President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday (local time) arrived in Canada for an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between Manila and Ottawa, particularly in trade, labor, energy, and tourism.

The plane carrying the President and the Philippines’ official delegation to Canada landed at Vancouver International Airport at around 5 p.m.

Marcos, accompanied by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, was accorded arrival honors by Canadian officials and members of the Philippine diplomatic mission.

He is expected to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Joseph Carney during his four-day visit to Canada.

The agenda of his visit includes high-level discussions focused on expanding economic partnerships, enhancing defense and maritime cooperation, and addressing the welfare of overseas Filipino workers in Canada.

Marcos is also scheduled to hold meetings with Canadian business leaders and investors, where opportunities abound in key sectors such as mining, information technology, business process management, telecommunications, nuclear energy and financial services.

He is likewise set to meet with the Filipino community to convey his appreciation for their contributions to the Philippines and Canada’s growth and the two nations’ enduring ties.

The visit comes as both countries seek to deepen engagement in the Indo-Pacific region amid evolving geopolitical dynamics and shared interests in rules-based international order.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro earlier said agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation in energy, natural resources, trade and investment, labor and immigration, tourism, culture and arts will also be signed during Marcos’ visit.

Marcos’ visit marks the first official visit by a Philippine president to Canada in more than a decade, following former president Benigno Aquino III’s visit in 2015.

Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada were formally established in December 1949.

As of June 2026, Canada is home to nearly one million Filipinos, making it the second host country with the highest number of overseas Filipinos working and residing in a foreign state.

Canada ranked as the Philippines’ 16th overall trading partner in 2025, with bilateral merchandise trade between the two nations amounting to USD3.4 billion, higher by 7.4 percent from USD3.2 million logged in 2024.

The two nations are currently 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. (PNA)