Canada and Nordic countries deepen Arctic security and defence cooperation

In a more dangerous, divided, and uncertain world, security can no longer be taken for granted. Canada is strengthening its defences in the North and working closely with trusted partners to protect our sovereignty and reinforce collective security.

To bolster Canada’s Arctic security, defence, and economic partnerships, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, travelled to Bardufoss and Oslo, Norway, this week. In Bardufoss, the Prime Minister observed Exercise Cold Response – a Norwegian-led NATO exercise above the Arctic Circle to enhance the Alliance’s readiness, interoperability, and defence capabilities. Prime Minister Carney was joined by the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, and the Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz.

In Oslo, Prime Minister Carney met with Prime Minister Støre. The two leaders issued a joint statement outlining new ambition to build on the longstanding and close partnership between Canada and Norway, including their shared commitment to NATO, support for Ukraine, cooperation in the Arctic, and new partnerships on energy, critical minerals, trade, emerging technologies such as space communications and security, and artificial intelligence (AI).

While in Norway, Prime Minister Carney attended the Canada-Nordic Summit, where he met with leaders from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden to reinforce efforts to strengthen transatlantic security in the North. In a joint statement, the leaders outlined the deepened partnership between Canada and Nordic nations – in trade, technology, energy, and defence and security.

Norway is home to the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund with a value of over $3.5 trillion. In Oslo, the Prime Minister held meetings with business leaders to position Canada as a premier destination for international capital. As Canada diversifies its trade partnerships, accelerates major nation-building projects, builds out its defence capabilities, and attracts greater investment into its economy, Prime Minister Carney emphasised the opportunities to invest in Canada. Building on this momentum, Canadian company Champion Iron has recently announced that they are moving forward with the acquisition of Norwegian company Rana Gruber ASA, a leading producer of high-grade iron ore in Norway. The proposed transaction is for an estimated equity value of approximately $400 million.

Following the conclusion of his visit, the Prime Minister will visit the United Kingdom to meet with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, and have an audience with His Majesty King Charles III. The prime ministers will discuss progress underway to deepen Canada and the United Kingdom’s defence, trade, and economic partnerships.

In this period of rapid change, Canada is safeguarding our interests, modernising our defence capabilities, and strengthening partnerships abroad. By working with valued partners like Norway, we are turning shared priorities into concrete action with strength and unprecedented ambition.

Quote

“The Arctic and the High North are central to Canada’s national identity and strategic autonomy. Canada is intensifying our cooperation with trusted Nordic partners to bolster Arctic and transatlantic security, build economic strength at home, and catalyse massive opportunities for Canadian businesses and workers.”

^{The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada}

Quick facts

• This is Prime Minister Carney’s first visit to Norway since taking office and the first visit to Norway by a Canadian Prime Minister since 1980. He was accompanied by the Minister of National Defence, David J. McGuinty, and the Secretary of State (Defence Procurement), Stephen Fuhr.
• Exercise Cold Response brings together troops from 14 nations, including Norway, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Canada, Spain, Türkiye, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Belgium to train for operations in Arctic and extreme winter conditions.
• The Nordic 5 countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) have a total GDP of $2.8 trillion.
• An example of growing defence industrial collaboration between Canada and Norway is a recent $9.6 million contract awarded to the joint venture Kongsberg Vanguard LP – a partnership between Norwegian firms Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Salt Ship Design, as well as Ottawa-based Adaptive Marine Solutions Inc. Together, the joint venture will design the Canadian Coast Guard’s future mid-shore multi-mission vessels, which will be built under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.
• In his meetings with Nordic partners, Prime Minister Carney underscored that Canada is strengthening its defence industrial base through the $6.6 billion Defence Industrial Strategy, including through the establishment of the Defence Investment Agency, which will accelerate the delivery of new capabilities to the Canadian Armed Forces while strengthening allied defence supply chains that support collective security.
• Prime Minister Carney also affirmed Canada’s efforts to establish the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank to mobilise financing at scale to increase defence production, foster joint procurement opportunities, and bolster secure and resilient supply chains among NATO Allies and trusted international partners.
• Canada officially joinedthe European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative at the Munich Security Conference in February 2026. SAFE is a key pillar of the EU’s Readiness 2030 plan, and Canada’s participation in SAFE will enhance defence readiness on both sides of the Atlantic.

Related links

• Prime Minister Carney meets with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre and Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz
• Prime Minister Carney meets with Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre
• Exercise Cold Response 2026
• Canada-Norway relations
• Security, Sovereignty and Prosperity: Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy
• Canada and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

Source: Prime Minister of Canada

We – the Prime Ministers of the Nordic countries and Canada – met in Oslo today, 15 March 2026.

At a time characterized by heightened geopolitical tension, war and a multitude of crises, we are united in the view that international cooperation, based on international law, shared values and interests, remains the best way to strengthen our common security and prosperity.

As democracies and countries committed to the rule of law, human rights, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states, we share fundamental values, and strengths.

Today we have agreed to deepen cooperation between our countries to ensure the safety, security and sovereignty of our people, and to build prosperous and green economies of the future.

We commit to meeting more regularly at different levels to advance our shared principles and interests.

We are committed to Arctic security, and to ensuring that the people who live in our part of the world can prosper in peace. To achieve this, we will work in partnership with Indigenous and northern communities to unlock the potential of the Arctic; to prevent and mitigate the effects of climate change; and to promote security.

The Nordic countries and Canada are close allies. As Arctic states, we work together to advance security and stability for all Allies in this strategically important region. We are committed to NATO’s effort to bolster the Alliance’s presence, deterrence and defence in the Arctic, and to further developing the strong collaboration to the benefit of all Allies.

We welcome NATO’s enhanced Vigilance Activity, Arctic Sentry, which strengthens NATO’s posture in the Arctic and the High North within SACEUR’s area of responsibility. We also welcome Exercise COLD RESPONSE, Operation NANOOK, Exercise Arctic Endurance and others like it, which build interoperability between those of our armed forces that participate.

In support of collective defence, security and resilience, the Nordic countries and Canada will enhance defence industrial capacity to ramp up defence production, strengthen capabilities, respond to hybrid threats, build resilient infrastructure, and develop interoperable, innovative and dual-use technologies.

We will continue to collaborate through military missions and activities, such as NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Finland, the Baltic States and Poland where our forces serve to bolster NATO’s eastern flank and to deter Russian aggression.

Our support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russia’s illegal war of aggression is unwavering. Ukraine’s security is integral to European and Euro-Atlantic Security.

We will continue to provide economic, civilian, military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and call on all members of the Coalition of the Willing to increase their support. We will continue coordination on our overall assistance, including on sanctions to further restrict the Kremlin’s ability to fund its illegal war.

We agree on the importance of ensuring Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. A just and lasting peace requires credible and legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future aggression and ensure enduring stability across Europe.

We are committed to building competitive, prosperous and green economies for the future that are open to the world but that guard against dangerous dependencies.

The Nordic countries and Canada are robust, open economies, and together we represent a substantial market. We are committed to upholding the rules-based system of international trade, and support efforts to reform and revitalize the World Trade Organization.

Working together, we will expand bilateral trade and investment ties, setting a forward-looking agenda for cooperation, anchored in shared values and economic complementarities.

With technology and international trade increasingly being used as a coercive tool, we commit to enhancing our cooperation on economic security.

We will explore increased cooperation in technological development, including in the area of quantum, connectivity, artificial intelligence, satellite and space technology to better shape our defence, economic power, and global competitiveness.

We will work together to secure enhanced access to critical minerals and reliable global supply chains, rooted in our shared commitment to fair and open trade, and high environmental and labour standards.

We recognize that zero and low carbon energy sources and clean energy technologies can drive economic growth, create jobs and reduce emissions. We will strengthen cooperation to unlock new trade and investment opportunities, scale-up energy technologies and build secure, sustainable and complementary energy supply chains.

Together, the Nordic countries and Canada constitute a formidable partnership. We commit to deepening this, and to develop our cooperation on the basis of respect, trust and shared values and interests.

Source – Prime Minister of Canada | Government of Sweden