Message from Our Co-Presidents

As we move into the fall, international trade is again being shaped by rapid change. The escalation of Canada-U.S. tariffs is creating real pressure for businesses, disrupting integrated supply chains, increasing costs and making investment decisions more difficult. These effects can be especially challenging for small and medium-sized enterprises, including women-owned and women-led businesses that may have fewer resources to absorb prolonged uncertainty.

At OWIT-Toronto, our role is to help members respond with practical information, stronger connections and a wider view of opportunity. This fall, our programming will focus on the issues businesses are asking about now: export readiness, financing, risk management, investment, market diversification and access to trusted partners. We will also continue to advocate for a stable, predictable and rules-based trading environment, and for women entrepreneurs and exporters to be meaningfully included in the policies and programs designed to support business resilience.

We are encouraged by the energy across our network - locally and through OWIT chapters around the world. Whether you join an upcoming event, explore a new market, share your business experience or volunteer with one of our committees, your participation strengthens our community. We look forward to connecting with you throughout the fall and helping more women build, lead and succeed in international trade.

As we enter the fall, we wish to thank outgoing board officers Megane Visette, Lilian Marins, and Jessica Horwitz for exceptional service during their terms. Jessica will continue on as a Director. And we welcome Darshini Raghuram, Camila Andrade, and Tara Shivafard as directors.

We look forward to seeing members and guests at our October 14 event! 

Cathy Williamson & Susan Baka
Co-Presidents, OWIT-Toronto

 Upcoming Events

October: Building the Blueprint for Export Success

Export growth requires more than ambition. Companies need to understand their readiness, choose the right markets, secure appropriate financing and manage risk at each stage of the journey. Join OWIT-Toronto and Desjardins Business on October 14 for a practical conversation with moderator Amesika Baeta of EDC and panelists Yann Jadis of Desjardins Business, Fadwa Mohanna of One37, and Sabrina Gollnow of BDC. The panel will also highlight support available to small and medium-sized enterprises facing tariff-related pressures. All attendees will receive a copy of the practical export blueprint developed by Fadwa, recent winner of the Export Plan of the Year Award from the World Trade Centre.  This invaluable document will save any exporter hours in navigating their export journey and highlight the very best resources to help pave the way to success!

View details and register

November: Explore Brazil with a Women in Business Mission

OWIT-Toronto is pleased to be a partner with the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce (BCCC) for the Women in Business Mission to Brazil 2026. The fulsome program from November 22-27 also offers opportunities for one-on-one meetings, and OWIT-TO members are eligible for a 50% discount on the mission registration fee. Participants are responsible for their own airfare and accommodation. Note that funding opportunities for eligible companies are available through CanExport for SMEs and PARO. The first five OWIT or BCCC members to register will receive $1000 towards mission expenses. Sponsorship opportunities are available to interested parties.

As Latin America’s largest market, Brazil offers a dynamic innovation ecosystem and growing opportunities for Canadian businesses looking to diversify into new markets. This mission will take participants to Florianópolis, a leading technology center, and São Paulo, Brazil’s financial and business capital, with the BCCC opening doors to connections and collaborations.

A highlight of the mission will be a visit to ACATE Sapiens Park in Florianópolis, an innovation hub that brings together more than 100 companies and includes a dedicated women-in-tech group. Businesses across other sectors are also welcome to apply, with the Trade Commissioner Service and the FIESC Federation of Industries available to facilitate individual meetings. Register here.

December: Annual Export Awards Luncheon Gala

Bennett Jones LLP  will sponsor this year’s event the first week of December. Watch for details on the luncheon gala and award nominations coming soon.

 Trade Policy

Supporting Businesses Through Canada-US Trade Uncertainty

The collapse of the latest Canada–U.S. trade negotiations and the resulting escalation of tariffs are deeply concerning for businesses on both sides of the border. For decades, Canada and the United States have built one of the world’s most integrated and successful trading relationships. Tariffs of this magnitude disrupt supply chains, increase costs, delay investment and place jobs at risk. Their effects will be especially sharp for small and medium-sized enterprises, including women-owned and women-led businesses that often have fewer resources to absorb prolonged uncertainty.

As a non-profit organization supporting women engaged in international trade, OWIT-Toronto recognizes the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation between Canada and the United States. A stable, predictable and rules-based trading environment is essential to helping businesses, particularly women-owned and women-led enterprises, plan, invest and grow with confidence.

At the same time, this moment reinforces the importance of helping Canadian companies diversify their markets, strengthen domestic and interprovincial supply chains, and access practical supports, including financing, export intelligence and new procurement opportunities. Women entrepreneurs and exporters must be meaningfully included in the design and delivery of these measures.

OWIT-Toronto is committed to helping our members navigate this rapidly evolving trade environment. We will strive to share timely information and practical resources to help businesses understand how tariffs may affect their operations, supply chains and export strategies and identify opportunities to adapt and diversify. Members seeking information or support are encouraged to follow us at www.owit-toronto.ca for updates.

Canada and the United States are more than trading partners. Our economies, communities and people are deeply connected. While negotiations have reached an impasse, we remain hopeful that renewed dialogue will lead to a fair, stable and mutually beneficial path forward.

We also want to hear directly from women in trade. Watch for OWIT-Toronto's short tariff-impact survey, which will help us better understand members' experiences and inform future programming and advocacy.

Partner Updates

OWIT Toronto and FITT Expand Learning Opportunities

OWIT-TO and the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) have launched a new partnership to advance professional development for women and diverse professionals in international trade by expanding access to learning opportunities, networking, and collaborative programming. FITT is Canada's leading international trade training and certification organization, dedicated to preparing business professionals for success in global markets.

As part of the partnership, OWIT-TO members are eligible for a 25% discount on FITT’s courses, covering a range of topics from export planning and trade finance to international sales and marketing.

OWIT-TO members can access their exclusive code via their member portal.

Other Partner Updates

• Toronto Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Luis Briceno has been nominated for the 10 Most Influential Hispanics. The Hispanic Chamber is a longstanding partner of OWIT-Toronto.
• The Belgian Canadian Business Chamber presents its Annual Economic Outlook and Taste of Belgium on October 20; register here.
• The  City of Toronto’s Diversifying Trade through the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) free in-person event to empower businesses to diversify their trade strategy, leverage FTAs and break into new markets will be held in Toronto November 2; register here.

Resources

The Office of the Chief Economist’s annual Canada’s State of Trade Report 2026 edition focuses on the rise of services in Canada’s trade landscape. This research notably shows that over half of Canadian SME exporters are services exporters, and that the fastest export growth among Canadian SME exporters was among firms that sold both goods and services. However, it also shows that over half of Canadian SMEs report a lack of digital skills as a major obstacle to their digital transformation, especially as digital services expand.

Across the Network

Global Summit Highlights Leadership Expertise and Influence

OWIT International's 2026 Spring Global Summit brought together representatives from more than 25 chapters across four continents to strengthen connections and shape the network's future. The discussions reinforced that OWIT's value reaches beyond networking: members gain access to leadership opportunities, practical expertise, business connections and a collective voice in international trade.

Participants identified opportunities for more cross-chapter collaboration, including business matchmaking, mentoring and shared programming. A keynote on artificial intelligence also offered a timely message for women in global business: start with literacy before fluency. Understanding the fundamentals, risks and potential of AI is becoming an important part of business resilience and competitiveness.

Read more about the Global Summit 

OWIT Toronto in the Community

This summer, OWIT-Toronto members and volunteers continued to represent the organization across trade, entrepreneurship and market-diversification events. Our Summer Trade Social, hosted by Scotiabank, created space for members and partners to build new connections, while participation in broader ecosystem events helped keep the needs and contributions of women in international trade visible.

These conversations matter. They allow OWIT Toronto to connect members with programs, partners and opportunities, and to bring women's business experiences into wider discussions about export growth, supply-chain resilience and inclusive economic development.

Where We’ve Been

September: Strengthening Canada – Vietnam Relations


[L to r]: Mr. Bac Nguyen, Vice-Chair, Vietnam–Canada Business Association; Dr. Julie Nguyen, Strategic Advisor, OWIT-Toronto; Prime Minister Mark Carney; and Dr. Phuoc Dang, Chair, Canada Vietnam Society

[L to r]: Thanh Phan, Founder & Lawyer, Elite Law Corporation; Mr. Bac Nguyen, Vice-Chair, Vietnam–Canada Business Association; President Vietnam Tô Lâm; and Dr. Julie Nguyen, Strategic Advisor, OWIT-Toronto

OWIT-Toronto Strategic Advisor Dr. Julie Nguyen, Chair of Canada-ASEAN Initiatives at York University and Director of the Canada-Vietnam Trade Council, was in Ottawa during the historic state visit of Vietnam’s General Secretary and President Tô Lâm. The visit marked an important milestone in bilateral relations, with Canada and Vietnam officially elevating their relationship to a Strategic Partnership, expanding cooperation in areas including trade and investment, digital technology and innovation, energy, education and people-to-people ties.

During the visit, President Tô Lâm met with Prime Minister Mark Carney, with discussions focused on strengthening economic ties and expanding opportunities for cooperation between the two countries. The new Strategic Partnership represents another step toward deeper Canada - Vietnam engagement and creates opportunities for Canadian businesses seeking to diversify and strengthen connections within the Indo-Pacific region.

July: Leaders in Export Excellence

The World Trade Centre Toronto gathered 175 business leaders, exporters and government partners for its third annual Leaders in Export Excellence celebration. The event recognized Trade Accelerator Program alumni succeeding in new markets, with Nightmarket Games named Exporter of the Year and One37 earning Best Export Plan.  (The latter’s CEO and Founder, Fadwa Mohanna, will be a panelist at OWIT’s October 14 event.) The celebration reinforced the value of focused planning, trusted relationships and persistence.

Read the Leaders in Export Excellence recap

June: TradeTO Trade Diversification Summit

The City of Toronto's TradeTO Trade Diversification Summit convened export-ready small and medium-sized businesses with international partners, trade experts and institutional leaders on June 15. Discussions focused on identifying high-growth markets, building practical diversification strategies and forming the relationships businesses need to expand beyond familiar markets. For OWIT Toronto, the summit's message was especially timely: women-owned and women-led companies need accessible market intelligence, trusted networks and targeted support to turn diversification ambitions into sustainable global growth.

Learn more about TradeTO

June: Expo México Mujer in Ottawa

OWIT’s Alma Farias with Josefina Lombard, Director of COMCE Sur, and Verónica Téllez Ponce, President of the Global Women's Leaders Pact

On June 5, Expo México Mujer in Ottawa brought together women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and organizations to celebrate women's leadership and strengthen business connections between Mexico and Canada.

The expo showcased a diverse range of Mexican products and services while creating valuable opportunities for networking, business development, and cross-border collaboration. It also highlighted the significant potential for increased partnerships between Canadian and Mexican women entrepreneurs and business organizations.

Expo Mujer México was organized through a collaborative effort by the Embassy of Mexico in Canada, Grupo LET, COMCE Sur (the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology – Southern-Southeastern Region), and the Global Women's Leaders Pact of Mexico. The initiative reflects the growing momentum behind efforts to promote women's economic participation, international trade, and business leadership.

Alma Farias, Strategic Advisor and Chair of the Advisory Committee, represented OWIT-Toronto (Organization of Women in International Trade), joining representatives of Mexican business associations, trade promotion organizations, and women-led companies from a variety of sectors.

Get Involved

Share Your News with the OWIT-Toronto Community

Have you entered a new market, secured an international contract, launched a partnership, received an award or reached another trade milestone? We want to celebrate the work of our members. Send a short description, a supporting link and a high-resolution photo to info@owit-toronto.ca for consideration in a future newsletter or social-media feature.

Volunteer with OWIT Toronto

Volunteering is a practical way to expand your network, contribute your expertise and help shape programming for women in international trade. Current opportunities include writing and photography for the Communications Committee; event ideas, speakers, partnerships and logistical support for the Events Committee; and participation in the Trade Policy Committee's work on gender, inclusive trade and trade agreements.

Learn about OWIT Toronto committees

Meet Our Volunteers

Chamilka Wijesinghe: Human Resources professional, global business graduate, and passionate volunteer interested in building meaningful connections and contributing to international trade and women’s professional advancement.

“I support OWIT-Toronto in a variety of areas, including creating e-blasts, social media content and promotional flyers, event photography, registration and event management support, and preparing materials such as business cards. I enjoy being able to contribute wherever support is needed and help make our events and initiatives successful… It is especially rewarding knowing that my volunteer work contributes to an organization that supports women, professional growth, and international business…The biggest benefit has been the opportunity to build meaningful professional relationships and expand my network in Canada. I have met many inspiring and accomplished people through OWIT-Toronto who have been willing to share their knowledge, advice, and connections.”

Read the full interview here

Make More of Your Membership

OWIT Toronto membership connects you with women exporters, importers, service providers, public-sector leaders and trade professionals locally and around the world. Benefits include discounted event registration, export education and training, early notice of missions and opportunities, mentoring, awards programs and access to OWIT's international network.

Annual membership is currently $85 for individuals, $375 for corporate memberships of up to five people, and $700 for corporate memberships of six to ten people.

View membership options and join