Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a joint-statement in Ankara, Turkey on Oct. 22, 2026. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Turkish President Recep Erdoğan have announced a strategic partnership to deepen trade and defence co-operation between the countries.
The two leaders signed an agreement on Oct. 21 during Carney’s visit to Ankara. Carney said at a joint announcement alongside Erdoğan that Canada’s goal is to build “deeper partnerships with reliable partners that create new opportunities for us both.”
The two leaders agreed to work toward concluding a Canada-Turkey Free Trade Agreement to expand trade in sectors such as energy supply, defence production, aerospace, and artificial intelligence.
Carney said negotiators will meet in Ankara in a month for the first round of free trade talks.
“Our objectives are clear: more trade between businesses to build more prosperity between our peoples by lowering costs, cutting barriers, and creating greater certainty. This will open new doors for both for companies and investors in both of our countries,” Carney said.
Carney and
Erdoğan firstannounced the launch of free trade negotiations on July 7 during a NATO summit in Ankara.
Total trade volumes between Canada and Turkey
were valuedat $4.3 billion in 2024, with Canadian exports being valued at $1.3 billion and Turkish exports valued at $3.1 billion.
Carney said the two countries would explore co-operation in energy sectors, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), nuclear power, and renewables. On defence and security, he said the agreement would encourage collaboration between Canadian and Turkish companies, with potential benefits for employment, exports, and NATO co-operation.
The two leaders also pledged to work together on “government-to-government dialogue and people-to-people ties,” and the countries will establish an annual Canada-Turkey Strategic Dialogue.
Carney also said the two countries were “formalizing an air transport agreement” to increase the number of passenger flights from 12 per week to 21 per week, with no limit on the number of cargo flights. “I think our discussion suggested that we can go even further than that,” Carney said.
from the Prime Minister’s Office also said that Carney and Erdoğan discussed issues like Russia’s war against Ukraine, the ongoing wars in the Middle East, and security in the Black Sea. “They emphasised the importance of continued dialogue to advance peace and stability,” the statement said.
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