Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada has formally applied to join the Joint Expeditionary Force following a meeting with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Liverpool on Sept. 16, 2026.

The two leaders underscored the close relationship between Canada and the UK, rooted in historic ties and shared values. They highlighted the deep and growing defence and security partnership between the countries.

Defence Cooperation

Prime Minister Carney welcomed the UK's support for Canada's participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force initiative. The leaders also discussed opportunities for defence industrial cooperation through the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). Canada joined the GCAP as an observer in July 2026.

Both nations continue to work toward a new permanent arrangement to modernise British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) through the BATUS Future Project. The project aims to showcase CFB Suffield as a world-class facility for the development and testing of new equipment and cutting-edge technology.

Economic and Technological Ties

Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Burnham emphasised the importance of strengthening economic cooperation. Looking forward, they agreed to deepen cooperation on frontier technologies. This includes advancing the safe and responsible development and use of artificial intelligence.

The prime ministers agreed to remain in close contact.

Canada is targeting a doubling of its global market access by the end of 2026, leveraging strengthened partnerships at the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting in Houston.

Corey Hogan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, attended the meeting from September 14 to 16, 2026. He engaged with energy ministers and stakeholders from the European Union, India, Poland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States to advance trade diversification and investment objectives.

Trade and Investment Data

The G20 forum remains central to Canada’s economic strategy, with nine of its top ten trading partners being G20 members. Over 90 percent of Canada’s bilateral merchandise trade originates from these countries.

Bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and G20 members totalled $1.4 trillion in 2024. This represents a 44.9% increase since 2015. Concurrently, foreign direct investment from G20 economies in Canada reached nearly $1.3 trillion in 2024, marking a 36.1% rise over the prior five years.

What the Numbers Show

The data indicates a strong correlation between trade volume expansion and capital inflows. While merchandise trade grew by 44.9%, foreign direct investment increased by 36.1% over similar multi-year horizons. This suggests that rising trade volumes are accompanied by substantial long-term capital commitments from G20 partners, reinforcing the structural nature of these economic relationships rather than transient transactional flows.

Strategic Outlook

Canada currently holds free trade agreements across 51 countries, providing access to 1.5 billion consumers who represent nearly two-thirds of global GDP. The government views these partnerships as essential for global energy security and supply chain resilience.

Hogan stated that discussions at the G20 demonstrated Canada’s leadership and stability during a period of global change. He emphasized that Canada possesses the resources and expertise required to support economic growth and energy security worldwide.