Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney plans to visit Turkey this month for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to people familiar with the preparations.

If confirmed, the trip would be the first dedicated bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian prime minister and a notable step in the recent warming of relations.

The leaders are expected to discuss accelerating negotiations on a comprehensive free-trade agreement launched during the NATO summit in Ankara in July.

Energy, defence production, critical minerals and advanced technologies are also likely to feature as both governments seek new commercial partnerships.

Turkey accounted for less than 0.3 percent of Canada’s merchandise trade in 2025, leaving considerable room for growth despite bilateral trade reaching about C$4.3 billion.

The outreach fits Carney’s pledge to double Canadian trade outside the United States over the next decade after renewed friction with Washington.

Cooperation has become easier since Canada lifted weapons-export controls on Turkey in 2024, while possible Canadian participation in Turkey’s nuclear-energy expansion is also being explored.

Neither leader’s office had publicly confirmed the itinerary at the time of reporting, so dates and the final agenda may still change.

Sources: Reuters; Office of the Prime Minister of Canada.

Featured photo: Felix Munyika/Unsplash.