Beyond Borders:
Dr Vashti Guyadeen, July 15, 2026
On 9 July 2026, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce launched its Canada Trade and Investment Mission 2026, an initiative aimed at creating new commercial opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago businesses in the Canadian market.
The trade mission will take place from August 27 to September 2, 2026 and will bring together a delegation of export-ready companies seeking to expand their presence in Canada, establish strategic partnerships, and explore investment opportunities.
The following is the address delivered by Dr Vashti Guyadeen, chief executive officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, at the launch of the mission.
Over the past week, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber has demonstrated what our future will look like.
We signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
While the signing formalised a partnership between two institutions, it represented something much bigger. It marked a reset in how the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber intends to engage regionally and internationally.
Under the leadership of our president, Karen Yip Chuck, we have committed to moving beyond dialogue to delivery, beyond networking to measurable commercial outcomes, and beyond isolated initiatives to building a connected Caribbean business ecosystem.
The Guyana partnership is one pillar of that vision.
Today’s launch of our Beyond Borders: Canada Trade and Investment Mission 2026 is another.
Together, they reflect a chamber that is deliberately repositioning itself not simply as the voice of business, but as a catalyst for international growth, regional collaboration and global competitiveness.
Why Canada?
Because Canada represents exactly the kind of partnership Trinidad and Tobago needs as we diversify our economy and strengthen our international competitiveness.
It is one of our oldest diplomatic and commercial partners, a G7 economy, a major source of investment and home to one of the largest Trinidad and Tobago diaspora communities anywhere in the world.
It is also a market where relationships already exist and where the opportunities for growth in agriculture, manufacturing, professional services, technology, the creative industries and energy services are significant.
More importantly, the global economy is changing.
Businesses are rethinking supply chains. Governments are seeking trusted partners.
Markets are demanding innovation, resilience and sustainability.
Countries that succeed will be those that are prepared, connected and able to respond quickly to new opportunities.
For Trinidad and Tobago, this presents a timely opportunity to strengthen its international competitiveness.
Our businesses have the expertise. Our professionals have the talent. Our manufacturers produce world-class products. Our service providers compete internationally.
What has often been missing is a structured pathway into global markets. That is what the Export Academy of the TT Chamber has been designed to deliver.
This is not a traditional trade mission. It is a market-entry strategy.
We have partnered with Global Trinidad and Tobago to ensure that businesses are prepared before they leave our shores.
Through export readiness support, market intelligence, business coaching and practical guidance, delegates will arrive in Canada ready to compete, not simply to participate.
Our programme has also been deliberately designed to maximise commercial outcomes.
We begin at the Trinbago Festival, not simply because it celebrates our culture, but because it provides businesses with an invaluable opportunity to test products, build brand recognition and engage directly with consumers.
From there, delegates move into curated business-to-business meetings with buyers, distributors, retailers, investors and institutional partners.
The mission has a clear objective: to transform market exposure into market access, and market access into long-term commercial relationships.
This mission also reflects our belief that Trinidad and Tobago’s competitiveness depends on presenting the full strength of our economy.
We are particularly pleased that NAMDEVCO is participating as it seeks to strengthen agricultural exports into Canada. This is about far more than fresh produce. It is about creating new opportunities for farmers, agro-processors, logistics providers and exporters while strengthening agricultural value chains that support food security and rural development.
Equally important is our collaboration with the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago.
Together, we are presenting Canada with a complete picture of our economy. While the Energy Chamber leads engagement in energy and energy services, the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber is showcasing manufacturing, professional services, technology, agribusiness, logistics and investment opportunities.
Together, we demonstrate that Trinidad and Tobago is far more than an energy producer; we are a country of innovators, problem-solvers and globally competitive businesses.
International buyers increasingly seek suppliers capable of delivering quality, reliability and scale.
That is why we are inviting businesses from across the Caribbean to join this journey.
By collaborating as a region, we strengthen value chains, create new partnerships and present the Caribbean as a globally competitive business destination.
This mission is about far more than a delegation travelling overseas.
It is about documenting the transformation of Caribbean business.
We encourage media houses to send senior business journalists to Canada to tell the stories of entrepreneurs entering new markets, manufacturers securing new customers, farmers expanding exports and businesses attracting investment.
These are stories of resilience, innovation and opportunity. They deserve to be told.
The success of this mission will not be measured by the number of meetings held or the kilometres travelled. It will be measured by the partnerships established, the contracts secured, the investments attracted and the opportunities created for Trinidad and Tobago businesses.
Last week, we strengthened our partnership with Guyana. Now we prepare for Beyond Borders with Canada, and we continue building bridges to markets around the world.
We continue building bridges to markets around the world. That is our vision. A chamber that opens doors. A chamber that creates opportunities. A chamber that helps businesses move confidently from local success to global competitiveness.
Because when Trinidad and Tobago businesses succeed internationally, our economy grows stronger.
I invite you to join us as we go Beyond Borders building partnerships, creating opportunities and shaping a more competitive future for Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.
Source: Trinidad Daily Express