Canada advances defence partnerships in Poland

News release

September 10, 2026 - Kielce, Poland - Global Affairs Canada

This week, the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, joined the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, at the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO), held from September 8 to 11, 2026, in Kielce, Poland, to promote Canada’s defence industry, as well as to deepen Canada’s trade relationships with Poland and across Europe. Canada and Poland are strengthening ties in defence, trade, advanced technologies and energy security, and, as North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Allies, are united in supporting collective defence and transatlantic security.

Minister Sidhu kicked off his visit to Poland in Warsaw by meeting with Andrzej Domański, Minister of Finance and Economy. They discussed opportunities to expand Canada-Poland commercial collaboration in priority sectors such as defence, energy and aerospace. Minister Sidhu also met with both Miłosz Motyka, Minister of Energy, and Wojciech Wrochna, Plenipotentiary for Strategic Energy Infrastructure and Secretary of State at the Ministry of Energy, to champion Canada as one of the world’s most reliable suppliers of clean energy. At the meeting, Minister Sidhu promoted Canada’s successful nuclear energy program, based on the unique heavy water natural uranium reactor system, known as CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium).

In Kielce, Minister Sidhu and Minister McGuinty attended MSPO 2026, where they met with defence industry leaders and formally opened the Canada Pavilion together with Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence. As this year’s lead nation, Canada is showcasing its defence and security capabilities, innovation and industrial expertise at MSPO, one of Europe’s premier defence exhibitions.

At MSPO 2026, more than 20 memorandums of understanding were signed, supporting future industry collaboration in the growing defence sector. This momentum is also reflected in trade figures, with Canadian defence exports to Europe increasing by 56% in the last year.

With a Team Canada approach, Canada’s presence at MSPO 2026 included more than 200 organizations and nearly 500 delegates from Canada’s industry and all levels of government, making it the country’s largest defence and security business mission worldwide and the largest business delegation Canada has ever brought to Poland. This included 20 economic development organizations from across the country, which participated in more than 200 pre-arranged meetings with international companies to promote Canada as a competitive destination for investment and attract job-creating investment.

The ministers’ participation highlighted Canada’s commitment to expanding commercial and industrial cooperation with partners across Central and Eastern Europe.

Canada’s involvement at MSPO supports Canada’s broader Defence Industrial Strategy, as well as efforts to diversify and strengthen international partnerships and deepen defence industrial cooperation with European partners, including through Canada’s participation in the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative. These efforts are also reinforced by Canada’s Strategic Exports Office, which helps Canadian businesses pursue major export opportunities in strategic sectors, including defence and security.

Quotes

“Over 200 Canadian companies joined us at MSPO in Poland, our largest ever delegation, in a market where our defence exports have grown over 300%. I saw firsthand how CAE, a company that supports over 4,500 jobs here in Canada, is partnering with WB Group to unlock new opportunities in Poland as we grow our presence here. That kind of momentum across our defence sector will diversify our trade while creating 125,000 more jobs for Canadians over the next decade.”

- Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade

"Canada’s defence industry is central to our security, our sovereignty and our economic strength. At MSPO, we are showing our Allies that Canada is ready to do more: to build more at home, deepen industrial cooperation and deliver the capabilities our collective defence demands. As NATO Allies, Canada and Poland are investing in a stronger, more-resilient defence industrial base that creates opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses while making our Alliance stronger."

- David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence

Quick facts

The MSPO is Europe’s third-largest defence and security trade show, and the flagship defence event in Central and Eastern Europe.
Held annually, the 2026 exhibition was the largest to date and hosted more than 40,000 visitors, more than 1,200 exhibitors and more than 60 official delegations.
In 2025, Poland was Canada’s fourth-largest military goods and technology export market and the second largest in Europe. Canada’s defence military goods and technology exports to Poland were valued at $216.8 million, up 319% from 2024.
More than 60 Canadian companies successfully operate in Poland.
Since the 2017 provisional application of the Canada-European Union Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), two-way merchandise trade between Poland and Canada has doubled, and was up 33% from 2024.
Canada was the first NATO Ally to ratify Poland’s accession to NATO in 1998. Today, Canadian and Polish troops serve side by side in the NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia.
Poland was a key supporter of Canada’s participation in the EU’s SAFE defence financing program, making Canada the first non-European country able to participate.

Associated links

Contacts

Mujtaba Hussain
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Trade
819-230-8834
Mujtaba.Hussain@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca

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2026-09-10