Jenny Hill, Ambassador of Canada to Iceland

Message

Welcome to the website of the Embassy of Canada in Reykjavik, Iceland. It is a tremendous privilege to serve as Canada’s Ambassador to Iceland.

Canada and Iceland have a strong and dynamic bilateral relationship founded on our people-to-people ties and our shared interests and values. We are likeminded partners in defence and security, Artic engagement and our governments work closely to stand up for the rules-based international order, foster free and open trade and promote and protect democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

The evolving security and political dynamics in the Arctic have triggered a need for a recalibrated diplomatic approach to advancing Canada’s national interests in the region, based on the principles of pragmatic diplomacy, as outlined in Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy. As Arctic nations and founding members of the Arctic Council, Canada and Iceland work collaboratively to promote circumpolar collaboration, foster healthy and economically vibrant northern communities and advance our climate action goals.

Canada and Iceland are also founding members of NATO and work alongside other NATO Allies to bolster transatlantic security and defence cooperation. With the rules-based international system under unprecedented pressure and global conflict becoming more frequent, Canada has committed to NATO’s spending target of 5% of GDP by 2035. We will continue to work with Iceland and other allies to strengthen our collective security.

We have longstanding people-to-people ties, with Canada having the largest diaspora of Icelanders in the world following the great migration of Icelanders to Canada 150 years ago. These ties have been strengthened through the launch of the Youth Mobility Agreement which enables Canadian and Icelandic youth aged 18 to 30 to work and travel in each other’s country. Have a look at International Experience Canada to learn more.

Canada and Iceland have seen our bilateral two-way trade increase by 35% in the last five years and we’re looking to do more. As two countries that offer predictability and stability during a time of global risk, with the Canada-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Free Trade Agreement in place, our embassy team stands ready to assist Canadian businesses to expand trade, secure investment and foster innovation and knowledge-exchange.

Our embassy provides efficient consular support to Canadians in Iceland. Whether you are a Canadian residing in Iceland, or a visitor here, please take a moment to register online: Registration of Canadians Abroad (ROCA) and refer to travel.gc.ca/travelling to keep abreast of Canada’s Travel Advisories and Travel Reports.

My team and I are committed to strengthening the Canada-Iceland relationship, advancing our common foreign policy priorities, promoting trade and providing high-quality and timely service to Canadians. I invite you to follow our embassy’s account on Facebook and X.

Jenny Hill

Ambassador of Canada to Iceland

Biography

Jenny Hill (BA [Geography], University of Victoria, 2006; MA [Geography], University of Toronto, 2009) joined the Canadian International Development Agency in 2005. Her first assignment abroad was to Afghanistan in 2009; in 2015, she served as first secretary (development) in Ghana; and, in 2017, as head of cooperation in Kenya. At Headquarters, her positions have included deputy director roles in the International Humanitarian Assistance and Global Health bureaus and senior adviser to the assistant deputy minister of the Global Issues and Development Branch. She was Canada’s ambassador to South Sudan from 2020 to late 2021. Most recently, she served as head of office, counsellor and consul in Zambia.