Canada and Netherlands deepen trade ties in defence and energy

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Jetten met on the margins of the 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Türkiye, to reaffirm the strong partnership between Canada and the Netherlands. The leaders discussed opportunities to deepen collaboration across key sectors, including defence, critical minerals, energy, and digital and emerging technologies, noting that bilateral trade in goods has more than doubled over the past decade.

Prime Minister Carney underscored Canada's efforts to establish the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank. This initiative aims to provide multi-year, low-cost financing for defence, security, and resilience projects, further supporting the strategic partnership between the two nations.

The discussion also addressed the ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine. Both leaders reaffirmed their enduring support for Ukraine and agreed to maintain pressure on Russia to negotiate for a just and lasting peace.

Key Areas of Cooperation

The meeting highlighted several sectors for enhanced collaboration:

Defence: Strengthening security cooperation through initiatives like the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank.
Critical Minerals: Exploring joint opportunities in the supply chain for essential minerals.
Energy: Collaborating on energy security and emerging technologies.
Digital Technologies: Advancing cooperation in digital and emerging tech sectors.

Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Jetten agreed to remain in close contact to advance these shared priorities.

The Government of Canada has committed more than $26 million in funding for 17 clean energy projects across Alberta and Saskatchewan. Announced on July 4, 2026, by the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, the investment aims to accelerate clean technology deployment, modernize energy systems, and reduce emissions. This funding is intended to strengthen Canada's energy security, create jobs, and position the country as a reliable energy supplier domestically and internationally.

Project Allocations

The funding supports a diverse range of initiatives designed to build regulatory, industrial, and workforce capacity. The allocation of funds is distributed across four key areas:

Focus Area	Funding Amount	Project Count	Description
Energy storage, renewables, and transmission	$14.9 million	10	Advances energy storage, solar, wind, interprovincial planning, Indigenous-led projects, and workforce development.
Renewable natural gas	$5.9 million	2	Engineering and design for facilities converting waste biomass to renewable natural gas with carbon capture.
Methane reduction and low-emissions cement	$3.5 million	2	Reduces methane emissions from upstream oil and gas and advances low-emissions cement alternatives.
Energy efficiency codes	$2.3 million	3	Supports the development of higher energy-efficiency building codes.

Funding Sources and Strategic Goals

Federal funding for the majority of these projects is provided through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs), a $4.5-billion initiative supporting grid modernization and renewable energy technologies. Additionally, Indigenous Services Canada contributed $649,000 specifically for electricity projects led by Indigenous groups to advance pre-development work for solar energy initiatives.

The Energy Innovation Program (EIP) also plays a role in advancing clean energy technologies to maintain a competitive and affordable energy system during the transition to a low-carbon economy. These initiatives align with Canada's National Electricity Strategy, which aims to double grid capacity by 2050.

This announcement builds upon commitments made at the 2026 Energy and Mine Ministers' Conference on June 26, 2026, regarding intertie transmission projects linking several provinces, including Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.