Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met the Canadian Prime Minister in Calgary on September 10, 2026. The leaders held a signing ceremony and joint media availability to advance defence and economic ties.

The meeting was part of Zelenskyy’s three-day visit to Canada from September 9 to 11, 2026. The trip aims to strengthen cooperation in defence, economics, and energy sectors between the two nations.

Calgary Agenda

The Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy engaged in a series of formal events in Calgary:

Broader Visit Context

Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska will also attend events in Toronto and North Bay. The President is scheduled to address Cabinet members at the Cabinet Planning Forum in Banff on September 10 at 1:50 pm.

The visit underscores Canada’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defence, recovery, and reconstruction. Discussions focus on deepening bilateral ties while addressing the human cost of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The programme seeks to build on existing people-to-people connections.

The Canadian government announced nearly $1.58 million in funding on Sept. 9, 2026, to support skilled trades training in Edmonton. The investment targets the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 955 Training Trust Fund to acquire modern crane equipment.

The Honourable John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour), confirmed the allocation under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Investments in Training Equipment stream. This specific funding supports the purchase of a new rough terrain crane and a Liebherr telescoping mobile crane.

Specific Funding Allocation

The investment directly addresses the need for hands-on experience for mobile crane operators. The program covers up to 50% of the cost for new equipment, requiring recipients to leverage the remaining capital.

Chris Flett, IUOE 955 Business Manager, noted that the equipment will expand the union’s ability to prepare a safe, skilled workforce for industry needs.

Broader Team Canada Strong Initiative

This local announcement reinforces the federal government’s broader plan to recruit and train between 80,000 and 100,000 new Red Seal trades workers by 2030–2031. The initiative is part of the $6 billion Team Canada Strong strategy announced in the 2026 Spring Economic Update.

The government has further strengthened this commitment with an additional $2 billion in bilateral agreements with provinces and territories. These funds aim to increase access to pre-apprenticeship and technical training opportunities.

Union Training and Innovation Expansion

The federal government is doubling its investment in the Union Training and Innovation Program. Building on Budget 2025’s $75 million investment, an additional $225 million is allocated to help union-run training centres upgrade facilities and expand capacity.

Since 2017, the Union Training and Innovation Program has supported more than 173,000 participants. The government aims to align occupational health and safety requirements across jurisdictions to facilitate labour mobility while maintaining union-established safety standards.

Workforce Demand Context

The investments respond to significant future labour shortages. By 2033, Canada will require more than 1.4 million new trades workers to support housing construction, transit expansion, and energy infrastructure development.