Carney Announces Canada-Philippines Free Trade Agreement Ahead Of ASEAN Summit
Canada and the Philippines have completed negotiations on a free trade deal, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in Manila, adding that trade talks with the United States are also moving forward.
MANILA, Nov 14 – Canada and the Philippines have concluded negotiations on a Canada-Philippines free trade agreement, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Saturday, adding that he expects trade between the two countries to triple over the next decade.
Carney announced at a press conference in Manila, where he is on a state visit ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.
He said he and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. agreed to launch the talks at last year’s regional summit in Kuala Lumpur. Since then, Canadian Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, Philippine Trade Secretary Cristina Roque and their teams have worked intensively to reach an agreement.
“We have successfully concluded those negotiations,” Carney said, noting that the process took about nine months.
He said both governments will now move quickly to finalize the text, to bring the agreement into force next year.
Carney said Canadian exports in several sectors are already meeting demand in the Philippines. The agreement, he said, will give Canadian producers and companies a stronger competitive position in one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing economies.
The deal is expected to deepen trade and investment ties between the two countries, opening new opportunities for Canadian businesses in sectors such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure and technology.
Officials said the agreement would also support closer economic cooperation at a time when both governments are seeking to diversify their trading relationships across the Asia-Pacific region.
The deal follows a steady deepening of relations between the two countries this year. In July, Carney and Marcos raised ties to a strategic partnership during a meeting in Vancouver.
At the time, both leaders said they wanted to conclude the trade talks before the end of 2026.
Bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and the Philippines was valued at about $3.4 billion in 2025, according to the Canadian government.
In September, Sidhu said negotiations with the Philippines and the wider Southeast Asian bloc were more than 90% complete. He said Ottawa was pushing to have both agreements ready in time for Carney’s visit to Manila.
Canada is still negotiating a separate free trade agreement with the bloc as a whole. Carney did not say on Saturday whether that deal had been completed.
At the same press conference, Carney addressed Canada’s trade talks with the United States. He said he had a long and substantive call with President Donald Trump shortly before leaving for Asia.
According to Carney, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also took part in the call.
Carney said the two countries are making progress and that a bilateral deal is possible, although they have not yet reached an agreement.
Asked whether it would help for all three North American leaders to meet together, Carney said it would. However, he said he does not expect such a meeting in the short term.
Carney also spoke about security in Europe. He said Canada will not walk away from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and that the security of a free Europe will be decided by Europe and the alliance, not by Russia.
Leaders gathering for the regional summit are expected to discuss energy security, cross-border pollution, the prolonged crisis in Myanmar and tensions between Thailand and Cambodia.
The Philippines holds the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year. Carney is attending the summit as a guest of the chair.
The gathering comes as Southeast Asian economies seek to strengthen regional trade, attract investment and address growing geopolitical pressures. Officials are also expected to discuss ways to deepen cooperation on supply chains, digital trade and climate resilience across the region.
Carney’s visit highlights Canada’s effort to expand its economic presence in Asia, where governments are increasingly seeking reliable partners amid uncertainty over global trade rules and shifting supply chains.
