Canada-Philippines Strategic Partnership: A New Blueprint for Economic and Defense Ties
The agreement between Canada and the Philippines aims to triple bilateral trade by 2035 while strengthening cooperation in energy, defense, and labor rights.
The governments of the Philippines and Canada announced on July 2 a new Canada-Philippines Strategic Partnership that will strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, defense, and tourism.
A priority of this partnership is concluding negotiations on a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement by the end of this year. This agreement is expected to triple bilateral trade by 2035.
“We are deepening cooperation to unlock new markets and drive more investment between our growing economies, while reinforcing our collective security,” said Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a July 2 statement,
The two countries also announced a Joint Declaration of Intent concerning Energy and Natural Resources Cooperation and a new Technical Assistance Partnership. This will leverage the two countries’ resources to secure resilient, sustainable, and responsible supply chains in the Philippines, in Canada, and across the Indo-Pacific.
A Status of Visiting Forces Agreement signed on November 2, 2025, moreover, will enable both nations’ armed forces to train and operate together through joint military exercises.
The two countries also formalized the following:
- a joint declaration of intent on labor and migration to strengthen protections for migrant workers and promote ethical recruitment,
- A tourism cooperation agreement to promote tourism, share best practices, and encourage more travel between the Philippines and Canada, and
- A cultural cooperation agreement to promote cultural exchanges and cooperation to help preserve and showcase Filipino and Canadian heritage.
Canada has a one million-strong Filipino diaspora. The first Filipino community settlement began in Bowen Island in 1861.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Canada-Philippines Strategic Partnership, announced July 2, 2026, strengthens bilateral cooperation across trade, energy, defense, and tourism. It builds on a free trade agreement expected to conclude by year-end, alongside new agreements on energy resources, migrant worker protections, tourism cooperation, and cultural exchange between the two countries.
Negotiations on the Canada-Philippines free trade agreement are targeted for conclusion by the end of 2026. Officials project the agreement will triple bilateral trade between the two countries by 2035, positioning it as a central pillar of the broader Strategic Partnership signed this year.
The Joint Declaration of Intent on Energy and Natural Resources Cooperation, paired with a new Technical Assistance Partnership, directs both countries to pool resources toward resilient, sustainable, and responsible supply chains across the Philippines, Canada, and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
Signed November 2, 2025, the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement allows the armed forces of the Philippines and Canada to train and operate together through joint military exercises, formalizing defense cooperation ahead of the broader Strategic Partnership announced in July 2026.
Canada is home to a one million-strong Filipino diaspora, one of the largest in the country. The first Filipino community settlement in Canada began on Bowen Island in 1861, giving the two nations a long-standing people-to-people connection ahead of this year’s Strategic Partnership.
