OTTAWA — Canada and Turkey have agreed to restart initial discussions on a free-trade agreement.

Global Affairs Canada says the decision reflects the ambition of both countries to unlock the full potential of their commercial partnership.

A news release from the department says International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu and his Turkish counterpart also have agreed to explore opportunities in renewable and nuclear energy.

While Canada and Turkey held talks on a free-trade agreement in 2010 and 2013, the federal government’s website says there was not sufficient common ground to pursue negotiations at the time.

Turkey is hosting the 2026 NATO summit next month and the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference in the fall.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has boasted of signing 20 strategic trade and defence agreements around the world over the past year and Sidhu says Canada is looking to sign three major trade deals before the end of the year — with Mercosur, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and India.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press