VANCOUVER, Canada — The Philippines and Canada have agreed to upgrade bilateral relations into a strategic partnership that deepens defense and economic cooperation, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday (Friday in Manila).
Marcos and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney formalized the strategic partnership during their bilateral meeting at the Vancouver Convention Center.
“Today, I am pleased to announce the elevation of our bilateral relations to a strategic partnership,” Marcos said during a joint press statement with Carney.
“We have tasked our foreign ministers to draw up a Plan of Action to pursue our shared commitment to work together in adapting to shifting global realities, addressing shared challenges and building capacities for a future-ready partnership,” he added.
Marcos said recent milestones in defense cooperation demonstrated the growing trust between the two countries.
“We recognize that robust defense and security cooperation underpins the strong momentum of our relations. Recent milestones in this pillar underscore the shared commitment of our countries in ensuring that our peoples continue to live in a peaceful and secure region,” he said.
The president said he and Carney welcomed the signing of the status of agreement in Manila and the Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and the Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defense Cooperation between the Philippines and Canada.
Marcos emphasized that a strategic partnership is built not only on close relations but also on reliability and shared commitment.
The two leaders underscored the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and Canada’s increasing engagement in the region under its Indo-Pacific Strategy.
The president thanked Canada for deploying its Dark Vessel Detection (DVD) system to the Philippines to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and increase maritime domain awareness.
Marcos has requested continuous access to the DVD for the next five years.
He also recognized the contributions of the 1 million Filipinos in Canada whom he said “serve as the heart and soul of the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Canada.”
A strategic partnership is a long-term diplomatic framework aimed at deepening cooperation across several dimensions, including defense, economics, technology and politics.
Canada is the sixth country with a strategic partnership with the Philippines, which has a similar agreement with Japan, Vietnam, Australia, South Korea and India.
Months before the Vancouver visit, Manila further enhanced ties with Japan to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and with Vietnam to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership.
Marcos and Carney also witnessed the signing of several documents, including the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on tourism cooperation; and MOU between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Department of Canadian Heritage on Cultural Cooperation.
Also approved were the Joint Declaration of Intent Concerning Energy and Natural Resources Cooperation, and the Joint Declaration of Intent Between the Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration of Canada Concerning Labor and Migration Cooperation.
Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada were formally established in December 1949.
Canada ranked as the Philippines’ 16th overall trading partner in 2025, with bilateral merchandise trade amounting to $3.4 billion, higher by 7.4 percent from $3.2 million logged in 2024.
The two nations are negotiating a free trade agreement in the context of the Canada-Asean Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
In November 2025, the Philippines and Canada signed a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, ushering in a new chapter in bilateral defense cooperation through enhanced engagement and collaboration.
During his meeting with Marcos at Vancouver Convention Center, Carney reiterated Canada’s support for international law and the rules-based international order.
“We absolutely uphold and squarely back the decisions of 2016 that are directly relevant to the territorial waters and activities of the Philippines,” Carney said during a joint press conference with Marcos.
He made the remarks as the Philippines prepares to mark the 10th anniversary of the arbitral ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on July 12, 2016.
Marcos welcomed Canada’s continued support for the Philippines’ position in the West Philippine Sea.
The president cited the signing of an MOU on Defense Cooperation in 2024 and the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement signed in Manila in November last year.
Just last month, the two countries also signed a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement and a Statement of Intent on Strengthening Defense Cooperation during the visit of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. to Ottawa.
Carney said Canada expected to complete the ratification of the visiting forces agreement in the near future.
Once ratified, the agreement will establish the legal framework for military personnel from both countries participating in exercises, training activities, and the Philippines and Canada also agreed to continue expanding maritime cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Carney acknowledged that the Philippines is among the fastest-growing economies in Asia and in the world.
He said he and Marcos have high hopes that the two nations’ bilateral trade would triple by 2035, taking into consideration the “great opportunities” for Philippine and Canada businesses.
“And really this free trade agreement would be the foundation of our new Canada-Philippines strategic partnership,” Carney said.
Marcos said he would also meet with Canadian business leaders from the mining, information technology-business process management and energy sectors during his official visit to discuss opportunities for deeper commercial ties.
He noted that Canadian companies have established a strong presence in the Philippines and expressed optimism that more investments would follow as economic cooperation between the two countries expands.
