The free province-wide program will allow Alberta businesses to pursue international growth opportunities through a combination of on-demand online learning, workshops and support

A partnership between Calgary Economic Development and the Alberta government through a new trade-capacity building program called Level Up aims to support small- and medium-sized businesses in navigating challenges in the global economy.

It has become important to increase market diversification throughout the world, said Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Joseph Schow at the Monday afternoon announcement in the ZeroKey office in northwest Calgary.

“The United States is our largest trading partner, and that is unlikely to change in the immediate term,” Schow said. “But there are markets around the world that are ready and to be tapped into, which means economic growth and new jobs right here at home in Alberta.”

The free province-wide program will allow Alberta businesses to pursue international growth opportunities through a combination of on-demand online learning, workshops and support.

Last year, the province announced continued funding for the Trade Accelerator Program that supported more than 660 Alberta companies and secured more than 200 trade deals in 50 international markets, Schow said.

Level Up builds on that success and is designed to move businesses into the next stage of international growth, he said.

“Since June of 2025, Alberta has invested $3.8 million to support continued delivery of the Trade Accelerator Program and the development of Level Up,” Schow said. “This is part of nearly $7 million provided through Calgary Economic Development since 2024 for the trade-related supports such as trade missions and hosting delegations from around the world.”

Ever-changing disputes, such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, have significantly disrupted the global trading system, said Calgary Economic Development president and CEO and Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund CEO Brad Parry.

Most of the job growth that will happen in the Calgary region and across Alberta will be driven by small- and medium-sized enterprises, he said.

“This program will be delivered by the Calgary Economic Development’s trade and services team as a component to the successful Trade Accelerator Program, or TAP program, that the minister mentioned,” Parry said.

Calgary recorded the largest increase in exports to non-U.S. markets among major Canadian cities between 2024 and 2025, he said.

In 2025 alone, Calgary Economic Development’s trade services helped businesses secure 45 trade deals, generating $60 million in trade revenue across 21 countries on six continents, with the lowest share of trade deals in the U.S.

It highlights the city’s growing role as a driver of Canada’s trade and diversification efforts. The launch of the new program will build on that foundation, Parry said.

“It’s also a key to drive local economy and growth in our ecosystem, because when businesses secure new customers, enter new markets, or grow their exports, that translates into new investments, stronger revenues, and more jobs in our community,” he said.

Having the right doors opened at the right time is all the difference between success and failure during the early-stage journey for business startups, said ZeroKey founder and CEO Matthew Lowe.

ZeroKey is a Calgary-based leader for real-time location system technology.

Programs such as Level Up and the Trade Accelerator Program are essential now more than ever in the current economic climate, he said.

“I really encourage everyone, whether you’re an early-stage business (or) whether you’re an SME looking to expand to new markets to take advantage of these programs,” Lowe said. “Today, ZeroKey exports to 41 countries around the globe; we work with one in 10 Fortune 500 global companies.”

That wasn’t always the case, Lowe said.

Their experience in the Trade Accelerator Program allowed them to access new markets they never dreamed of, he said.

“The resources in terms of human resources in time and expertise has been really transformative for ZeroKey and I’m excited to show you what that is actually translated into now in terms of our commercial products,” Lowe said.

Applications for Level Up are now open. More information can be found at calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com/levelup.

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