Canada-Italy relations

Bilateral relations

Canada and Italy are like-minded partners on key global and regional issues and work closely together in a range of multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, the G7, G20 and NATO. Canada’s large Italo-Canadian community helps dynamize all aspects of bilateral relations – cultural, social, economic and political. Important linkages also exist in business and science and technology, with a growing number of collaborations and visits by delegations in both directions giving new momentum to innovative commercial opportunities and partnerships. Cultural and academic exchanges and people-to-people ties are also well-established in many areas.

In 2024, Italy and Canada endorsed a Roadmap for Enhanced Cooperation to deepen bilateral ties and advance joint efforts in areas like energy security, climate action, innovation, trade, sustainable development, migration, defence, and youth mobility. As part of the Roadmap, the two countries launched an Energy Dialogue to advance shared energy and natural resources priorities, established a Joint Advisory Group on Artificial Intelligence to bolster collaboration in AI, and signed a Joint Statement on Critical Minerals and Critical Raw Materials Cooperation to enhance cooperation on strategic resources.

Bilateral instruments

In recent years, Canada and Italy have adopted new instruments or amended existing instruments to promote enhanced bilateral relations, travel and business. These bilateral instruments cover a variety of issues, from avoiding double taxation to ensuring airworthiness and promoting judicial cooperation. All bilateral treaties between Canada and Italy are available on the Government of Canada’s treaty web portal.

An updated extradition treaty entered into force in 2010. A new convention on double taxation entered into force in 2011, with its provisions retroactive to January 1, 2011. In 2017, Canada and Italy signed an agreement for reciprocal recognition of drivers’ licences. Drivers’ licence exchanges will start taking place as Italy finalizes memorandums of understanding with individual provinces and territories.

The social security agreement (SSA) between Canada and Italy, which entered into force in 1979, was updated in 2017. It helps individuals who have lived or worked in Canada and Italy to qualify for pension benefits based on their affiliation with each country’s pension system. The SSA also permits continuity of social security coverage when people are sent by their employer to work temporarily in the other country and prevents dual coverage for the same work by both countries’ social security programs.

Trade relations

Canada and Italy have a strong commercial relationship, with important and growing opportunities for mutual benefit from two-way investment as well as in innovation and technology-based partnerships. Canada-Italy trade is underpinned by the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which has been provisionally applied since September 21, 2017.

CETA has yielded real, tangible benefits with bilateral merchandise trade between Italy and Canada reaching $16.8 billion in 2024. It represents a 73% increase compared to pre-CETA levels in 2016. Pharmaceuticals, precious stones and metals, and cereals rank among the top 3 merchandise products Canada exported to Italy in 2024.

Defence relations

Canada and Italy share a robust and dynamic defence relationship, built on common values and strategic interests. Through bilateral agreements and multilateral frameworks, both countries collaborate on training, industrial and technological collaboration, and operational readiness. Canada and Italy maintain strong military cooperation through NATO, exemplified by Canada’s leadership of Operation REASSURANCE in Latvia, where both countries contribute to the multinational battle group supporting NATO’s collective defence posture in Central and Eastern Europe.

In June 2025, Prime Ministers Mark Carney and Giorgia Meloni underscored the strategic value of the bilateral defence cooperation during the G7 summit in Kananaskis, committing both nations to enhanced information exchange and collaboration on emerging security challenges within NATO frameworks. Beyond political coordination, the two governments have acknowledged the potential to deepen industrial ties in the defence sector, aligning procurement strategies and fostering cross‑border collaboration between Canadian and Italian defence industries.

Cultural, academic and youth exchanges

Canada and Italy have strong and long-standing academic cooperation, reinforced by inter-university and private-public academic agreements that generate new ideas and research projects, build relationships and encourage youth mobility. Canadian studies programs throughout Italy, and the Italian Association for Canadian Studies, further contribute to these important people-to-people ties.

In November 2022, Canada and Italy officially implemented a new Youth Mobility Agreement, expanding opportunities for Canadian and Italian youth aged 18 to 35. Under this agreement, participants can obtain a visa to work and travel for up to 12 months, with the possibility to participate twice, for a total of 24 months. The agreement also introduced two new streams—International Co-op and Young Professionals—to help youth gain professional work experience abroad.

Canada and Italy have been youth mobility partners since 2006, and this latest agreement strengthens labour market access and cultural exchange between the two nations.

There are 2 national-level cultural cooperation agreements in force between Canada and Italy:

Partnerships and organizations

To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Italy work closely in key multilateral fora, such as:

Date modified:: 2025-11-07

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