IBNS-CMEDIA/Ottawa: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will visit Vancouver from July 1 to 4, marking the first visit by a Philippine head of state to Canada in 11 years, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Thursday.
Carney and Marcos Jr. will discuss expanding economic and security ties, including efforts to conclude a Canada-Philippines Free Trade Agreement and a Canada-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement during the Philippines’ chairmanship of ASEAN this year, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The visit comes as Canada seeks to diversify trade and strengthen partnerships across the Indo-Pacific amid growing global economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
The two leaders are also expected to explore greater cooperation in maritime security, defence, energy, critical minerals, food security, tourism and cultural exchanges.
Canada’s nearly one million people of Filipino descent have helped strengthen bilateral ties, making the Philippines one of Canada’s fastest-growing partners in the Indo-Pacific.
The visit builds on recent momentum in bilateral relations. Over the past year, the two countries have signed agreements to enhance defence cooperation and enable their armed forces to train together, while Canadian direct investment in the Philippines has increased by more than 40%, the statement said.
Carney said the relationship between the two countries is underpinned by strong people-to-people ties and shared values.
“The relationship between Canada and the Philippines is strengthened by the deep ties between our citizens. With the Filipino Canadian diaspora nearly one million strong, Canada and the Philippines are building up our partnership so it’s stronger and more expansive,” Carney said.
The two leaders last met in person during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025.
In June this year, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro visited Ottawa, where the two countries signed a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and a Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defence Cooperation.
Canadian Defence Minister David McGuinty and Department of National Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro during their meeting in Canada on June 11. Photo: Department of National Defense – Philippines/X
Bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and the Philippines reached C$3.4 billion in 2025, with the Philippines ranking as Canada’s sixth-largest
(Reporting by Suman Das)
