Canada and France pledge joint space infrastructure after Carney–Macron talks

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Sunday to deepen cooperation on space, defence, energy and business, tasking their space agencies and defence ministries with jointly developing shared infrastructure including launch systems and ground reception facilities, Reuters reported.

The two leaders met in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, the French territory off Canada’s Atlantic coast, about 25 km from Newfoundland, according to an official readout from the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office. The readout says the leaders “directed their space agencies, defence ministries, and industries to develop and share common space infrastructure, such as launch systems and ground reception and control infrastructure.”

The pair also welcomed a new strategic partnership between the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and France’s CCI France to deepen business ties, and agreed to closer collaboration in defence, aerospace and wildfire management. They discussed Ukraine, transatlantic security, the Middle East and the Arctic.

Carney called for stronger ties with France “in the face of new global threats,” Reuters reported, as Ottawa seeks closer European ties amid an escalating trade dispute with Washington. The meeting follows a European Union proposal to make Canada the bloc’s first associate member, Seeking Alpha reported.

Sources

• Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-calls-stronger-ties-with-france-face-new-global-threats-2026-09-20/
• AP: https://www.swoknews.com/ap/business/macron-and-carney-hold-talks-on-strengthening-canada-france-economic-and-defense-ties/article_d884179f-dbbe-52f2-82f0-ad4a38fac987.html
• Canadian PMO official readout: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/readouts/2026/09/20/prime-minister-carney-meets-president-france-emmanuel-macron