horizons: Canada–Latvia Business Opportunities & Strategic Partnerships” Event
On Monday, April 13, 2026, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (CanCham) hosted its “Expanding Horizons: Canada–Latvia Business Opportunities & Strategic Partnerships” event at the Wellton Riverside SPA Hotel in Riga. The evening brought together members of the Canadian and Latvian business community, representatives of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and other stakeholders interested in strengthening economic cooperation between Canada and Latvia.
The event began with a welcome and opening remarks from Ed Kalvins, Chairman of CanCham, who outlined the purpose of the evening—to expand awareness of business opportunities between Canada and Latvia and to promote structured cooperation through CanCham initiatives. The formal program featured two presentations, followed by a Q&A session and informal networking.
Nicolas Lepage, Canadian Senior Trade Commissioner for Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, delivered the first presentation, providing an overview of Canada’s trade relationship with the Baltic region. He highlighted the role of the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in supporting Canadian companies—particularly SMEs and startups—in international markets by offering market intelligence, connections, and problem-solving support. He emphasized the importance of trade diversification for Canada, noting the country’s continued reliance on the United States market and the strategic objective to expand non-U.S. exports. Within this context, he identified key sectors of opportunity in the Baltic region, including defence procurement, energy and renewables, digital technologies, and academic cooperation. He also noted Canada’s growing presence in the Baltics, including its military deployment in Latvia through 2029, as a driver of increased commercial engagement and partnership opportunities.
Ed Kalvins followed with a presentation on CanCham’s Strategic Partnership Initiative (SPI), focusing on its practical implementation as a tool to connect Canadian and Latvian businesses. He explained that the SPI is designed to facilitate structured matchmaking between companies through a coordinated approach involving dedicated coordinators, a growing database of companies and capabilities, and ongoing communication platforms. The initiative promotes Northeastern Europe as an integrated business region for Canadians, and provides a framework for companies to explore market entry, partnerships, and joint ventures with Latvian entrepreneurs and businesses that have sales organizations throughout the region. Particular attention was given to priority sectors such as defence, construction, IT, logistics, and food products. Ed emphasized the importance of relationship-building, targeted outreach, and clear communication from members, including the preparation of “sell sheets” and designation of primary contacts to support effective engagement.
The Q&A session generated active discussion, including requests for follow-up actions such as sharing the list of attendees and developing case studies of successful market entry experiences. Participants also discussed the need for continued collaboration between CanCham members, SPI coordinators in both Latvia and Canada, and the broader business community to identify and pursue concrete opportunities. The importance of tracking outcomes—particularly contracts and business generated through CanCham initiatives and procurement seminars—was also highlighted.
The event concluded with informal networking, providing attendees with the opportunity to introduce themselves, exchange ideas, and explore potential partnerships. Participants represented a wide range of sectors, including defence, construction, IT, logistics, and professional services, reflecting the diverse opportunities for cooperation between Canada and Latvia.
You are invited to review the CanCham brochure (https://cancham.lv/about-cancham/brochure) which describes important information about the CanCham and our upcoming events (https://cancham.lv/EVENTS/upcoming-events-list), and please follow https://cancham.lv/ for the latest news and event updates.
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