Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan launched the Canada-Türkiye Strategic Partnership in Ankara, backed by a three-year action plan. Civil nuclear power is among its main chapters, alongside liquefied natural gas, renewables and clean technology.
The plan rests on four pillars: trade and investment, defense and security, energy, and people-to-people ties. On energy, the leaders agreed to advance cooperation significantly. They committed to encouraging investment and supporting dialogue between nuclear sector players. Agreements on critical minerals supply chains are also planned. The two governments also welcomed a joint statement on energy cooperation agreed by their respective energy ministers.
Carney was accompanied by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson. The prime minister said he wants to sell CANDU reactors, critical minerals and LNG to Türkiye. According to Carney, the Turkish economy is growing rapidly and needs secure, reliable energy supplies. He added that Canada has much to offer, from civil nuclear to clean energy.
The context explains the interest. Türkiye wants to build a second nuclear power plant on the Black Sea coast, in addition to the one Russia’s Rosatom is building on the Mediterranean. According to Reuters, reporting on the eve of the visit, Ankara has already held talks with AtkinsRéalis, which owns the CANDU technology, with South Korea’s Korea Electric Power Corporation and with China’s State Power Investment Corporation. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar had named nuclear among the main items on the agenda. A working group was also expected to assess the feasibility of a Canadian offer.
For Ottawa, this is the first dedicated bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister. It fits into a strategy of diversifying markets and reducing economic dependence on the United States. Trade between the two countries has grown by 50% over the past five years. The parties are also working toward a free trade agreement.
It remains to be seen whether the working group on the Black Sea project will lead to a formal bid. If Canada enters the competition with CANDU, Türkiye would be weighing three technologies and three industrial supply chains for its next plants. The decision rests with Ankara, but the political framework is now in place.
