Since 2017, an agreement known as CETA has been in force between the European Union and Canada: one of the largest free-trade treaties ever signed between two economic areas. According to data from the European Commission, the value of trade has increased from less than 30 billion euros in 2016 to around 37 billion euros in 2021 thanks to the accord, with a pre-Covid peak of almost 40 billion euros in 2019. More specifically, in the same period European exports of machinery and equipment grew by 18% from 7 to 8.4 billion euros, while those of food and drink products saw an even greater increase of no less than 38%, from 2 to 2.9 billion euros. A real boom which – thanks also to its privileged relationship with the United States – makes Canada a true gateway to the whole of North America.

And also since 2017, Fiera Milano has been a partner of Restaurants Canada, the country’s most authoritative association for out-of-home eating. In the following years, the collaboration integrated HostMilano – whose next edition will take place at fieramilano in Rho from 13 to 17 October – and  today sees a renewed commitment with the appointment of the new president, Kelly Higginson.

We asked Kelly to give us a snapshot of the industry in Canada right now. “In spite of an extraordinary pressure, we are a 100 billion CAD industry, and I think we stand out as one of the most resilient industries in Canada for surviving, innovating and recreating ourselves. Even as guests return, rising costs due to supply chain issues and climate change are eroding profitability. Added to this are labour shortfalls and government loans falling due,” Higginson says.

And what does the future hold? “Recent crises have taught us that change is inevitable. I think we’re all a little smarter now and that collaboration has moved beyond our tables into our boardrooms and strategic plans. We need to work as an international collective to promote the hospitality culture of our industry and its bottom-line value to our national economies with a single, unified voice, working together to innovate through obstacles.”

In this context, partnerships such as the one with HostMilano are becoming fundamental. “The collaboration with Fiera Milano has already brought over 150 key decision-makers from the restaurant and hospitality sector to visit the company's global exhibitions,” the president says. “Also for Host 2023, selected members of Restaurants Canada have the opportunity to be hosted as Top Buyers in Milan.”