Prime Minister Mark Carney and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced plans to advance an enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement in the new year. The leaders met in Ottawa on Sept. 20, 2026 to deepen bilateral ties across defence, space, and critical minerals.

The agreement builds on Canada’s selection of the TKMS 212CD submarine, jointly developed by Norway and Germany, as the preferred supplier for its next fleet of submarines. This move signals a strategic shift towards deeper Nordic-Canadian defence integration.

Key Agreements Signed

The leaders welcomed several new memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and agreements during the visit:

• Arctic Science: Polar Knowledge Canada and the Norwegian Polar Institute signed an MOU to strengthen collaboration on Arctic and Antarctic science and research.
• Space Cooperation: The Canadian Space Agency and the Norwegian Space Agency signed an MOU to deepen cooperation on space-based and dual-use capabilities.
• Critical Minerals: The Geological Survey of Canada and the Geological Survey of Norway signed an agreement to facilitate joint critical minerals mapping and exchange geoscientific expertise.

Business and Technology Ties

Enhanced cooperation in space and defence is exemplified by growing business-to-business links. Two new agreements were signed between Norway’s Kongsberg and Canadian firms MDA Space and Telesat.

Building on the March 2026 Joint Statement on Sovereign Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cooperation, the two nations agreed to deepen cooperation on digital sovereignty and AI. This includes the responsible development and adoption of AI and its application in the public sector.

Support for Ukraine

The prime ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, backed by robust security guarantees. To support this effort, the Canadian Commercial Corporation and the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency signed a Letter of Intent. This establishes a government-to-government framework for the procurement of military assets.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre met in Ottawa on Sept. 20, 2026, to strengthen bilateral defence and Arctic security cooperation.

The leaders announced Canada’s entry into the German-Norwegian Type 212CD submarine program. This move aims to deepen military, industrial, and technological ties between the two NATO allies.

Defence and Submarine Cooperation

Canada will join the Type 212CD submarine cooperation following negotiations for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP). The nations plan to pursue an enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement to support this next phase of bilateral defence efforts.

The Canadian Commercial Corporation and the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency finalized a partnership for procuring military assets for Ukraine. This builds on commitments announced in March 2026.

Arctic Security and Research

Canada and Norway are establishing a bilateral Arctic Dialogue to improve strategic surveillance and interoperability. A June 2026 agreement between their Coast Guards has already enabled joint training exercises in Arctic waters.

Scientific collaboration is expanding through a Memorandum of Understanding between Polar Knowledge Canada and the Norwegian Polar Institute. This supports research in both Arctic and Antarctic regions ahead of the 5th International Polar Year.

Industrial Investments

Norwegian firms are increasing their footprint in Canada. Kongsberg invested $76.5 million in a Marine Innovation Simulation Centre of Excellence with the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Kongsberg is also partnering with NAV Canada on a remote digital air traffic services project. Equinor is advancing the Bay du Nord deepwater oil development, located 500 kilometres offshore Newfoundland.

Space and Digital Cooperation

The Canadian Space Agency and Norwegian Space Agency finalized an MoU to collaborate on space-based capabilities for Arctic needs. Kongsberg signed agreements with MDA Space for intelligence solutions and Telesat for low Earth orbit satellite connectivity.

Both nations will explore cooperation on digital sovereignty and artificial intelligence governance. They aim to advance safe AI deployment and share best practices for public sector adoption.